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Ribs to dry?

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BooneEgg
BooneEgg Posts: 5
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I recently saw the 2006 or 2007 Eggtober DVD done by BGE. There was a shot of someones ribs cooked what looked like to perfection. My question is how do you keep them looking that moist? I don't mind the bark but I would like them to be a little more moist. Any suggestions?
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  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
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    gotta tell us how you do them first, so we can figure out where it's going wrong.

    usually, folks get skittish and pull them too soon. i still have a hard time "believing" in them, and get nervous. but honestly, the best ribs i have ever made were spares that accidentally went 8 and 9 hours each. 250, indirect, no foil.

    foil will speed things up, but 5 hours minimum, more like 6 for spares.

    tough+hard+dry=overcooked
    tough+flexible=undercooked
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
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  • BooneEgg
    BooneEgg Posts: 5
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    Pork baby back ribs, dry rub only, 250 for 4 hours, hickory smoke. I prep the ribs the night before with the dry rub. I thought maybe the dry rub wich contains salt may be pulling to much moisture from the meat. Have you ever used a brine?
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  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
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    you can't pull too much moisture using salt. sugar is worse, and no one worries about that.

    you'd have to bury it in salt for a few days to lose any appreciable moisture.

    honestly, not cooking them long enough.

    all pork barbecue is overcooked dry meat EXCEPT for the collagen, which breaks down only after a long bath in 250 degree heat. for baby backs with no foil, it's about 5 to 6 hours for me. foiled, it's about 4 to 5.

    it's counter intuitive, but if you tried a rib at four hours, and it was dry and tough, cooking it longer at low temps will give you moist tender meat after another hour or two.
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
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  • BooneEgg
    BooneEgg Posts: 5
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    You know, I've never tried foil. What is the purpose of that?

    So what your saying is to lower the temp even more and increase the time? We'll give it a try . . . one thing for sure even dry, there awsome!
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  • BooneEgg
    BooneEgg Posts: 5
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    do you usa foil, does this help keep in moisture?
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  • Unknown
    Unknown
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    Some people use the 311 method for baby backs. You put the ribs on, indirect, for 3 hours and foil them for hour with some apple cider and let it go for another hour. After an hour, remove from foil and go direct to firm up the ribs. If you want, you can apply the sauce about 20 minutes before taking the ribs off. The 311 are general guideline and can be tweaked on a cook by cook basis.

    Andres
    Zuni, NM
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  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
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    no. still 250, but longer than 4 hours.

    foil (with liquid inside it) will essentially braise the ribs. you don't need foil, but it makes it a no brainer five hour cook. good for game day cooks.

    most times i just go 250 and let it ride five of six hours (backs) or 8 to 9 (spares)
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
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  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
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    salt doesn't pull enough moisture out to cause any problems. old wive's tale.

    sugar is more hygroscopic than salt, but you never hear warnings about that....

    overcooking or undercooking will give you dry ribs, but not salt
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
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