First time use....tough ribs.

Hi Pat!

99% of the time when ribs are tough, it is from UNDERcooking them. Give them more time and test with a toothpick or a probe...insert it between the bones and it should go thru like warm butter.

I cook my ribs at 225� for 6 hours, 2 1/2 of it in foil and they come out very tender and juicy.

Every cooker cooks different so it is just a matter of experimenting. Be sure to take copious notes so you know what you did right...or wrong.

Thanks, Stogie. Is the 'foiling' done in the first 21/2 hours? That would make sense.
How are things back there? I lived in IN for a few years and attended Ball State.

Pat

Hi There,

I find that if you cook the ribs until the internal meat temperature is 180-185 F that you will have perfect tenderness ribs.

You need to buy a meat thermometer. I find that if I monitor my internal meat temperatures and allow that to dictate when meat is removed from the smoker I have the best results. I keep those values in a log book on my PC for later comparison.

So far here is my guidelines:

chicken (whole) = 190F
ribs = 180-185F
pork butt = 180 F sliceable
pork butt = 190 F pullable

As Smokin' says:
"It ain't done till its done..."

Watch foiling as ribs can get mushy. I take them out of the smoker and baste them with barbecue sauce and crisp them on a charcoal grill to get little crisp ends on them...it carmelizes the sauce and its just plain good.
Crisping spare ribs is the only way I will eat them...

Take care!
PrestonD

Pat....

Foiling is done the last couple hours of cooking. I like to get my smoke flavor first and let my rub set-up. Then I apply more rub and foil. The last half hour I remove and crisp up with a glaze.

Many neighbors are Ball State grads and my daughter has told us that is where she wants to go. Of course, I think that will change numerous times in the next 6 years!

We spend lots of time in San Diego.....I think you are better off out there!! LOL

Good luck in your cooking adventures!

Howdy.

I cooked Smithfield loinbacks this week.Five slabs were given to me by a neighbor and he brought the beverages and sides.

They were all the famous 10% injected ,self-basting ,perfection assured models.

They were so thick you couldn't pray for a "shiner".

The weight was around 2.25,but the thickness looked like "bronto spares".

These were easily the worst I have ever cooked.
They aren't done TODAY,and yes I used the tricks.

I hear the Swiss have a pressure cooker that will fix the problem.

The diners consoled me with "better luck next time".

Luckily there were yardbirds,hot links,butts,and a big pot of Tex-Mex chalupa made with smoked boneless loin.

I think the thing to remember, as my Saying Says: "they're done when they're done." meaning you can always estimate.

Check the ribs. Don't just pull them out at a set time. You'll need to check them. If they're not done, PUT THEM BACK! If they are, eat.

Sometimes we try to overcomplicate this and forget that BBQ is an ART not a Science. Take Briskets for example.

Smokin'

I think the biggest part of the problem was the temperature. From my experience, I now cook EVERYTHING at 225 degrees. When I got my original smokette, it had instructions to cook brisket at 180 degrees. It was tough and dry. Tried wrapping in foil, it helped but still was not right. Then I tried at 225 degrees for 1 hour per pound, and I found the perfect brisket. Used this knowledge for my ribs, and they went from mediocre to great. Use the rule of 1 hour per pound based on the largest single cut put into the cookshack (so ribs would be 3 to 4 hours depending on the slab size).

The biggest improvment in my ribs was in the purchase. BBQ cannot make a bad piece of meat into a good one. I asked all of the local BBQ restaurants that made great ribs where they bought their meat. I now go to the grocery wholesaler warehouse and buy the same ribs by the box (9 slabs, around 35 pounds).