Rib hook pictures

Here ya go......

Great thanks for the picture. I would think the ribs at some point would rip apart towards the end of the cooking cycle.

Smoked 11 racks of babybacks yesterday, used the cookshack rib hooks and the ribs do not come apart. I use the hooks for ribs all the time and have no trouble. Hook them under the second bone and you will be fine.

quote:

Originally posted by tigerfan:
Smoked 11 racks of babybacks yesterday, used the cookshack rib hooks and the ribs do not come apart. I use the hooks for ribs all the time and have no trouble. Hook them under the second bone and you will be fine.

How many cycles does it take for you to smoke 11 ribs? And what unit do you have?

I have an AmeriQue. Did all the ribs at one time, no problem at all.

I'm wondering how many one could hang with a 50/55 at once...

Experiment and let us know.

Don't matter if they touch, as long as smoke/air/heat flow gets in and around them on the way up and out the top.

How many ribs should I expect a full grown man to eat. I know for myself, I would need a full rack, but for others, I am not sure.

My father in law wants me to make him some ribs next week. I know I can get a three pack at BJ's.
Should I buy 1 or 2 packages?

My problem is, I eat till they're gone. I'd do two packs. He'll apprecitate the leftovers if there are any.

I have four special rib racks sold for the AmeriQue and I do not like them - use the hooks exclusively. I have smoked, at one time, three packs of spareribs bought from Sam's Club and that is nine full spareribs. I place the hook between the third and fourth ribs. If the ribs touch one another or the smoker, I don't worry about it.

They taste better than any other ribs I have tasted - close to falling off the bone, but still attached, easy to pull the meat off the bone with my teeth, sweet, juicy, but not oily. Got where we eat some of the grizzle up at the top it is so tender.

Kosy

Here's a pic of what I'm doing today.

Vettman1, it looks like you could fit another 3 racks in there. Let me know how they turn out.

These were spareribs and I think that I could have gotten at least 4-5 more in there. They turned out pretty good, but were a bit drier than I wanted.

Sorry VM, but semantically looking for clarification on your last statement. "...but were a bit drier that I wanted." (which would indicate that you are looking for drier ribs the next time you cooked ribs...which can be fixed with 10 minutes on a hot grill)

Unless it was a clerical error and you meant, "...but were a bit drier THAN I wanted." (which would mean that these ribs were dry and you wanted moister ribs...which might be remedied with a cooler cook, a pan of apple juice in the CS, or a few 'mistings.')

Please clarify

than I wanted... I didn't think that they'd make it in time for dinner so I cranked it up to 250 for the last hour and a half. That might have did it.

250* is not too hot for any ribs. If you had turned it down, it would have been over the drying heat even longer and dried out more. Hotter does not mean drier.

So what should I have done differently?

I put them in at 2pm at 225, looked at them at 5:45, and cranked them up to 250 because I feared that they would't be done enough. Took them out at 6:50. I wrapped them in foil for about 15 min and cut up the slabs.

There are a lot of variables here Vettman. What was the weight of each slab? Were they trimmed to St Louis or KC cuts or left whole? Did the rub have a lot of salt in it? How easily did the bone twist when you checked them? Or did you try the toothpick check? I did some BB's Sun.. a 3 pack (total 6.2lbs) but each rack was right at 2lbs each. I rubbed them down with HomeBBQ's rib rub, laid them on the racks, added 4 oz of mixed cherry and white oak, and cranked em up to 250*. 3.5 hrs later I opened and twisted a bone and it started to move easily so I stopped. Put the glaze on them and shut the door. Took them out at the 4 hr 15 min mark and we ate. The meat was tugable... it didnt fall off the bone, and we prefer them that way. It takes a while to learn your smoker and the meats we cook in them. Take good notes. Weigh everything. Read ALL the 101's. Then smoke, eat, and repeat till ya get it right according to your tastes.

bob

quote:

Originally posted by cadillac:
Read ALL the 101's. Then smoke, eat, and repeat till ya get it right according to your tastes.

bob

Good advice, Caddy!

GLH speaks truth, to me...TOO low and slow does nothing but make dried up jerky out of otherwise ok meats. If there's enough fat, connective tissue, etc. you can get away with smoking temps of 190-200 degrees, but it seems to me, I've had more success with most smokes between 235 and 245-250, depending, depending, of course.

Others? Or should this be another topic?

Sounds to me like it would be difficult for folks using the search function about temps, to access it under Rib Hook Pix.

I'd suggest the topic would be better suited to open a new thread,and then folks could read it with the rest of the threads on the topic.

Just my $0.02

yup, keep in mind when you reply, if it starts going down a "new" topic path, just start a new topic.

98.354% of users, just search on the topic title by browsing through the forums. So, you can see, someone browing and seeing "rib hooks" would miss the good discussion.

