I'm scared

SaintJohnsEgger · January 2017

No, this isn't a political thread.

I bought 3 racks of pork baby backs at Restuarant Depot today and I have never smoked baby backs before. I love baby back ribs and I've eaten quite a few racks in my life. But I've never cooked any and I figured it's time to face my fears and step up to the challenge.

i have an AR so I figure I'll figure out how to set that up and cook the ribs on two levels. I don't have any racks to do them standing up so I guess I'll have to lay them down. I figure on going indirect but I haven't decided on a a temp yet either.

Any tips on doing ribs on the AR?

bhedges1987 · January 2017

250 indirect with a few chunks of wood if you want. You can easily fit 3 racks with an AR.

If your egg settles in at 300, just cook them there. Cook for about 4 hours and start picking them up and seeing how they bend. When they almost fall apart they're done.

SaintJohnsEgger · January 2017

That sounds fairly easy. Isn't there a membrane that needs to be removed?

OhioEgger · January 2017

My own standard is 225-250 indirect. I use an inverted V-rack -- you should easily be able to find one at the local big box hardware store. You really can't go wrong with Car Wash Mike's method.

bhedges1987 · January 2017

SaintJohnsEgger said:

That sounds fairly easy. Isn't there a membrane that needs to be removed?

There is. Check YouTube for a video. It's pretty easy.

bhedges1987 · January 2017

You don't have to remove it though. Most BBQ joints don't. If you have trouble just take a knife to it and make slits.

Carolina Q · January 2017

Car Wash Mike's baby back method has always been popular here. Here's how to remove the membrane (from AZRP)...
http://www.greeneggers.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=697455&catid=1

THEBuckeye · January 2017

Yes, there is.

Best to search youtube for a demo. It's not a big deal once you'v done it once or twice.

I'm doing Baby Backs as we speak. I'm doing the "turbo" method. Hotter temp, less time. Many methods , may rubs, many sauces for ribs. Are looking to learn, cook faster, impress friends? Search the forum. You'll find a method that make sense to you and go for it.

Turbo, for me for ribs, is 350 raised (felt level) indirect. Cook for one hour. Remove, double foil, add sauce as desired- or not, add a bit of apple juice then cook for another 45 minutes, rest for 20.

The Egg (shh, it's a secret) makes us all incredible cooks/pit-masters. It has everything to do with us, nothing to do with Egg.

Grab a beverage and have fun.

Don't be afraid.

Hans61 · January 2017

I like 275, 3-1.5-1. I buy mine at Costco so they're usually 3lb slabs. If yours are smaller do less time I throw the rub on while the egg is heating up. I like fruitwood smoke on ribs the best. Throw some brown sugar in the foil and maybe a little liquid apple juice/butter/honey

I do the bend test. If your halving the slabs do the toothpick test

SaintJohnsEgger · January 2017

I've seen 3-1-1 and other numbers like that numerous times. Can someone explain what they mean?

HofstraJet · January 2017

Here's a link to my first AR rib attempt with details on my AR setup.

And here's my first attempt without the AR.

Followed CWM instructions (linked above) both times and they came out great.

lousubcap · January 2017

Here's a description of the numbers:

All rib cooks are some variation around X-0-0 which translates into the following: Basically ribs are cooked as usual (bone side down for me) for the first X hours. Then they are removed from the cooker and wrapped with liquid (Q sauce, some other liquid for flavoring etc) in a foil pouch with the meat side down. This becomes step -0- mentioned above. The sealed ribs are then returned to the cooker. At the end of the "0" time-frame, the ribs are removed from the foil and then put back on the BGE for the final "0" time-frame. This is when sauce is added if your desire. X-X-X defines the cook cycle. Those of us X-0-0 run without any of the above extras. It's all in what you like

And to determine when they are finished-the bend test if you have full racks-pick them up on one end and if they bend around 90* they are finished. Another method-use a toothpick and insert in the thickest meat-in and out with no resistance and finished. Also look for a good meat pull-back on the bones. Hope this helps-enjoy the cook.

Sea2Ski · January 2017

And do not feel you have to wrap. I wrapped 2x in the past, and the last time was about 5 years ago.
225-250F indirect for 4-5 hrs. I stabilize the egg, put them on and come back 4 hrs later and start checking. No mess or fussing. I honestly think that ribs are the easiest cook. Maybe tied with a pork butt, but certainly no harder.

