Did first smoke. 3-1-1 baby backs. Too tough. Doing 2nd batch in am. Help...

[danattherock]

First, thanks for all the info last week as I was getting my greenhorn questions out of the way. I am home in NC since Friday and will be smoking plenty. Got lots of pics and info to share soon as promised, but I am using a friends computer tonight since I don't have internet access at home. I work out of state nealy 10 month per year. Anyway, my first batch of ribs was for some friends and they turned out very, very tough. I am doing them again tommorow morning for my wifes family at dinner tomm. I will be embarrased to take the ribs I made last night to my wife's folks. Below I will lay out what I did and if anyone can see any fault, please make a suggestion. Beggers can't be choosers and any input is most appreciated.

Got 4 racks of baby back ribs on sale at local grocery store. Not in syran wrap, but were loosely packaged in paper. Kept in fridge for 24 hours this way. I put dry rub on a few hours before cooking.

Day of smoke, put the ribs out for 1 hour to warm to room temp. Fired Bradely up with cherry wood and got to CT of 250. Using Maverick to verify. The Bradely gauge read about 40-50 degrees lower than the Maverick the whole time.

I smoked for 3 hours at 220. Maverick read 220 and Bradely gauge was about 160-165. Probe on Maverick was under the third rack (from top). I didn't use the top or lower rack. Had meat on two middle racks.

After 3 hours, I took in house, put one rack each in aluminum foil and poured 1 cup of cider/cider vinegar/worshershire on each rack. Each rack was cut in half, so two half racks per foil pack. I put the curves up and bones were facing top, meaty side on the bottom. I am wondering if the 1 cup was enough per rack. Also, the foil packs were not air tight or anything. Just folded over so to speak. Would a tighter seal on the foil make for more tender ribs?

After one hour in foil packs, I put sauce on and put back for one more hour. The temp was 220 the whole five hours.

Could the maverick be wrong. I was playing with it when I opened it and put it in my smoker while seasoning the smoker. Got the remote sensor synced after that. NOt sure about calibration on the maverick but wondering if it could have been telling me the temp was higher than it actually was.

Ribs were tough and had to be ripped off the bone. I know I did something wrong, just not sure what it was. Doing round two in am for the inlaws. Any help?

As I said, I have been taking pics and notes and will share some proper reports soon. Thanks for any thoughts.


Dan

[HawkeyeSmokes]

Just a couple of thoughts Dan.

You can check you Maverick by placing the tip only of the sensor in boiling water. Don't let the water get near the wire.

Sounds like you used plenty of liquid to me. I use much less. I do seal the foil as tight as I can.

And it sounds like you went by time only to cook the ribs. Time varies quite a bit. I like to watch for the meat to pull back from the ends of the bone about 1/2 inch. Then I twist a bone and if it turns, the ribs are done and tender.

[Quarlow]

I agree with Hawkeye, Time means less than doneness. You are far better to have them near done and then FTC them than to go with time. "It's not ready till it's done". And that sounds like a lot of liquid, when they say a splash of juice that is about a 1/4 of a cup maybe less. You are not trying to boil the ribs just increase the humidity level to more or less add a little steam in there. 1 cup of Cider vinegar seems like alot also, how was the taste? And maybe aim more for the 3-2-1 as it will be closer to the time you need.

[FLBentRider]

I agree with the others - Time is a tough variable here.

Don't get the maverick probe wet were the wire meets the probe part. I would check the maverick in boiling water.

You can probably re-wrap the ribs and pop them in the oven for an hour or 2 @ 220F.

[KyNola]

OK Dan,
Time to rethink here.  First, did you remove the membrane from the back side(bone side) of the ribs prior to rubbing them down?  Not 100% necessary but I think that will make a more tender rib and it allows the rub to get through both sides of the rack.  Second, your 3 hours of smoke sounds about right.  When you go to put them in the foil, put the bone side down, curve down and use no more than 1/4 cup of liquid.  I use even less.  My personal preference would be apple juice.  You mentioned you used a combo of cider and cider vinegar.  I wouldn't use vinegar as the acid can have a tendency to "tighten up" the meat by acidically "cook" it.  The cider would be a good touch.  Close the foil tight.  Put the packages in your oven for an hour.  After an hour, open them up.  If you see the meat pulling back from the bone, you're good to go for the final hour out of the foil.  If the end of the bones are not beginning to show, close the package tight again and back in the oven.  Check in 30 minutes.  Bone ends showing?  Good to go.  Bone ends not showing, close packs and go another 30 minutes.  When you see the ends of the ribs beginning to show, that's the key that you getting there.  I did 4 racks of baby backs not too long ago and 3-1-1 didn't get it done.  Actually 3-2-1 didn't get it done.  Took even longer.  Sometimes it's just the pig the ribs came from.  Don't panic.  That's why they call it low and slow cooking. When you see the "bone slip", sauce 'em and in the oven out of the foil for another 30 minutes, up to an hour.