Thus ended the Moderator Moment

Am I understanding correctly it is ok for hanging ribs to be in slight contact with each other, and that folding them over as in Qnorth's picture is also ok?? Previously I have only hung my ribs as straight pieces, cut to length so they clear the wood box sufficiently, and with space between. Using that method the most I have fit in my Amerique was six slabs, cut into 12 halves. Looks like I can load it up even more now. Thanks!!

Yes, I can't see why hanging ribs like that would be a problem. It does not matter if they touch each other or touch the sides of the smoker. They might burn where they touch the woodbox, however.

Experiment, take good notes, have fun!

In my AmeriQue, I hung 4 full slabs on each side and 3 slaps in the middle. No problem, came out great!

quote:

Originally posted by tigerfan:
... and 3 slaps in the middle.

I'm not familiar with that technique with ribs. Slapping? Reminds me of the new Budweiser SuperBowl ads. Have you seen them?

Yep,them folks what shoot up a packer,or butt,have been none to slap-or even punch 'em a few times.

Please tell me about the rib hooks, used in an Amerique. Does the seasoning-rub fall off of the slab as it hangs there? Since there would be no need or way to turn the ribs over, do you just hang them in the unit, shut the door, and check back in about 5 hours? That seems logical, and quite simple, to me. I don't sauce 'em up, so I don't need to look at 'em, unless, for some reason, it is necessary. Does the Amerique provide a juicy rib when using the rib hooks? When referencing ribs, I am referring to spareribs. I've been cooking them in a charcoal cooker (with hickory wood chunks) about 4 hours (turning each hour), and then wrapping in aluminum foil, and cooking for 1 more hour. Man, these have been turning out great. I just wonder if the Amerique can perform as well with the rib hooks. I think the foil wrap has a lot to do with making them juicy. And with the hooks, I guess you can't use foil. Seems to me the ribs may be dryer using the hooks; hence, the reason I ask all of this.

OK. Have at it. I appreciate learning.

Well now,I'm no rib expert-but I do cook with some.

Like all of us,when I get my new "toy",I checked to see if there were any gadgets,that made it even "cooler".

My thoughts would be to read Smokin's Ribs 101 and learn to cook ribs,like the cooker was designed.

Once we master that,if we aren't satisfied,or we just want to try something different,THEN move to another process-whatever it is.

If it ain't broke,we might be very happy.

You might find that many things you did with your old cooker,aren't necessary with an AQ-so why spend the money and force the AQ to go backwards?

This is not to say that folks that like to hang ribs,aren't satisfied ,and aren't doing a fine job.

Just my $0.02

I have an Amerique and most of the time use the rib hooks as it seems to cook all the slabs evenly/equally. No worry about temp differences of the different racks locations. I don't think the rub falls off any more than it would fall off the bottom side of ribs laid flat on racks. Hanging also allows more of the grease to fall off rather than puddling. The moist environment of the CS keeps the ribs from drying-out. I set the unit to 225* for 4-1/2 hrs, followed by a 1/2 hr or so rest wrapped in foil. So far no complaints, just smiles.

Agree with Nodrog! I have the AmeriQue and use the rib hooks all the time. I smoke babybacks and have no problem. Always come out to our liking!!

Here is a picture of when I used my rib hooks.

Do the ends of the ribs closest to the wood box end up being cooked more than the top of the ribs? Is the main purpose for using the rib hooks to be able to cook more ribs at a time, or do they turn out better than laying them on the racks, or both? Thanks.

Brett

quote:

Originally posted by B.Tatton:
Do the ends of the ribs closest to the wood box end up being cooked more than the top of the ribs? Is the main purpose for using the rib hooks to be able to cook more ribs at a time, or do they turn out better than laying them on the racks, or both? Thanks.

Brett

I have done them both ways and prefer to lay them on the racks. I seem to be able to fit more by not hanging them as well as I am able to rotate and cook them more evenly.

But that's just my 2 cents......

I've been using rib hooks and haven't been too happy with the results. (not sure it is the fault of the hooks) The ribs I was turning out seemed a little dry and tough.

This past weekend I did two slabs of ribs in the same manner as I usually do (about 5+ hrs at 225) but I put them on the racks. Also brushed on some CS spicy sauce at the 3 hr mark which I have never done.

Very happy with the results. They were almost fall-off-the-bone but just right I think. The spicy sauce didn't change the flavor much and was a nice addition and probably added a bit of moisture.

I guess I should add that these ribs seemed to be of higher quality than what I usually buy. Thicker and more meaty so I will be looking at quality more in the future.

I also think I'll be using the racks and the sauce in the future.

quote:

Originally posted by smokemullet:
I have four special rib racks sold for the AmeriQue and I do not like them - use the hooks exclusively.

Mullet... might you be interested in parting with your AQ Rib Racks?