Dry Ribs

Orchidcrazy · April 2019

Lg BGE we bought used in November. Been playing with Costco baby back ribs a few times. I have nailed down a 2 day oven or an instantpot/oven way to cook ribs but they just are NOT Egg ribs. But my egg ribs aren't getting how we like them. This last time I actually made notes so I know exactly what I did.

Dried ribs, rubbed with salt and a mix Mad Max Turkey, Dizzy Dust and Pineapple Head. 300, indirect, bone down 1 hr, bone up 1 hr, sauced, wrapped in foil 30 minutes, removed foil, 30 minutes. Sauce was 2 parts peach preserves, 1 part Newman's Original, 1 part Rib Rack original. I have the AR from CGS.

Seasoning was spot on, ribs looked beautiful, but we like them moist and falling off the bone. These were dry and not falling off the bone.

Forum members PLEASE tell me where I went wrong. We LOVE our egg. I started with a whole turkey (why not just jump in!) for Thanksgiving. We've done ribs, whole chicken, spatch-**** chicken (YUM!!!!), chicken thighs, steak (have this one nailed down), pork tenderloin (this one too!) and wings upon wings upon wings. But ribs - man I want to nail the ribs! Previous batch I had the texture correct but not the seasoning but I did not write down what I did. This batch I nailed hte taste but not the texture. I want both! Thanks for any help!

Sandy

Mattman3969 · April 2019

Sounds to me like they were uncooked. How did you determine when they were done? I use the bend test and/or the toothpick test to judge tenderness

Orchidcrazy · April 2019

Undercooked? We felt they were over cooked. There was NO moisture in the ribs at all. I did them 3 hours - how long would you cook for? From the time before, I know I added in the 30 minutes wrapped in foil after saucing. Should I have skipped the foil? I think if they were cooked any longer, they would have been powder but I'll give any suggestions a shot!

Mattman3969 · April 2019

when undercooked they will taste dry because all the fatty goodness hasn’t broken down givin the meat a moist mouthfeel.

Ive cooked ribs in 90mins and I’ve taken 5hrs. Depends on how I’m cooking and what kind of ribs.

Photo Egg · April 2019

Agree with @Mattman3969

photos or better description of your indirect and photos of your ribs just before you sauced them would also help.

But I believe you are not cooking long enough to break down the meat and get it rendering and this makes them tougher and appear dry.

Ribs, like brisket and pork butt, are done when they are "tender"...not to some magical 1 hour this and 1 hour that followed by 30 minutes of la la la.

Probe them with a toothpick or skew. Sauce when they are just about ready to set the sauce.

Time is only a guide. Every cook will be a little different.

Once you get your cooking method down and if you cook the same way with the same size ribs every time, then you can go more by the time YOU have established.

Don't get discouraged. Good ribs are fairly easy. Perfect ribs you will always work for.

Photo Egg · April 2019

https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/comment/2422164#Comment_2422164

If they were way over cooked they would really have pulled back from the bone and would have almost fallen apart when you took them out of the foil.

Theophan · April 2019

Strongly agree that they were undercooked.

Strongly agree that time cannot tell you when ribs are done! You have to test whether they are tender or not:

1) Bend test: grab several ribs of the rack on one end and pick up the rack. If it bends in the middle to 90°, or, if you like them falling off the bone, if it not only bends but starts to break apart, then they're done.

2) Toothpick test: Stick a toothpick into a meaty portion -- if it goes in with little to no resistance, "like buttah," they're done.

bgebrent · April 2019

Definitely undercooked. Bend test and or toothpick test to determine when done. Consider saucing (especially with sugary sauce) in the last 30 minutes.

lousubcap · April 2019

Toothpick test for the win every time. Much easier than the bend test and works on any rib type. FWIW- And another vote for undercooked.

damnedhooligan · April 2019

https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/comment/2422181#Comment_2422181

As @lousubcap mention, insert a toothpick in different areas of the rib and feel if theres little to no resistence when pulling it out..thats the indicator they are done.

There’s so many different methods to grill ribs so stick with one and if it doesnt work out even if the ribs pass the toothpick test then try another method.

pgprescott · April 2019

It's pretty difficult to dry out anything on the Egg unless you go all mickey on them.

fishlessman · April 2019

if you are using foil and sauce you need to cook til they are just about falling apart then take the foil off and cook til they start to firm up. 1/2 hour at 300 dome temps is not hot enough, get it up to 350 for this stage AND CHECK EVERY 15 MIN AFTER 45 TILL THEY START TO FALL APART. its important to cook the ribs in foil with the meat side DOWN so the meat braises in the sauce

EggNorth · April 2019

Great thread, I've never liked ribs off my Eggs ... Everyone else loves them but me! Never had good ribs in a restaurant either ... Maybe I just don't like ribs.

Great suggestions above, also read on here that butcher paper instead of foil may help, I will try that next.

Brisket_Fanatic · April 2019

The meat between the bones will be around 200 degrees normally when soft - like warm butter

etherdome · April 2019

3 hours seems a little short. what temp was that? mine usually go for 5 hours (ish) at 250ish.

dmchicago · April 2019

For the win!

lkapigian · April 2019

https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/comment/2422289#Comment_2422289

Done!

Mickey · April 2019

Baby Back Turbo Ribs (No flip)

350 indirect for 1hr 40 min.

Before cooking: Pull membrane , rub, mustard, rub.

Put on at 350 and leave the hell alone for about that time. This is called turbo ribs and I will never go back to 4 and 5 hour ribs.

Note: with or w/o mustard works .. I like Bad Byron's Butt Rub / I like cherry & pecan mix for wood.

If you want sauce: opened 15 min early and sauce. I like the sauce on the table.

I don't cook over the 100 minutes.

Be sure your temp gauge is correct.

mahenryak · April 2019

The only thing I might add to the above comments about testing for doneness would be you can also use a Thermapen just until you gain confidence (or whatever you have on hand) to take the temp of the ribs between the bones. You should be at least into the mid 190's, I should think. I am not offering this as the best solution for testing for doneness, the other methods already mentioned would be better for determining when they are finished: toothpick probes like butter, pull back from ribs, bending of the ribs to at least 90 degrees.