You got this Dan.  Just let it happen and have fun.  Questions, you got my cell phone number.
KyNola

[Habanero Smoker]

Just one other thought. The constant 220°F reading of the Maverick may indicate that there is a problem there. Did the temperature drop when you opened the door? When you were taking the readings did you ever look at the temperature display on the transmitter? The  reason I ask, if the signal was broken then the receiver generally displays the last reading received.

[danattherock]

Thanks again guys. Using wides new iPhone. Holding my tongue just right got me one bar of signal. Got two racks of top loin which is bb if I recall from a pm last week. Walmartwas open thankfully. Membrane off. Rub on. Used cabelas Kansas city rub. On smoker at 7:10. Heading out of town at one pm. Might do steps one and two here. This time boating till bone shows. Will put in foil and ice cooler to keep till five pm whenwe get to inlaws.  Then sauce and reheat on grill at their house. If that is bad plan, I am all ears. Just not sure I will have time to complete ribs here. Will cook at 225-230 today to speed up time just a bit. Recovery is slow today. After 20 minutes I am back up to 197. Cold ribs fresh from Wally world and all. 34 deg in garage also. I used hotwater in bowl. Habenro. Mav was not exactly 220 last time. I had to adjust slider tokeep it there. Temp dropped like a rock when door opened as it should. I think maverick is ok. I am the weak link(for now). Ha ha ha...  I will smoke three hours at 225-230 and boat till bone shows 1/4 to 1/2 inch. Likely then will take in ice cooler (cold) out of town then sauce and reheat at 5 pm unless you guys have a better idea. I will checkback here of course. Thanks for the help guys. Honestly, I would be lost without you. Oh, the inlaws don't know you exist, but they say thank you as well. Thankful they are having FTB ribs rather than Dominos pizza. Ha ha ha....

Dan

[KyNola]

Dan,
I think your plan will work.

Good luck buddy!

KyNola

[Caneyscud]

Dan, sounds like you are doing the right things.  Habs does have a good observation on the lost signal.  I have a sneaking suspicion that the Bradley thermo was more correct than the Maverick.  

The 225 to 230 temp is great (my preferred temp.) particularly with the BBribs.  They are generally tender anyways.  I've grilled them in the past with usually good results.  If you pop them in at 7:00 am, most of the time they will be done by the 1:00 departure if CT is at 225 for the cook.  Let the ribs tell you if they are done.  The reheat is no problem, just have to make sure they don't get too hot and they overcook and dryout.  

I know the in-laws will be praising you great smoking skills come 5:00!

[danattherock]

One hour in foil ribs were still tough. Temp has recovered to 230 and I will check ribs in 30 minutes. Looking for this elusive bone show:)

hope to see it soon. Worried I am overcookin and will get even tougher and drier ribs. Hope this is wrong. Will report back either way.

Thanks for the help guys.


Dan

[KyNola]

I 100% don't think you are overcooking those ribs at 225-230.  Patience grasshopper.

KyNola

[Quarlow]

How long are you traveling for? If you are traveling for less than say 4 hrs then maybe think about FTC and keep them hot as possible instead of cooling them down and reheating.

[danattherock]

Guess who didn't have pizza for dinner??

Yep. The ribs were the best I ever ate. Got lots of complements from folks that usually don't. Ha ha.  The inlaws loved the ribs. Very tender and pulled right off the bones with NO effort. It took three hours of smoke at 220.  Then two hours in foil. I used a quarter cup of cherry cider as suggested earlier. Dropped the cider vinegar and used less fluid. Got my bone show finally. Man, what a pretty site. Now that I kind of know what I am doing, I will make ribs for my folks, brother and his family. We are heading to beach this weekend. I will take my smoking gear and a cooler of silver bullets. Can't wait!!  I did keep in cooler but didn't use ice. They were good and warm after three hours. I sauced them and put in oven on 220 for 20 minutes. Awesome ribs. thanks to everyone for the help. I got pics of batch one and two. Batch two has bone show. Yeah baby!!!


Will post pics and rundown of what I did right and wrong. That will help some other newb out perhaps. Eventually someone will come here that knows less than me. Eventually. Ha haha ...

Thanks guys!!

-Babyback Dan;)

[FLBentRider]

That's great to hear Dan - we knew you could do it!

Just don't tell them how easy it is....

[squirtthecat]

Nice going, Dan!