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Baby Back Ribs

Eoin
Eoin Posts: 4,304
in EggHead Forum
Ribs are a bit of a challenge here in the UK as they are usually cut flush to the bone with no excess meat on top. I've now found a butcher who is willing to indulge me and have shown him pictures from here of nice thick meaty ribs. These 2 racks seem to be the real thing. S & P, spice mix and some home made plum jam, plus Ron's peach wood chunks.

As these are meaty, I'm inclined just to let them run to the finish line with no foil stage. XL at 250F, ribs on.


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Comments

  • Hans61
    Hans61 Posts: 3,901
    I like wrapping for the extra tenderness it gives, I’d do a spritz every hour or so if not wrapping 

    nice looking ribs!!
    “There are three rules that I live by: never get less than twelve hours sleep; never play cards with a guy who has the same first name as a city; and never get involved with a woman with a tattoo of a dagger on her body.”
    Coach Finstock Teen Wolf
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  • Wolfpack
    Wolfpack Posts: 3,552
    edited November 2017
    Picture maybe misleading but to be certain- Careful with the sugary plum glaze this early. It might burn by the time the ribs are ready. Typically I add the glaze about the last 30 minutes.  This is enough time to set the sauce. 
    Greensboro, NC
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  • pgprescott
    pgprescott Posts: 14,544
    Now those ribs look familiar to us across the pond. Let them ride @ 3.5 - 4.5 @250. Agree above on the glazing or saucing. I do a bit of a glaze or mop at about 2.5 - 3 hours in because it darkens my ribs up and gives me the color I like. The sugar will caramelize and continue to darken and possibly burn if on too long   

    Enjoy!
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  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    Agreed that you should watch the glaze. Sauces are typically added anywhere from the last 2 hours to immediately before serving.

    Foiling is typically not needed unless you want to steep the ribs in a sauce, and/or you are pressed for time.

    I avoid foiling because it reduces the amount of time in smoke, and causes the "bark" coating to become mushy instead of slightly crisp.
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  • Eoin
    Eoin Posts: 4,304
    Not got any burning yet, nearly tea time so decided to foil to get the temp up. Should have a result in an hour or so.
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  • Eoin
    Eoin Posts: 4,304
    Plenty of meat on these and OK tasting, but a bit dry. Will foil earlier next time. Boys like them, I'm probably being a bit picky about the outcome.


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  • Theophan
    Theophan Posts: 2,656
    I've never thought my ribs were dry, and I've never foiled them, but I almost never cook baby backs, almost always spares/St. Louis cut ribs, and baby backs tend to be more meaty, and gosh, your baby backs look super meaty!  Maybe if I did baby backs more often I'd be more interested in foiling them.  Dunno.

    I'm assuming the bend test or toothpick test kept failing until around the time you took them off?  (In other words, I assume you're pretty confident they were cooked about the right amount of time?)

    I don't always have sauce with my ribs, but this is a good reason to have some sauce available.  The driest ribs would still be great dipped in a good sauce.  My own favorite is the "Bourbon-Glazed Ribs" from the Smoke & Spice book (someone posted the recipe here -- if you want it and can't find it, let me know), but there are tons of them.  Jimmy Beal's "Wild Boar Soul" sauce is odd when you first put it together but after it cooks a long time, it's really good.  there are tons of them -- your choice!
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  • Eoin
    Eoin Posts: 4,304
    Theophan said:
    I've never thought my ribs were dry, and I've never foiled them, but I almost never cook baby backs, almost always spares/St. Louis cut ribs, and baby backs tend to be more meaty, and gosh, your baby backs look super meaty!  Maybe if I did baby backs more often I'd be more interested in foiling them.  Dunno.

    I'm assuming the bend test or toothpick test kept failing until around the time you took them off?  (In other words, I assume you're pretty confident they were cooked about the right amount of time?)

    I don't always have sauce with my ribs, but this is a good reason to have some sauce available.  The driest ribs would still be great dipped in a good sauce.  My own favorite is the "Bourbon-Glazed Ribs" from the Smoke & Spice book (someone posted the recipe here -- if you want it and can't find it, let me know), but there are tons of them.  Jimmy Beal's "Wild Boar Soul" sauce is odd when you first put it together but after it cooks a long time, it's really good.  there are tons of them -- your choice!


    I think I left them on too long with no foil and they stalled and dried out a bit. Couldn't get the toothpick test to work until I boosted the temperature and foil wrapped. Probably need to wrap earlier to get tender, then add the glaze and finish.  Next time.

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  • Theophan
    Theophan Posts: 2,656
    Eoin said:

    ... Probably need to wrap earlier to get tender, then add the glaze and finish.  Next time.

    You may be right.  Lots of people swear by 3-2-1 or 3-1-1.  I've never tried foiling because I'm lazy and I like my ribs so well without it.  Some people say that foiling makes ribs too moist, too tender, sort of mushy, but lots of people think they're best cooked that way.  Individual taste, I guess.