SaintJohnsEgger · January 2017

So I get the divines now. Do the 3-1-1 translate to hours and are all 3 segments done on the egg?

saluki2007 · January 2017

3-1-1 or any other variable of number breaks down this way. First number is number of hours unwrapped. Second is time wrapped. Third is unwrapped and you can sauce at that point if thats what you want. Personally go 250-275 for approx 5-6 hours unwrapped. Some use the bend test. I poke a tooth pick in between the bones until it slides in and out with little resistance.

Legume · January 2017

Since you have three racks, I would suggest you cook at least one rack uncovered straight through, one rack 3-1-1 or some variant if that, and even a third way if you're so inclined. See what you like. My preference is cooking them dry, uncovered for the whole run. My family doesn't love heavy smoke profile on ribs, so I put all of my wood chunks on top so it burns up in the beginning and not all the way through.

Hans61 · January 2017

SaintJohnsEgger said:

So I get the divines now. Do the 3-1-1 translate to hours and are all 3 segments done on the egg?

Yes and yes the first segment normal the second wrapped and the third back out of the wrap to let the bark firm back up

Sea2Ski · January 2017

@saluki2007, does the meat fall off the bone when cooked that long at that temp? I would think it does, but am not sure. I like a little pull on my ribs. Just wondering what the widow is to the "fall off the bone" state is compared to what I do.

RedSkip · January 2017

@SaintJohnsEgger

How do you like you ribs?

1. Fall off the bone.
2. Some bite but pulls away from the bone clean.

Your answer will alternate the amount of time in foil.

saluki2007 · January 2017

@Sea2Ski if you don't wrap they will not be fall of the bone. I like tug on mine as well.

theyolksonyou · January 2017

Who doesn't like tug on his bone?

westernbbq · January 2017

Peel membrane from underneath. A dull knife like a butterknife works best to get it started, grab the thin membrane with a paper towel to give you more grip when you carefully peel the membrame away

Dry rub whatever you want, i like rendezvous

Set up bge and adj rig for indirect and get it to 250F stable, beer in drip pan

Put racks on and leave it alone for 5 or 6 hrs. I use mesquite charcoal with cherry, pecan or oak chunks.i usually put about 4 in there, add later if you need to

On the finish, the meat will pull away from the edge of the bones and they are then pretty much done, longer cooking will be more tenderness beyond (ahem) competition standard

Brush some sauce on them about 30 mins before you plan to pull them off, and they will get that deep rich maroon sheen.

Ribs on bge are incredible and itll be a hit with anyone lucky enough to get a few bones....

StillH2OEgger · January 2017

Just a couple things to add, though I'm late to this part so may be too late for this cook. It is much easier to remove the membrane if the ribs have been sitting out at room temperature for 20-30 minutes rather than straight out of the fridge. Also, I don't get ribs from Costco and I'm not sure you do either, but I seem to recall someone mentioning that ribs from there have already had the membrane removed. Let us know how it goes.

SaintJohnsEgger · January 2017

It's not too late. My schedule won't let me cook them until Monday or Tuesday.

When I do cook them I'll do lots of pictures an document each step.

FATC1TY · January 2017

Sea2Ski said:

@saluki2007, does the meat fall off the bone when cooked that long at that temp? I would think it does, but am not sure. I like a little pull on my ribs. Just wondering what the widow is to the "fall off the bone" state is compared to what I do.

Honestly, the second cycle is where people tend to steam and over cook a rib, IMO.

If you like some pull, then skip the foil till the end, or not at all.

I find that at 275, I can have ribs done in 4 hours, no wrapping except to maybe hold a little, and then I finish on the grill with some sauce.

After 2-3 hours, I bend test, look for pull back on the bones, and guage it from there. If they aren't tender, I will wrap and never exceed 45 minutes. I find after that, they just steam up and get too tender.

SaintJohnsEgger · January 2017

You can see the results here - http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1202846/a-day-of-firsts-pic-heavy

GATraveller · January 2017

theyolksonyou said:

Who doesn't like tug on his bone?

That's pretty funny for a Techie.

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