Greenhorn - first and second pork spare ribs

Smoke the ribs for 3-3.5 hrs and then start the toothpick test. Run a toothpick between the ribs. If the toothpick slides easily like through butter, the ribs are ready to pull. If not, let them smoke longer and recheck. They'll be pull off the bone ready, which will be tender and not dry.

Fall off the bone will give you dryer product and typically is what you find in restaurants. They then smother in sauce to cover the dryness. A lot of times restaurants (not the real BBQ places) are par boiling the ribs, quick grill, then sauce smother.

If you let the ribs smoke for a few hrs, paint them with a light sauce, then finish on the grill till toothpick ready, you'll get the look and taste you're after. A glaze like finish. Serve additional sauce on the side.

A lot of us often don't even use the sauce cause the smoker produces such tasty ribs. Good luck on your next batch. They'll be great.

A little more information would help. What kind of ribs? BB, loinback, spares? What temp?

I watch what brand I buy, some are enhanced, lean, just plain hard to learn on. I wouldn't suggest,at first, opening the door to spray AJ, it will dry out more than add moisture AND it will make the smoke time longer.

Pags has you on the right track with Smokin's toothpick test. You might try after cooking,let them rest in foil wrapped with towel for 30 min or so.

As for the glazing, use the find button and look up glazing, heck your a Newbie like me, so let me help.I like the glaze that EZ Goin uses.Thanks FE!

quote:

How to get the BBQ taste without dousing in BBQ sauce after the cook? Thanks

Again, more info would help, including the model smoker you have. I'm not sure what you mean by "BBQ (restaurant) taste" The end result is a combination of several factors. You say you're getting enough smoke and suggest that you don't want your ribs saturated with sauce so that narrows down your desired flavor profile to meat flavor and spice rubs. If you like a sweeter flavor, try adding some brown or brownulated sugar to your CS Rib Rub. You might also experiment with dialing back the lenght of time the ribs are sitting uncooked with rub on 'em. The salt in the rub will extract some moisture from the meat.

As for "falling off the bone" you could foil them with apple juice or Que sauce, or both, for the last hour of cooking. Be aware that you'll add extra cook time to compensate for the door openings and time taken to foil the ribs.

Keep us posted with results.

Many experienced cooks work hard to prepare ribs that aren't like the "fall of the bone slabs from the chain bbq houses"

Like Pags suggested,many boil,others use a large steamer,some put a rack in a hotel pan,add an inch of water,a case of ribs,cover with foil and bake until potroasted.

Like MaxQue mention,you can wrap three slabs and juice in heavy foil and parboil them ,until they fall apart.

Then, carefully place them on low heat,with a little glaze to tighten up,so they don't fall apart while plating them.

They then store in the walkin coolers, until needed.

A quick grilling,or place on the griddle for a couple minutes on a side,and slather them with sauce containing liquid smoke.,until it just carmelizes.

Use a long spatula to carefully plate them-so they don't fall apart.

Google might give the famous Montgomery Inn boiling method,Carson's of Chicago,Tony Romas,Texas Roadhouse have similar methods that they share.

They all brag on the menu that their secret sauce is what makes them so good.

Hopes this helps a little.

Agree with the guys above, what's "restaurant bbq taste".

It seems (guessing a little here) that you're trying to think ahead what may/many not happen.

You need to cook, experiment, make mistakes, learn. You can't be a type A plan it all out in advance, just too many options.

If you want fall off the bone, you HAVE to cook it longer. Will it dry out? Maybe, maybe not, we'll need more info as they asked

Can you get "restaurant bbq taste". Sure, tell us what you mean. But it's it's oversmoked, oversauced, etc, we may have a harder time doing that... LOL

You just need to cook. The more you cook, the more YOU build experience. The fact I cook my ribs without foil works for me, but YOU may decide to use it.

Good news is, you've got the right group here to help you with it.

Smokin'

Sub-Vet, you mention that you apply rub and refrigerate overnight. I think most don't leave rub on pork ribs for a really long time as it tends to draw out the moisture and renders more of a hammy flavor.