Question...Does everything smoked looked dried out?

[pfowl01]

Hello everyone,

  I'm an inexperenced smoker (only done four smokes now) and was wondering if everything that goes into the smoker is going to come out looking like it is dried out? I just got done doing some country style boneless ribs and they came out looking pretty dry.Here's what I did.......rubbed them down and put them in the fridge overnight, preheated smoker to 250,let ribs stand out for 45 min.,put ribs in smoker.Temp went down to 200,kept it between 190-200 the whole time,3 hrs of hickory.I kept the vent about 1/3 the way open.Kept track of pit and meat temp with the Maverick and pulled them at 152.FTC them for 2 1/2 hrs.Ribs came out of the foil looking better than they went in,but were not as tender as I would have thought they would be... infact a little chewy.
   Gotta say I'm alittle disapointed in the tenderness.Not sure if I'm missing something here or just don't know what to expect out of the bradley yet? Shouldn't I have got a smokey and juicy piece of meat out of it or am I expecting too much from the country style ribs?Any suggestions would be helpful.Thank you

[acords]

I would have cooked to 180 if not higher.  Country style ribs are not a very tender cut of meat, and need slow cooking to break down connective tissue.  I wouldn't concern yourself with how the finished products looks.  The main thing is taste, and having fun getting there.  Good luck, and keep trying! 

Quick edit, sounds like you did everything correct.  Bring the internal temp up, FTC and you will have some good food. 

[asa]

Things may look dry on the outside, but the low-and-slow method should keep them moist, if not succulent, inside. 152 sounds to me to be too rare for ribs. I think you undercooked them. I'd cook them to at least 165-170 and let them stay in the range of 165 for several hours to break down the connective tissue and fat. I don't like them "falling off the bone" but I do like them tender and juicy. Others more experienced will weigh in also, I'm sure. I've had good luck smoking my ribs for 3-4 hours, then wrapping them in foil and putting them in the oven for several hours, even overnight, to let them come up to temp (165 or so) and then sit at that temp for a while. Haven't had a bad batch yet. Still working on my rub, and will be glad to share it with you.

[pfowl01]

Thanks for the repiles acords & asa,

   That seems to make sense about shooting for a higher internal temp, I thought three hours was pretty quick for being done.The inside of the ribs still had some fat and conective tissue left...thought that would have broken down by that point.I gues that doesn't happen until the 165ish range from what I've read. The reason I shot for 150ish was because I did a search on "Counrty style ribs" and the threads I read suggested shooting for 150ish and then FTC.I will have too try again.
    My wife really isn't a rub person...If a guy was to put sauce on them when and how long could I do that.Last couple of hours or so?

[BigSmoker]

Normally country style ribs are pork butt sliced into pieces to resemble ribs.  They are not ribs in any fashion.  I normally cook them to about 180-185f.  They will still be moist and less chewy.  Not my favorite but still good none the less.  I would much prefer a whole boston butt smoked /cooked to 185 then sliced  ;).

[acords]

My wife really isn't a rub person...If a guy was to put sauce on them when and how long could I do that.Last couple of hours or so?

You could smoke for whatever period of time you like.  I use 4 hours personally.  Wrap in foil and sauce, return to smoker or oven to desired internal temp.  Never failed me.  You said something about putting the rub on and letting sit overnight.  Any salt in the rub will pull moisture out of the meat.  If I use a rub, I put it on and let sit for an hour max. 

[pfowl01]

Acords,

  I used a pork rub froms Olds site....from tsquared.All kinds of salt in it..celery, garlic, onion and seasoning salts.Why do you wrap in foil and sauce? Is it for clean up or do you totaly wrap it up tight?

[acords]

Wrapping in foil will make clean up much easier, and seems to keep the meat moist. 

[Oldman]

If this is the look you want then use my T-Shirt Smokin' Method



Olds

[whitetailfan]

Normally country style ribs are pork butt sliced into pieces to resemble ribs.  They are not ribs in any fashion.  I normally cook them to about 180-185f.

Right on.  I was going to post the same.  BigSmoker gave you the straight bill of goods.  Thought it was important enough to draw attention to this again.
Smoke On

[asa]

Things may look dry on the outside, but the low-and-slow method should keep them moist, if not succulent, inside. 152 sounds to me to be too rare for ribs. I think you undercooked them. I'd cook them to at least 165-170 and let them stay in the range of 165 for several hours to break down the connective tissue and fat. I don't like them "falling off the bone" but I do like them tender and juicy. Others more experienced will weigh in also, I'm sure. I've had good luck smoking my ribs for 3-4 hours, then wrapping them in foil and putting them in the oven for several hours, even overnight, to let them come up to temp (165 or so) and then sit at that temp for a while. Haven't had a bad batch yet. Still working on my rub, and will be glad to share it with you.

Actually, my answer above, holds true for "country style" ribs as well as real ribs, since I do my butts the same way. I read your post, then forgot what we were talking about. I prefer to bring everything slowly up to temp, then let it sit there for a while (wrapped, in the oven usually), rather than the more common practice recommended here of heating up to 185 or so, then FTC'ing for a couple of hours while the temp drops very slowly. It is probably a matter of what seems easiest to you. It seems to me you have quite a bit of leeway for holding pork between 165 and 190. I frequently go to the higher temp briefly, but then will lower it if I'm holding things for a while before serving. For butts/shoulders, I've held them overnight at the lower temp, and they're fine the next day. The house smells great too.

Keep smokin',
     Art

[asa]

My wife really isn't a rub person...

pfowl01:
I wonder if that's because she doesn't like 'em spicey or hot. If so, then I suggest you might like to try something like the tasty but milder rub I came up with last weekend. Even though our friends and aquaintances have always said my ribs were not too hot, the Ms. suggested that they might be a little too spicey for general consumption. The fact that my daughter, after taking a bite, let out a shriek and ran for the kitchen sink hadn't impressed me since she was the one who declared at one point in earlier childhood that she didn't like "food with things in it." But the measured, calm suggestion of my resident food critic did cause me to try modifying what I had been doing. She proclaimed the resulting ribs with this milder rub "perfect - the best you've ever done."

So here is my current mild rib rub, called "Barkaboo rub" since that's the way my daughter pronounced barbecue when she was a young tad.

ART'S BARKABOO RIB RUB   
Ingredient amounts in "parts" by volume measure (ie., could be tsp, Tbsp, oz, or cups, etc)

Brown sugar       5 parts
Garlic powder      4
Paprika               4
Salt                  3
Dry mustard       2
Cumin                2
Onion powder     2
Ground oregano  2
Black pepper      1 (or less for very mild)
Cayene pepper     1 (or less for very mild)
Ground sage      1
Ground thyme     1
Total               28 parts

For my original spicier rub, I used 3 parts black pepper, 2 parts cayenne, and an additional 2 parts chili powder. I still plan to use this slightly spicier mix with whole pork shoulders, but find the milder is fine with ribs. I found you can coat the ribs heavily with this milder rub without causing them to be too spicey at all. The smoking/cooking mellows and blends the flavors to the point where many will prefer to eat them dry, ie., without adding any sauce at all. Those who like an even spicier rub may want to try increased amounts of the peppery stuff. Anyway, I suggest a blend something like this for good flavor, if you want to give it a try.

Good luck,

     Art

[pfowl01]

asa,

  Hey thanks for the rub recipe, I'll have to try that sometime. Kinda waiting untill I get all the parts for my PID before I do any more long smokes. But I will try that sometime.. thanks again.