Smoking Ribs - General Advice

[Muskeg]

I haven't done ribs in the smoker before.  Could anyone provide some general advice on completing such a project or provide a link showing this info.  Mainly, I'm looking for smoke time and time in the smoker.  I'm assuming this would depend on total weight of the ribs?  Do most finish on the bbq or is the total time in the smoker?  My assumption is that it would be difficult to get an accurate IT on ribs, so is there a standard "doneness" test?  Thanks for your help.

[hal4uk]

Hi Muskeg...

Ribs (IMHO) are the most difficult to master.  You will get a LOT of differing opinions on time/temp/rubs/foil/not foil/etc...
I'm just going to say this... learn to pick em up with tongs -- grab em about 1/2 way up the rack.  When they bend to almost breaking...
They're about done.

Others will have LOTS more advice.
(and better advice than mine.  Heck, I wear funny shoes sometimes).
Awrighten.

[DTAggie]

Search: Rib Pictorial

[mikecorn.1]

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=10182

Click on the link above


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[Caneyscud]

The meat should also be pulling down from the tips usually - but is not a very good indicator.  Fork test is not bad either.  Stick in the meat between the bones.  If it goes in easy and twists easy - tendernss.  Before I lost it, I used an ice pick.  Lacking that - H E double hockey sticks, just pull one off to try.  That's a good and tasty way to test! - my favorite!  However, the bend test does the job very well.  Some like to see a little cracking in the bend, but to me that is overcooking.  You want a good bend without breaking.  The only problem I've come across with the bend test is as what happened last year.  I bought a lot of baby backs last year for cooks I did for groups.  Got them from Sams - and many of those racks were some of the meatiest ribs I had ever cooked.  Because of the extra meat the bend test wasn't as accurate as the fork test. 

[squirtthecat]

Ice pick...   Great idea!

I do the bend thing as well.    A tooth pick works in a pinch.     You just don't want it to fall to pieces, unless that is what you are aiming for.

[Muskeg]

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=10182

Click on the link above


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Thanks Mike,
This is exactly what I was looking for.

[mikecorn.1]

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=10182

Click on the link above


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Thanks Mike,
This is exactly what I was looking for.

No problem. :)


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