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Opinions - dry loin back ribs

M maxqMember
The loin back ribs I offer at the restaurant tend to be on the dry side.

I'm using Seaboard "Prairie Fresh" ribs in the 2 lb range.

The method used has been much the same for several years, trim, rub, rest up to an hour and smoked in an FEC100 at 275. They're normally done at the 4 hour mark.

I strive for a KCBS bite thru vs fallin-off-the-bone doneness. The Smokin toothpick test is my doneness determination factor.

Seaboard ribs generally have decent marbling and they get spritzed with AJ 3x during the smoke.

I began cooking spares on the FEC and settled in on 275 as the Magic temp. Granted, spares tend to have a bit more internal fat vs loin backs.

Today I'll be smoking 10 racks of LB's and thinking of lowering the temp to 250, to see if that helps the moisture loss. The other idea was to add a water pan.

I'd appreciate comments/suggestions. Keep in mind, the FEC is a dryer environment vs an electric smoker.

Thanks
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T tomMember
There are several comp cooks that do loinbacks at 250* when cooking a batch for home/neighborhood consumption.They do seem to take to the slower/longer cook.

Of course,there are rumors of adult beverages being used which might skew the opinions.

Minimum messing with them is usually the goal.

Heavy IBPs are easy to acquire and with a little trimming seem to leave a moist rib.Maybe not as good a slab as yours,but Sam's has plenty of cases to sort thru. Wink

I hesitate to mention that I have friends that even use the pumped slabs,i.e. Hormel,for home,and win at comps with somewhat near the same technique. Confused

Probably cook in about the same time frame,but as always a little trial and error.

Ribdog may be doing some for friends/clients,etc and he'll probably check in with better info.
P pagsMember
Well MaxQ. I'll guarantee you they weren't drier than the ribs I had last night at a local eatery.

I wish I could offer some advise, but I'm cooking them pretty much like you...rub, set, smoker at 250* though, toothpick, glaze set, rest under loose foil for 10 minutes, eat. They turn out great...IMHO.

But I doubt I've got as good an eye as you. I don't see how 25* makes much difference. It just may if Tom says so. But I doubt I've got as good an eye as him.
M maxqMember
@ Cal - I'm guessing a combination of all with the lower temp being key. As I said, I first started smoking St Louis's @ 275 because a lot of winning comp teams were using that temp. The thicker spares, with higher fat content seemed to finish fine.

Another factor just might be the lower humidity here in Vermont during winter months. To that end the water/AJ pan might have been equally helpfull.

@ Joe - I used a 12"x9" foil pan...2 cups water + 2 cups AJ. Pan was about 1/3'd full at the start...about 1/5th full at finish.
S sandhMember
Well, now you got me wondering about what I'm doing. I smoke 6 to 9 racks of Sam's loinback ribs a week. Been smoking them at 225 for 4 hour or so. No water pan, no dump of moisture, no applejuice spray, just load close the door their done. I get the bite tight texture and nice moist rib that everyone seems to like.

I'm smoking on an SM40 & SM160.

6 to 7 hours at 275 seems a little excessive to me. I thought I learned everything i know from you guys, so you got me wondering.
T tomMember
Reference presets around 225º.
BBQ was often to render fat and break down collagen.

That temp works ok on most things and rarely damages others.
Many cooks with varying loads may add different products,different sizes,and different times.

They may then pull to serve ,as needed,and 225º gives a good cushion.

Old guys like Smokn' Okie,or cooks down around Lawton,OK remeber when a full load of packers cooked 24 hrs at 180º.When you tried to lift it with a two tined meat fork and it slid off,you tossed it in the hotbox,until time to slice.

Slabs were cooked in piles,or stacked on each other.When picked up in the middle with tongs and they bent in half,they were served or tossed in the hotbox.

Cooks didn't have therms to check cooker temp,or meat temp,so after building cookers for more than half a century CS helped us out with a stable fire.
Last edited by tom

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