New Smoker Blues

Redneckinthecity · September 22, 2008, 10:37:20 AM

Received my new digital smoker last week and was eager to give it a test drive this weekend. Got 5 racks of St. Louis ribs, applied rub and wrapped in plastic wrap overnight. Trying my own version of Steve Raichlen's 3-2-1 method, yesterday morning, I put them in the smoker for 3 hours of hickory at 200 degrees. Then into foil with a splash of apple juice for 2.5 hours at 225. Then out of the foil for a final hour at 225. I rotated and turned the racks several times, and spritzed with a mix of apple juice, oil and a little cider vinegar a few times.

The smoke flavor was just what I was after, bit the meat was TOUGH. I usually cook baby backs, so I don't know if it's just the different cut or if I didn't do something right. This wasn't what I had hoped for my inaugural cooking.

Any help in diagnosing my problem is appreciated.

Tenpoint5 · September 22, 2008, 11:22:13 AM

Ive done ribs that way lots and lots of times always turned out tender. Brings to mind one question. Did you pull the membrane off the backside of the ribs? Since I have learned that trick ain't had a tough rib since.

FLBentRider · September 22, 2008, 11:32:11 AM

The membrane can definitely make them tough. Sometimes its the pigs fault. I cook my St Loius ribs longer than that:

This how I do St Loius ribs:
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=7500.0

Redneckinthecity · September 22, 2008, 12:07:35 PM

Thanks for the feedback. I wish that the membrane was my problem - at least I'd know how to fix that. I took it off every slab (except for the one that didn't have one??!!)

Smokin Soon · September 22, 2008, 01:33:19 PM

I could never do 5 racks in that amount of time. It takes me 6 hours for just 2 racks. Was the meat pulling back from the bone? Did you boat all the racks together in foil? I like to do deperate foil jobs, I dont really
know if it makes any diff. Hate to see you get of on the wrong foot with your first smoke. The next smoke will give you the encouragement to try more things.

Habanero Smoker · September 22, 2008, 02:02:00 PM

Hi Redneckinthecity;

Welcome to the forum.

Baby backs you can usually finish in 6 hours. What I find with spare ribs you need at least 8 hours, or more. With a large load as your, maybe even longer. So the 3-2-1 method has to be adjusted, so that they spend more time in the foil. You have to smoke/cook them until the meat pulls away from the bone about one inch, some like to twist them and if the bone twist out they are finished (too finished for me).

Redneckinthecity · September 22, 2008, 03:25:34 PM

I'm grateful for the advice from the guys whose posts I've been reading up on and learning from. I thought I would be ready to go when I started yesterday!!

I wrapped them 2-3 half-racks per foil pack and rotated top-to-bottom-front-to-back at mid-way through the smoke, mid-way through the braise, and mid-way at the end. I've always assumed that getting too hot would only make things tough - but I'm wondering if I didn't go hot enough. The meat was pulling away from the bone - maybe 1/2 inch. I thought (wrongly) that it would keep going in the last hour.

I probably overdid it with 5 racks....kind of like a young man on his wedding night, my performance didn't measure up to my expectations!!

Mr Walleye · September 22, 2008, 06:32:24 PM

Quote from: Redneckinthecity on September 22, 2008, 03:25:34 PM
I probably overdid it with 5 racks....kind of like a young man on his wedding night, my performance didn't measure up to my expectations!!

:D :D :D ;D

Welcome to the forum Redneck!

Most of the time if you have tough ribs it means you didn't go long enough in the foil, at least that was my experience. I just did 4 racks of back ribs this last weekend. I put 3 hours of smoke on them at 220 degrees, then left them at 220 degrees for 1 hour without smoke. Next I threw them into a foil roaster with a shot of apple juice, covered them with foil and back into the Bradley for 4 more hours at 220. After that I throw them on the grill over medium heat just long enough to sauce them. They are always fall of the bone tender.

