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How do you know?

I've read a few different ideas on the subject, but I'm curious what the most popular method is on the forums.  How do YOU tell when your ribs are done (beef and or pork)?

Comments

  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
    when you hold them with a pair of tongs and they bend 90 degrees
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
  • Badong
    Badong Posts: 126
    When do you start performing this test?
  • RV10Flyer
    RV10Flyer Posts: 140

    I use the bend test and check temp with an instant read thermometer.

    The following is a good read on the subject: http://www.amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/are_they_ready.html

     

     


    North Texas

    XL and Small BGE

  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    or you can eat some :D
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • Badong
    Badong Posts: 126
    RV10Flyer

    Excellent article.  How do I adapt this for beef (I know, I know, but my wife loves carne de vaca)?
  • boatbum
    boatbum Posts: 1,273

    If you are not already doing this ( or haven't much in the past) - I would recommend probing your meat.

    Poke it with the thermapen ( or a skewer or a toothpick) when it first goes on.  See how it feels.  Start to get a feeling for how the meat feels different as it cooks.

    Time helps me plan my cook.

    Temp helps me know when to start probing (or bending with ribs)

    Probing tells me its done.

     

    Just my .02 worth.

     

    Cookin in Texas
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,170
    Bend test is good for full racks but I have moved to the toothpick test since occsionally I cut the racks or if you are also cooking the flap meat from trimmed spares toothpick worlks for me.  No resistance in or out and you are there.  YMMV-
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • Badong
    Badong Posts: 126

    lousubcap said:
    Bend test is good for full racks but I have moved to the toothpick test since occsionally I cut the racks or if you are also cooking the flap meat from trimmed spares toothpick worlks for me.  No resistance in or out and you are there.  YMMV-
    Thank you.  Didn't get this in time but the first rack turned out pretty well. This makes a lot of sense. Are you not foiling or are you just probing through the foil?
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,170

    @Badong _ I don't foil unless guest preference, but I have found that if you run for around 3-4 hrs w/o foil, then foil for an hour or so they are usually (unless overly meaty) fall off the bone by then.  Here's a good read that may give you some worthwhile info-

    http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/2006/02/recipes.html Check out the bottom three articles of the pork recipe section.

     

    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • TexanOfTheNorth
    TexanOfTheNorth Posts: 3,951
    When I do pork ribs I usually run around 250* indirect. I start checking for doneness at around 4 hours. I never foil them. I'll either use a toothpick or the bend test. I prefer my ribs pull off the bone as opposed to fall off.

    I don't do too many beef ribs so I can't opine on those.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Well, "spa-Peggy" is kind of like spaghetti. I'm not sure what Peggy does different, if anything. But it's the one dish she's kind of made her own.
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    Aurora, Ontario, Canada