Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Rib help

Options
ElkhornHusker
ElkhornHusker Posts: 493
in EggHead Forum
I have tried to egg ribs 3 different times with no real success yet.  Yesterday I had them on for 3 hours at 250 and thought they would need at least another 2 hours but the ribs were overcooked again.  Not sure what I am doing wrong at this point.
Elkhorn, NE
1 large egg
28" Blackstone
Akorn Jr. 
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
    edited December 2015
    Options
    You pit thermometer can't be reading correct at the time and temp you stated unless you are cooking direct. That brings me to my question, are you cooking direct or indirect? There is no way your ribs can be over cooked at 250 degrees indirect in 3 hours. It's just not possible my friend. 

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Darby_Crenshaw
    Darby_Crenshaw Posts: 2,657
    Options
    If they were tough and dry, then you actually undercooked them. 


    [social media disclaimer: irony and sarcasm may be used in some or all of user's posts; emoticon usage is intended to indicate moderately jocular social interaction; the comments toward users, their usernames, and the real people (living or dead) that they refer to are not intended to be adversarial in nature; those replying to this user are entering into a tacit agreement that they are real-life or social-media acquaintances and/or have agreed to or tacitly agreed to perpetrate occasional good-natured ribbing between and among themselves and others]

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,458
    edited December 2015
    Options
    Agree, that's a five to six hour cook depending on if you foil. They're undercooked. Did some yesterday at 250 the took 6+ hrs. 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Gamecockeggman
    Gamecockeggman Posts: 1,329
    Options
    Got any pics of your setup?  As @SGH has said above, either your thermometer is way wast off or you are eating raw pork,  only other option is that you are going direct.
    Go Gamecocks!!!
    1 XL, 1 MM
    Smoking in Aiken South Carolina
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ElkhornHusker
    ElkhornHusker Posts: 493
    Options
    5-6 hours was what I was expecting, but they seemed cooked all the way through.  They were tough and dry, but not raw either.  I cooked them indirect.   
    Elkhorn, NE
    1 large egg
    28" Blackstone
    Akorn Jr. 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • pgprescott
    pgprescott Posts: 14,544
    Options
    I've had some done at @ 4 hours. 3 seems real short. Like the guys are saying, need more info. Type of rib, direct/indirect, bones down, foil/no foil, etc. 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • johnnyp
    johnnyp Posts: 3,932
    Options
    ElkhornHusker said:
    I have tried to egg ribs 3 different times with no real success yet.  Yesterday I had them on for 3 hours at 250 and thought they would need at least another 2 hours but the ribs were overcooked again.  Not sure what I am doing wrong at this point.
    Darby_Crenshaw said:
    If they were tough and dry, then you actually undercooked them. 


    Normally, you might take pork loin/chops/etc to an internal temp of ~160*.  When you're cooking ribs or other BBQ cuts of meat, you'll go way past that.  wheras a pork chop would become dry and tough, ribs will break down internal collagen and connective tissue to become soft and tender
    XL & MM BGE, 36" Blackstone - Newport News, VA
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ElkhornHusker
    ElkhornHusker Posts: 493
    Options
    Baby back ribs, indirect, bones up, no foil, water pan.  Sounds like I need to use the 3-2-1 method and stick with it despite what the ribs look like.
    Elkhorn, NE
    1 large egg
    28" Blackstone
    Akorn Jr. 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Gamecockeggman
    Gamecockeggman Posts: 1,329
    Options
    i would flip them over, bone side down.  Get settled in 250 with a drip pan.  You can go 275 if you want.  Put some liquid in it and let it go. You can do it!!!
    Go Gamecocks!!!
    1 XL, 1 MM
    Smoking in Aiken South Carolina
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • pgprescott
    pgprescott Posts: 14,544
    Options
    Personally, I would ditch the water pan, place them bones down and check the thermometer for accuracy.
      You also can't get too caught up in time with bbq. Each rib, butt, and brisket is different and can vary fairly dramatically based upon the fat content and connective tissues. When it comes to bbq, fat is always your friend. It is the flavor and moisture you really need to keep your proteins moist and delicious. I start checking them around 4 hours or so. If you foil, they will be done quicker. 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
    Options
    @ElkhornHusker
    Without actually being there it's hard to diagnose your quagmire. However I want to reiterate that there is not a rack of pork ribs out there that will be over cooked in 3 hours at 250 degrees. It just ain't happening. It's not even possible. Heck there ain't many racks out there that would even be done in the said time and temp little lone over done. My hunch is (if they are indeed over cooked) is that you are running much hotter than you realize due to improper calibration.  

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457
    Options
    Forget the the 250° and bump the temp up to 350°.  Most baby backs will be done in 1:45-2hrs.  No matter how you cook them forget about using temps for doneness. Either use the bend test(ribs will bend to 90° when picked up with tongs) or the toothpick test (pic will slide into meat like hot butter).  

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Darby_Crenshaw
    Darby_Crenshaw Posts: 2,657
    edited December 2015
    Options
    Again Tough and dry is undercooked

    you did not cook them long enough


    [social media disclaimer: irony and sarcasm may be used in some or all of user's posts; emoticon usage is intended to indicate moderately jocular social interaction; the comments toward users, their usernames, and the real people (living or dead) that they refer to are not intended to be adversarial in nature; those replying to this user are entering into a tacit agreement that they are real-life or social-media acquaintances and/or have agreed to or tacitly agreed to perpetrate occasional good-natured ribbing between and among themselves and others]

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    Options
    With ribs, don't pay too much attention to the internal temp or color, they are done when they pass the bend test and/or the toothpick test.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • pgprescott
    pgprescott Posts: 14,544
    Options
    Toothpick for me. It works. 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ElkhornHusker
    ElkhornHusker Posts: 493
    Options
    Thanks everyone,  try, try, try again.
    Elkhorn, NE
    1 large egg
    28" Blackstone
    Akorn Jr. 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,898
    Options
    ElkhornHusker said:
    Thanks everyone,  try, try, try again.
    Expecting rib perfection after just 3 attempts is being too rough on yourself. As said before each rack and each butt seem to have a personality of it's own! You'll get there, just think of the hundreds perhaps thousands of racks egged where people eat them and remain quiet - seldom do we hear from roof top screamers telling us here how GREAT and over the top their ribs were this cook. 
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • cmkratt
    cmkratt Posts: 54
    Options
    Search for the Car Wash Mike Method and follow that. I've never had bad results using that. Use the toothpick test for doneness. 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories