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what could I have done better?? Beef Back Ribs

(a) Things did not go as planned so I need some advice. I managed to get the temperature down to 300F, but I could not get my temperature below 300F.  At first I had the bottom vent open to the thickness of a quarter and the top cast iron cap and daisey wheel completely closed, Then I closed the bottom vent as well. The temperature stayed right on 300F for 3.5 hours. Question - Should I have put the green ceramic cap on it for a short period of time along with the closed bottom vent, to bring the temp down??? Is there a trick I could have used.

(b) After the BGE stabilizing at 300 (the lowest temp I could get) I put on two slabs of ribs indirect, platesetter legs up.

At 30 minutes the probe showed an internal temp of 167F.  Dome temp 300f.  I did not foil because I thought the ribs only had 30 minutes of smoke. Should I have done something at this point?

At 1 hour, dome temp 300 and IT is 190F.

At 2nd hour, dome temp is still 300 with vent and CI cap completely closed, and IT is stalled a little at 206F.

At 2 hours 30 minutes, dome 300F and IT is 206F

At 2 hours 45 minutes dome is 300F and IT 208F. I basted it a little and left on egg for about the last 10 minutes.

I pulled them 3 hours

The Beef Back Ribs were moist and good. The rack of Pork Side Ribs were good, but a little too firm.

What could I have done better under the minimum 300F I had to deal with? Foil? take out of egg and shut down until temp came down? Taken ribs out of egg earlier? Etc?

BTW, I took the time to takes pics from start to finish, but I get a message that the file (from my i-phone) is not compatible, so I'll have to sort that out

People say that Television is bad for you.  It's that bloody Fridge, that's killing me.

Comments

  • Richard Fl
    Richard Fl Posts: 8,297
    edited June 2013

    Not sure why your temp would not get below 300F.. I have been known to close the bottom and add the ceramic top if my temps get toooo far out of line.  If you were bringing the temp down from 400 or so higher it takes forever to get it down.  I have one large that if the temp gets near 400 and I close everything it will get to 300 or so and stay there forever. 

    http://www.greeneggers.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=907369&catid=1

    Here are some beef rib ideas.

    Just takes time to get used to the different methods.  Pork ribs 4-5 hours beef 5-6 depending on size and amount of meat on bones.

    http://www.greeneggers.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=755549&catid=1

     

     

     

  • CANMAN1976
    CANMAN1976 Posts: 1,593
    Did mine 330 deg the other day for 2 hours and they were great.Did u overshoot your target temp when stabilizing the egg.Start shutting down vents when within 50 deg of target.easier to heat up egg than cool it.
    Hows ya gettin' on, me ol ****



    Kippens.Newfoundland and Labrador. (Canada).
  • boatbum
    boatbum Posts: 1,273
    Takes a while to bring temp back down - not a few minutes.
    Cookin in Texas
  • hotwheels
    hotwheels Posts: 73

    Yes guys, I overshot to about 400 while stabilizing. Then I closed btm vent and CI cap, with out putting on the ceramic cap. I thought the ceramic cap might create a lot of smoke or some other problem. Now I know to use it, at least if I'm smoking food anyways.

    When Canman pulled the ribs out at 2 hours, did you decide because of internal temp? or just experience told you that 2 hours at 330F was about right? 

    btw, good advise on the 50 deg within target. did not know that, then again, there's a lot I don't know

    People say that Television is bad for you.  It's that bloody Fridge, that's killing me.

  • Charlie tuna
    Charlie tuna Posts: 2,191
    I cook my beef ribs the same as my pork ribs and that requires low starting temperature.  You should be able to cook in the neighborhood of 250 degrees.  If i were you, i would try a dry run, meaning no food on the egg, just try to get and MAINTAIN a lower temperature.  As stated above, it's hard to get the temperature lowered, than raising the temperature.  So go easy on the vents and watch the results  --- use some patience, don't start changing vent openings without knowing you are stabilized. 
  • hotwheels
    hotwheels Posts: 73

    I think I see one of the problems. When I start the fire and i see it hover in the 200-250 target range, I start to wonder if the fire is still going or did it go out. So I have been letting the temps go up a little so I know that there really is a fire in there hidden under the platesetter.

     So... you might say that there's no problem with what's going on in the green egg, the problem is with the egg shaped thing sitting on my shoulders. lol

    People say that Television is bad for you.  It's that bloody Fridge, that's killing me.

  • Springram
    Springram Posts: 430
    Main problem is you are cooking beef ribs .....sorry....could not help myself. :<)


    Springram
    Spring, Texas
    LBGE and Mini
  • td66snrf
    td66snrf Posts: 1,821
    One trick I've found to bring the temp down is to throw more charcoal on. Because the egg retains heat so well it's way easier to catch the temp on the way up than to try and bring it back down. I like to cook my ribs at about 225.
    XLBGE, LBGE, MBGE, SMALL, MINI, 2 Kubs, Fire Magic Gasser
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    hotwheels said:

    I think I see one of the problems. When I start the fire and i see it hover in the 200-250 target range, I start to wonder if the fire is still going or did it go out. So I have been letting the temps go up a little so I know that there really is a fire in there hidden under the platesetter.

     So... you might say that there's no problem with what's going on in the green egg, the problem is with the egg shaped thing sitting on my shoulders. lol

    I have always lit the egg and left the dome open to get the fire established, it doesn't heat up the ceramic as much doing this. Then drop your indirect piece in and close the dome and the adjust the vents to what I know is about 250*, lower vent about the thickness of a dime and the daisy about a 1/4 open. By the time the platesetter heats up I'm at 250*. Then put the grid on and the meat. Temp will drop a bit from the cold meat but will recover.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • SkinnyV
    SkinnyV Posts: 3,404
    Made em yesterday aimed for 275 but hit 300, didn't touch for 3+ hours no issues. They are pretty fail safe IMO.
    Seattle, WA
  • hotwheels
    hotwheels Posts: 73

    Little Steven  said:

    "I have always lit the egg and left the dome open to get the fire established, it doesn't heat up the ceramic as much doing this. Then drop your indirect piece in and close the dome and the adjust the vents to what I know is about 250*, lower vent about the thickness of a dime and the daisy about a 1/4 open. By the time the platesetter heats up I'm at 250*. Then put the grid on and the meat. Temp will drop a bit from the cold meat but will recover."

    That's very specific.    I need specific  :-) Thanks... I will try that tommorrow

    People say that Television is bad for you.  It's that bloody Fridge, that's killing me.