1st crack at smoking. Baby back ribs critique requested.

[dflick]

Hello everyone!  I wanted to thank everyone for their posts as I was able to hit the ground running with my Christmas present that arrived yesterday.  I wanted to ask for comments regarding a few short cuts that I took and see what recommendations would be given so I can learn more.  I did not assemble my smoker until 1pm this afternoon so I decided while I was waiting to season the smoker for the first time, I would put the ribs in the oven at 325  in a glass baking pan covered in foil for an hour to get the heat into them before putting them in the smoker so I would not waste precious cooking time.  The ribs came out of the oven fully cooked and seemed a bit on the rubbery side but they only rendered about 2 tbl liquid so I figured I was still OK.   I then placed them into the smoker for 4 hours at 200 degrees F with 4 hours of smoke using the blend briquettes (I thought the blend was a variety pack and not a blend).  I then FTC'd for 20-25 minutes.

The results were fantastic and I feel that I did a really good grilled rib before but this was much better!  They were still moist and the meat came off the bone completely.  My questions are, would there have been a better way to speed up time in a pinch?  Was cooking them in the over first OK, or should I have finished there?  I feel I got REALLY lucky with the cooking time so I am also wondering how would I know when enough time is enough?

Thanks to everyone for the information.  I must have spent 8 hours reading the forums before the smoker arrived and I owe the success to everyone here.  I have to admit that it took a couple of hours to figure out what the heck FTC meant!  :-)

[West Coast Kansan]

If you liked them it was a success... :D  Most meats will absorb smoke the best when they are dry and cool (below 140 to 150 when they start to sweat so to speak).  Starting with meat that has been "warming to ambient temps for an hour is as warm as I would want to start with. The oven time my have reduced the time a bit at your 5 vs maybe 6 or 7 hours depending on the amount of ribs you cooked.  However, for me I would have only smoked about 2 hours and not applied smoke for 4 hours.  That would usually be plenty of smoke for most.

Might start the next batch at room temperature and only burn half the pucks as this batch.

Time is odd with an electric - low and slow smoker - for ribs the time I call right is when the meat has pulled back from the end of the bones about a quarter of an inch and when you rotate a bone and notice the meat starts to seperate from the bone but does not quite come loose.

The ribs then seem to be done just right. The meat comes of the bones cleanly and you still get to use your teeth feeling like your eating something.

It you liked them the way you did them - then it was a success.

[owrstrich]

dflick...

speed up time in a pinch...

smoking the cloven hoofed beasts of the field takes planning... patience... practice...

these cloven hoofed beasts of the field... they gave their souls for us to enjoy their flesh... i think we as smokers should reciprocate by taking it low and slow and savoring the meticulously prepared flesh in their remembrance...

owrstrich

[Habanero Smoker]

dflick;
Welcome to the forum.

WCK has given you some good advise. For the best smoked foods you should apply smoke at the beginning of the cooking. With ribs you may be able to get away with partially cooking first before applying the smoke to get a smoke flavor. Smoke not only penetrates but adheres to the surface. With ribs the surface is much greater then the mass, so that will give you a stronger smoke flavor.

[dflick]

Thanks for the info!  I have learned quite a lot here and I hope to be able to help others as well soon.