Ribs seem to dry out

[Gebs27]

I need advice my ribs always a bit dry. Any tips will be appreciated.

I spice them up with rub.
Smoke them 2-3 hours and about 225 ish
Take them out put honey on them wrap in foil cook for 2 hours and 250.
Take out put on barbecue sauce and put back in for 40 mins.

Seems like the meat dries out and sticks to the bone way to much.

[Habanero Smoker]

Are they spare ribs or baby backs?

Dryness is a sign that they have been overcooked (or poor quality ribs), but if you are not getting a good clean bite, and meat is sticking to the bone, then that is a sign that they are undercooked. When you say the ribs are dry are you talking about the top layer of the rib meat, or is it dry all the way through?

You are basically using the 3-2-1 method, so I can't see why they would be dry. Try being more consistent with your smoke times, and add butter when you wrap the ribs, and place this on the foil. Before wrapping make sure you place them meat side down, then add the same amount of honey and butter on top of the ribs, and seal tightly.

We can provide more help if you let us know what type of ribs you are cooking, and if they are dry all the way through..

[watchdog56]

Also was the meat starting to pull back from the bone about 1/2 inch to 1 inch?

[Gebs27]

They were dry all the way through.

And where the meat was thin it was completely stuck to the bone. Like carmelized to the bone. And you can barely get meat off.

It was pulled back. It just seemed dry. Maybe it got to hot

[Orion]

Having read your cook times, temperatures and results I think over cooked for sure. Remember, the temperature over shoots by as much as 20 degrees and should be accounted for.
Pork only requires 160 degrees F internal temperature to meet safe standards. Ribs, being thin, do not take a long time to reach temp.

Providing the ribs are reasonable quality with some fat content I suggest dropping initial temp for smoke to 190 F and finishing at 220 F. It may take a bit longer to cook but the moisture content will remain.

Low and slow gives the best results.

[Habanero Smoker]

I'm still not sure what type of ribs you are talking about. Your last description indicates that not only are they way overcooked, they are burnt. If you are cooking spare ribs your cook times are good, and overall your temperatures are not that far off, for the 3-2-1 method. If your temperatures are too high, you may get ribs that are mushy but not burnt. Also your are using less cook times at the beginning and end; so why they are burning I don't understand. If you are using the digital model, that could account for too high of a cooking temperature, but the ribs should not even be that close to burning the way you have described. What do the ribs look like before you wrap them, and after being wrapped? If you are using poor quality ribs, that have a lot of shiners (the bone showing through the meat side),that could be a cause. Get your ribs from someplace else.

Low and slow is the only way you can go in the Bradley. When using charcoal I cook my spare ribs at 275, using a 3-1-done method. There hours of smoke/naked, 1 hour wrapped, and 30 - 40 minutes resting (sometimes a little further cooking is required). This gives me pull off the bone/competition ribs. If I screwup and overcooked them, they become fall off the bone - not burnt. So that is why I don't understand why your ribs are not only dry & overcooked but are burning. Other than what was suggested by Orion; use your same temperatures and cut down your cook times - check the ribs doness before and after wrapping, or use 225°F through the entire cook. If you experiment in temperature and times, only change one variable at a time. Remember ribs are done when they are done so monitor them. Time is just a guideline, so take them out when done. It couldn't hurt to add a little butter, and honey when you foil. Make sure the ribs are meat side down.

[Gebs27]

I went 200 whole cook last nite.
Much better. Night and day better.

Also added some butter in foil.

[Orion]

Excellent. No need to make the process complicated. I bet the difference in taste and texture from the previous time was huge.

[Habanero Smoker]

Glad to read your last cook was successful. Using the same temperatures throughout the cook is the best way to go, and to get consistent results. That still does not resolve why your ribs got burnt with the other method. Your previous times and temperatures shouldn't have caused your ribs to overcook.

What times did you use during this cook?

Now I have a yearning for ribs.  :) I may get brave and venture out next week and either go to BJ's or Sam's to get some spare ribs.