newbie..ribs tough?

Keith,

Try leaving the temperature up at 225 and cook them for 4 hours. You can also wrap them in foil for the last hour if you like to pull the bones out of them.

Keith,

Welcome to the Forum!

You didn't indicate the weight of your slab. For "most" the 4 hours @ 225 would have done it...but it didn't. My guess is that your slab probably only needed 30 to 45 min more. One slab at 2 1/4 pounds will be done almost an hour faster than one that's 3 lbs.

If they were tough, they needed to smoke longer. Stuart's idea, the foil, is good to keep them from drying out.

Try this. At the three hour point, check them. If they're not done, pull them out, wrap them in foil. At this point you can also spray them with a little apple juice if you wish.

Remember what Smokin' says...It's done when it's done which for you means, Check them before you pull them out to eat.

Try this also, "shake" a bone to see if it's as tender as you want. If it's not, then let it go 30 min more, and so on until you're done.

And of course, you DID read the Ribs 101

Please don't forget the vagaries of lousy butchers, which is pretty much all Alaska has. These guys call pork chop bones with no meat or fat, ribs. Could be this man got ahold of such an item...

Thanks for all the info I am going to try again this weekend..let you know how I did...I do love the convenience of the cookshack..

I'm also a newbe to the smokin world,I just bought a 105 ( used) and did my first batch of ribs.Weighing in at 4.37#'s I only cooked them for 3&1/2 hours,my buddy was falling asleep.They were chewy and I went crazy with the rub..(too hot,even for me) The rub I used consisted of: salt,sugar,brown sugar,cumin,chili powder,black pepper,cayenne pepper,and paprika.. The cumin was overwelming and it was hotter than blazes.(probably because I smothered it the night before in the stuff..
So I guess I need to got lighter on the rub and cook them longer?? The tenp was at 225.
I also have another question. In the manual it states that the 105 must be used inside,Why.???Thanks....Chet.

Chet, yes, you probably needed to cook those ribs longer. Cooking time will depend on a lot of factors, so, as Smokin' Okie says, "They're done when they're done". His pork ribs 101 section has a lot of good info on telling when to pull the ribs. I addition to the methods he suggests, I like to pick at the meat on the ribs at little to test for tenderness. Others like to use a toothpick inserted into the meat to test.

As to your rub, I too find that a little cumin goes a long way. Anyway, good luck and have fun!