    Because there are a lot of people who cook baby backs without foiling, I still can't help but wonder if something else made them dry, but I don't know.  Maybe someone with more experience than I with baby backs will chime in.
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  • td66snrf
    td66snrf Posts: 1,838
    I am of the 3-1-.5 camp. 3 hours is plenty of time for a a nice smoke ring and smoke flavor. 2 hours is too long in foil IMHO, you'll end up with pulled pork on a stick. Half an hour is plenty of time to have your sauce glaze up. I'm not saying this is the only way but it works for me. 
    XLBGE, LBGE, MBGE, SMALL, MINI, 2 Kubs, Fire Magic Gasser
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  • johnnyp
    johnnyp Posts: 3,932
    edited November 2017
    @Eoin we’re they tough? Or
    tender?

     To be clear about what I’m asking, tender means that a bite should separate from the bone with minimal tugging.  

    It may sound counter intuitive, but typically if bbq Meat is dry or tough, it’s actually under cooked. 

    But from where im sitting, they look plenty tasty. 
    XL & MM BGE, 36" Blackstone - Newport News, VA
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  • Eoin
    Eoin Posts: 4,304
    johnnyp said:
    @Eoin we’re they tough? Or
    tender?

     To be clear about what I’m asking, tender means that a bite should separate from the bone with minimal tugging.  

    It may sound counter intuitive, but typically if bbq Meat is dry or tough, it’s actually under cooked. 

    But from where im sitting, they look plenty tasty. 
    Tender, fall off the bone as well. Just a bit dry for me.
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 36,803
    Great cut of ribs right there- I am with @Theophan regarding no foil and the lazy factor.  I always trust the tooth-pick test for the win-half racks, full racks ; beef, pork or lamb.  
    There are about as many ways to cook ribs as there are posters.  If you want fall-off-the-bone then foil is your friend.  
    Change up one variable (independent of the pig) at a time and enjoy the eggsperiments.  You will find your preferred technique-and those runs that miss will still taste great.  FWIW-
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period. CHEETO (aka Agent Orange) makes Nixon look like a saint.  
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  • westernbbq
    westernbbq Posts: 2,490
    I did ribs weekend before last and fed a couple of guys from the 1975 Arizona State team that was undefeated.  Curley Culp is a laaage man id never want to be on the wrong side of...he loved the ribs i made.


    So, heres what i did:  

    Got a case of white marble farms premium pork peeled baby back ribs, 5 cryovacs with three racks per case.    sprinkled rendezvous seasoning on them and left them uncovered in fridge for 2 days.

    Put on xl and L bges with adj rig serupsn that had three levels each.  Mesquite charcoal fire, guru temp set to 275.  Sprinkled apple, pecan, cherry and oak chips 1 hr into the cook, drip pan under both with lager beer

    4.5 hrs into it, poured craft honey spicy bbq sauce on em and foiled them up.   Left em on for 30 more mins
    Put foiled packs in boxes. Left for sun devil stadium and upon arrival, unwrapped, and cut them into 3 bone sections
    The racks were gorgeous, perfect maroon color with nice sheen, good smoke ring and just the right balance of chew and tenderness.   Meat pulled away from bones cleanly and excellent flavor.  Good crust formation too

    Guys who were there are still sending me messages about those ribs...lasting bbq influence

    Also, i did want to mention i got this technique from @tjv at ceramic grill store.   The video of this is on their website

    Ill never overcook ribs again....
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  • tjv
    tjv Posts: 3,846
    @westernbbq 

    gotta love it when a plan comes together....thanks for sharing.

    t
    www.ceramicgrillstore.com ACGP, Inc.
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  • pgprescott
    pgprescott Posts: 14,544
    I wonder if the pigs diet is different in your area. Possible just a bit leaner from the start. Look pretty good from here, I’d put a dent in them for sure. 
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  • GATraveller
    GATraveller Posts: 8,207
    I'm sure the ribs were quite tasty. We are our own worst critics. 
     As far as the plum jam, I wouldn't think you'd have too much of an issue with the sugars in it scorching when you're smoking at that temperature. Wouldn't want to get a whole lot hotter. 

    Thanks for sharing. 

    "Social media gives legions of idiots the right to speak when they once only spoke at a bar after a glass of wine, without harming the community [...] but now they have the same right to speak as a Nobel Prize winner. It's the invasion of the idiots."
                                                                                  -Umberto Eco

    2 Large
    Peachtree Corners, GA
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  • westernbbq
    westernbbq Posts: 2,490
    tjv said:
    @westernbbq 

    gotta love it when a plan comes together....thanks for sharing.

    t
    Bob Breunig was there too...loved the ribs and hes a great guy

    Thanks for helping me perfect baby backs!

    Making a 20 lb turkey for mm tgiving office party with adj rig setup and guru in a couple of weeks.  If i am not crazy pressed for time ill snap some picts to post here

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