I hate mistakes

[lumpyguts]

I just bought a DBS and have converted from the old smoker box in my BBQ to the latest and greatest.  Not wanting to appear week in front of my wife, I didn't limp into this whole new process...I jumped in with both feet.  Last night I smoked a pound of Gouda and a pound of Old Cheddar cheese.  Then, I put in 4lbs of pork back ribs that had been sitting in the fridge all cozied up to a very nice spicy rub for the last 18 hours.  This was going to be dinner for tonight.  I followed the recipe to the letter.  I smoked at the proper temperature but cut the time back by an hour because the ribs were starting to look dry.  What have I done wrong?  The recipe called for a bowl of Apple Cider to be in the smoker.  I replaced the bowl of water at the bottom of the smoker with the apple cider.  Was this my error?  Should I have put a seperate bowl in?  Any other suggestions would be appreciated.  I intend to smoke a salmon tonight and 2 chickens for a group of friends coming on the week-end.  Ask any questions you need to for clarification.  I have read through the recipes and tips and tricks on this forum and cannot wait to try some of them.  Thanks in advance.  From Southern Ontario Canada - J

[Tenpoint5]

Just because they were starting to look dry doesn't mean you did them wrong. What makes you think you did the ribs wrong?

[lumpy]

Welcome to the forum Lumpyguts.

As for the apple cider bowl, I would have used a separate bowl and not uded apple cider to extingish the pucks. When I do ribs, I spray with apple cider every hour and rotate them from back to front-top to bottom. I also check how the meat is cooking when I do this. If I feel the ribs are done, I pull them out.

What temp was the DBS set at? How much smoke did you give them?

Even thought they were dry, how did they taste?

Lumpy

[FLBentRider]

W E L C O M E  to the Forum lumpyguts!

What method did you use for the ribs?

How long did you smoke them?

Did you foil them?

What temperature did you have the DBS set to?

What position was the vent?

I don't think the bowl was your issue, but we need more information.

[lumpy]

One more thing..............in this hobby, there are no mistakes, just different tasting meats ;D

[thirtydaZe]

my 2nd attempt at ribs was a vast improvement over the 1st.

being a novice, i learned pretty quickly that ribs aren't necessarily easy.

[FLBentRider]

One more thing..............in this hobby, there are no mistakes, just different tasting meats ;D

Dry ribs is why the invented bbq sauce  ;D

[lumpyguts]

I used a dry rub.
Temp 220F
6 hours
basted every hour with a "MOP" from the recipe - mostly a vinager/sugar/seasoning mixture
No foil
vent was open a crack
ribs were on the top two racks which I rotated and turned every time I basted them

When I took them out after 5 hours, they looked like footballs.  I cut a couple off the end of one and ate them...they tasted good, but were dry.  They were not overdone because there was a slight bit of pink juice that evaporated as soon as the air got to it...I am not serious on that  last bit, but there was a slight bit of pink of you squeezed the meat as soon as you cut it.

[ArnieM]

Hi lumpyguts and welcome to the forum.

My vent is stuck full open.

What kind of ribs were they?

[lumpyguts]

Hi lumpyguts and welcome to the forum.

My vent is stuck full open.

What kind of ribs were they?

Pork Back Ribs

[beefmann]

welcome lumpy and i dont think you  did anything wrong. just  coat  with your  favourite bbq sauce and  enjoy

[ArnieM]

Well, LG, I don't think you did anything wrong.  You should understand that some pork is like steak.  Some are great and some are tough.

I usually do my ribs dry - no boat or foil.  Sometimes I'll sauce them and finish on the grill but usually the sauce goes on the side.

I'd make a very rough guess that back ribs should go for six hours at your temp.  If I do one or two racks I don't even open the door let alone rotate.  After five hours or so, I'll give the bones a pull to see how tender the meat is.  Another test is sticking a toothpick into the meat between the ribs to check for tenderness.  Many look for how much the meat has pulled back on the bone but I don't find that too reliable.  The end result should be where the meat has some 'bite' and the bones don't fall out.

I'm sure if you get 100 responses, you'll get 100 opinions.  Keep experimenting and keep a log.

[Caneyscud]

Combination of factors.  But the Basting every hour probably kept the element on the whole time.  Nothing inherently wrong with that, but have to take "precautions".  Ribs should not be on the bottom two racks - and some sort of heat deflector (foil ) should be used.  I mop (baste regularly) and have just learned to live with the extra time.  BTW - the vent should be at least 1/2 open - mine stays wide open. 

My "normal" S.O.P.

Preheat DBS to 265 or so. 
Let the ribs sit out of the frig for a while to warm up a bit.
Put ribs in DBS when preheated to 265 (usually on the rack below the top rack)
Close door and lower temp to 230
Let cook till done. 
A couple racks of BBR about 4 to 5 hours usually - even with mopping - but I don't mop until the last 2 hours. 
I don't bother with FTC with ribs

[Jarck]

 Throw them in some sauce and then on the table and watch your mistakes disappear

[Gunny]

Dry ribs = more beer OR BBQ sauce. No mistakes.... just opportunities!
Semper Fi