Help, my ribs suck!

GranHuevoVerde · March 2015

New to well, everything cooking. I'm in Australia awaiting from y LBGE to arrive next month. In the meantime I got a Kamado Joe Jr a few weeks ago. Today was my third time attempting a simple rack of ribs and they sucked! They are dry, don't fall off the bone. Simply suck.

So todays setup was plate setter with a tin with water/apple juice mix, 1 small rack chopped in half. Had it cooking for 3.5 hours until the first peak. Previous cooks i was looking too often, and only went to 2hrs so thought why not 3-4 this time.

I used a Maverick 733 for the first time. I set at 225ish, took me a while to kind of stabilized it but mostly was an up down chasing game between 200 and 235 grill temp. The dome temp though was all the way up in the 290 area which did concern me.

My wife is starting to think I'm a tool for spending so much money on these grills, help me not be one!

Eggcelsior · March 2015

What kind of ribs? They were probably not finished. It typically takes 5 hours for loin back ribs and around 6 for spareribs at that grid temperature.

GranHuevoVerde · March 2015

baby back Eggcelsior said:

What kind of ribs? They were probably not finished. It typically takes 5 hours for loin back ribs and around 6 for spareribs at that grid temperature.

Baby back.

Eggcelsior · March 2015

Yeah, go a bit longer. You should be able to insert a tooth pick between the bones without resistance or use tongs to pick up half the rack and the other half should bend 90°.

4Runner · March 2015

Also, if you want fall off the bone, you will need to wrap them I n foil at about 3 hours in to your cook. I used to foil but not anymore. Here is a good link to ribs: http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/2002/06/baby-back-rib-class.html

jonnymack · March 2015

Yeah sounds like you needed some more time. I'm not a fall off the bone guy but 4Runner has you covered if that's what you're looking for.

JethroVA · March 2015

Search for 3-2-1 ribs on this site. Guaranteed to fall off the bone.

SmokeyPitt · March 2015

I agree with others they just didn't cook long enough. Like @JethroVA pointed out the 3-2-1 method is popular or some variation. This is basically just adding stage where you wrap the ribs in foil. 3 hours in the smoke, 2 hours wrapped in foil, 1 hour back on the smoker.

In my personal experience, this is often a bit too much time in the foil. I would start with something like 3-1-1 (1 hour in foil) and adjust from there.

A foil stage is not necessary as others indicated, but it does make it a bit easier to get them falling off the bone if that is what you are after.

DieselkW · March 2015

What is it exactly you're not happy with? Taste, texture, done-ness, or smoke? All?

The KJoe is a good smoker, but you have to find a way to stabilize your temp below 250 on the dome or you're going to be weak on the smoke taste.

What are you using for rub/sauce?

Did you remove that nasty membrane on the bone side before you put it on the grill? That would add an unpleasant taste to ribs.

Give us a more detailed step by step, or follow @4Runner 's link and do everything in the same order as described there.

DaveRichardson · March 2015

Or google Car Wash Mike's Ribs; I've yet to screw up following that technique.

If you want a simple baby back, go 2-2-1 (2 @ 250-ish bone down, 2 in foil, then 1 back on the grid bone down). During that last hour, I like to hit it with at least 2 helpings of brushed-on sauce that is high in sugar; caramelizes great with great color and a good sticky sauce when done.

jstnezell · March 2015

I agree with @SmokeyPitt and @DaveRichardsongoing 3-1-1 or 2-2-1 will give you the fall of the bone you're looking for, the foil will make them super tender....

Jeepster47 · April 2015

Good advice above. I'd suggest aiming for simple ... either with or without foil until you have more experience with controlling the temp. Car Wash Mike's process involves opening and spritzing ... the temps will swing and until you understand your egg, you might over chase the temps.

PS ... love your screen name ... "Big Green Egg" in Spanish ... very clever.

nlovold · April 2015

I'm no expert, but I've made some pretty good ribs by simply stabilizing the egg at a temp between 225 and 300 when I wake up, put the ribs on indirect, and let them cook all day until they pass the bend test.

I second @Jeepster47 - great screen name @GranHuevoVerde !!

grege345 · April 2015

If your other ribs didn't have some pull back from the end of the bone they weren't done.

johnkitchens · April 2015

My wife said my screen name should be "hombre con pene pequeño" I have no idea why though. I am not Spanish?????

jabam · April 2015

johnkitchens said:

My wife said my screen name should be "hombre con pene pequeño" I have no idea why though. I am not Spanish?????

I don't think you want me to translate that for you! Leave it alone!!

JethroVA · April 2015

I think you can see above that there are several methods that result in 5 or 6. 3.2.1 or 3.1.1 or 2.2.1. Point is, cook for 5 or 6 hours. Foil is a great opportunity to braise them a bit to ensure max tenderness. i was seriously over served tonight so i am no longer qualified to opine. nite nite good ladies and gentlemen.

Help, my ribs suck!

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