Tough ribs

I'd say go to FIND at page top,and input spare ribs,as well as the Ribs 101.

I could list a minimum of 25-30 "possibles",right off.

Typically ,the CS cooks very moist,so If all other things are correct,undercooked could be a place to start.

Something I've been waiting to mention here.

Lately when doing spares, I have been using my Thermopen instant to check on the meat temp. I usually start checking at the 5 hour mark.

The other day, (in an 055) I had four shelves in operation and at the 5 hour mark, all shelves were in the 160 to 170 range. I then rotated the top and the bottom shelves. At the 6 hour mark, the bottom shelf was at 185 and I took it out. The other shelves were still in the 170 range and needed more time.

The short story is that I have found that the bottom shelf will always be done first, regardless of what you do.

This was an eye opener for me but not really a surprise.

Someone without an instant read therm should learn to do the toothpick test. But even then, do each spare individually and not assume they are all done at the same time.

quote:

Originally posted by Qnorth:
The short story is that I have found that the bottom shelf will always be done first, regardless of what you do.

This was an eye opener for me but not really a surprise.

We've actually touched on that a few times. There are two reasons.

Direct and radiant heat. The bottom shelf gets direct heat as it's close to the burner as well as the heat rising hits that food first.

quote:

Originally posted by Scott W:
I smoked around 13 lbs of spare ribs yesterday on my Smokette for 7.5 hours

Have a read through the rib forum.

Usually "tough spares" just means they weren't cooked long enough. That's different from dry. Realize ribs go through stages and there is a stage when it "appears" dry, but as it cooks the fat / collagen break down. It's just hard to just without more details.

If it was three racks, their average was over 4.5lb but I'm certain they were different weights.

Qnorth

Did you use the thermopen on the fat or skinny side of the rib? If both, did you see a temp difference?

I don't think the Thermopen is a reliable method for doing ribs. Been there, I tested it and 95% of the time, the temp varied with my personal preference on when to pull them.

It's just not a method I recommend. Given the variety of ribs out there, I just don't see it a reliable way for most rib cooks to do it.

If it works for you, great. It's not a method I'll recommend in the new 101

quote:

It's just not a method I recommend. Given the variety of ribs out there, I just don't see it a reliable way for most rib cooks to do it.

Suture self..... I put the thermopen in the meat between the ribs from the edge of the rack... so the pen can be stuck a couple of inches into the meat... the thickest I can see. This way (end wise) it shouldn't matter too much what kind of ribs they are; you are putting the pen deep into the meat.

May not work for some but it works for me and I can easily tell how they are doing. If a pork butt should be 185+ to be pulled, why not ribs?

This last batch was great when I pulled one rack at 185 or thereabouts... left the rest in for another hour and then pulled without checking. (they were in the 175 area when I pulled the first rack)

The next night, we warmed the other racks in the oven and by the fat that collected in the curve, I could tell they had cooked further... and they were excellent too.

The 'bend' test or the toothpick might be better, so I'll try that, but will still probably use the thermopen as an additional check.

BTW, the last ribs I did were hanging on the rib hooks... makes it a little hard to do the bend test. The toothpick would work though.

quote:

Originally posted by Qnorth:
If a pork butt should be 185+ to be pulled, why not ribs?

Because I never pull a PB at a "set" temp (maybe a range, but not one temp). Some are done at 185, others at 190 and some I've had to take to 205 to get done. and rib thickness can vary so much, I think it would have a huge impact on a consistent temp.

There might be a way, but I haven't found a good one for rib temps.

I understand the need for a temp for ribs, but I've never found a method, that I would recommend for newbies and experience people.

I actually was one of the first to mention the toothpick.

The bend test is actually hard for many to grasp without seeing (and if overdone, then the rack breaks in 1/2)

Bone pull back isn't consistent.

I've gotten real consistent scores in contest for tenderness and the toothpick is the method that works there. I also is pretty simple

Qnorth,you have been around enough to have rib experience,probably buy the same types from comparable suppliers,and like your ribs a certain way.

You've made it work for you.

Some of my thoughts,and yes the team has several Thermapens we live by.

I've never known what temp"ribs" were done at,to come tender ,and render as I want.

I question,have the ribs been prefrozen,and take longer to come tender,than fresh?

Are they commercial/young,market hogs that weigh 240lbs and are raised on concrete and just eat?

Are they from 700 lb sausage sows ,that have had so many litters,they just grind all but the ribs for sausage?

Are they from freerange boars,running loose on the hillsides for years,and have no fat?

We like to buy large,but young spares,with a good bit of fat,and must cook longer,to render and get the mouthfeel we prefer.

Are they heritage breeds of hog, that has fat interspersed throughout the meat and renders differently?

Forty years ago,we learned to use heavy gloves,to pick slabs up in the middle with thumb and two fingers,and could tell by the look as they start to break a little,if they were tender.

We would also,pull off the end bone.

We were usually doing a bunch,so therms would take a long time.

Later on,tongs came along-from real "pro cooks" and did the same thing.

Everyone had a very thin flexible boning/fillet knife,that you slid the tip between ribs,when you had a few cases going at once.

With comps ,the toothpick was exact and left zero marks.

If I have to teach someone, now,I like Smokin's toothpick.

A new cook can tell if it passes thru like butter,most anyplace they poke it.

Just a couple of thoughts.