Don't get discouraged, you'll get them dialled in. Plus, it's fun trying! ;)

Mike

Gizmo · September 22, 2008, 10:15:45 PM

Welcome Red,
I would agree with the others here, for that large of a load, you needed more time in the foil. I would suspect the temp was a bit lower than you were expecting as well especially if you were just going by the temp reading on the Bradley Digital readout and not a digital probe located next to the actual food.

Good news is, if you still have them, wrap them back up in foil with a little apple juice and pop them in the oven for 90 minutes give or take depending on how done they were. As was mentioned, pulling back from the ends of the bones is a good visual indicator.

Redneckinthecity · September 23, 2008, 11:14:39 AM

Gizmo -

Thanks. You're right, I was relying on the BDS digital readout. Do you or others have a recommendation for a thermometer for inside the cabinet? I have a Poulder digital thermometer with the probe that you can leave in the oven. Does it need to be inserted in the meat or just left hanging in the cabinet through the vent?

Smokin Soon · September 23, 2008, 05:07:40 PM

I'm a real stickler for meat temps, but I don't check ribs. It could say 165 and still not be ready. Like the gurus here say, look for the meat to pull back from the bone, and look for some movement when you twist the bone. Chop one off and take a chomp before dishing up to guests. Dont be afraid of being done too early, mine are cooked and ready long before guests arrive. Remove from foil and sauce 'em up on the grill!

FLBentRider · September 23, 2008, 05:16:12 PM

Quote from: Smokin Soon on September 23, 2008, 05:07:40 PM
I'm a real stickler for meat temps, but I don't check ribs. It could say 165 and still not be ready. Like the gurus here say, look for the meat to pull back from the bone, and look for some movement when you twist the bone. Chop one off and take a chomp before dishing up to guests. Dont be afraid of being done too early, mine are cooked and ready long before guests arrive. Remove from foil and sauce 'em up on the grill!

With Pork butts and ribs in particular, there is a distinction: You want to cook to tenderness, not doneness. Tenderness is when the collagen breaks down into gelatin. That's what makes pulled pork so lip-smacking good.

Technically, the pork butt is "done" (safe to eat) at 140-145F or so. I take mine to 190F. That is several hours later. And a whole lot tastier!

Tenpoint5 · September 23, 2008, 07:19:07 PM

Quote from: FLBentRider on September 23, 2008, 05:16:12 PM
Quote from: Smokin Soon on September 23, 2008, 05:07:40 PM
I'm a real stickler for meat temps, but I don't check ribs. It could say 165 and still not be ready. Like the gurus here say, look for the meat to pull back from the bone, and look for some movement when you twist the bone. Chop one off and take a chomp before dishing up to guests. Dont be afraid of being done too early, mine are cooked and ready long before guests arrive. Remove from foil and sauce 'em up on the grill!

With Pork butts and ribs in particular, there is a distinction: You want to cook to tenderness, not doneness. Tenderness is when the collagen breaks down into gelatin. That's what makes pulled pork so lip-smacking good.

Technically, the pork butt is "done" (safe to eat) at 140-145F or so. I take mine to 190F. That is several hours later. And a whole lot tastier!

I couldn't agree more my butts usually run up to 205-208 my pork butts that is my butt is in the 230-235 range.

Gizmo · September 23, 2008, 08:53:25 PM

Quote from: Redneckinthecity on September 23, 2008, 11:14:39 AM
Do you or others have a recommendation for a thermometer for inside the cabinet? I have a Poulder digital thermometer with the probe that you can leave in the oven. Does it need to be inserted in the meat or just left hanging in the cabinet through the vent?

The Maverick ET-73 is a good cheap dual probe, one for meat, one for cabinet, remote thermometer. It has some drawbacks such as range is not as advertised and the switches can be delicated (read easily broken), but can last a long time. There is also a mod to make the range better.

Tenpoint5
Can you shed a little clarification on this?

Quote from: Tenpoint5
"Technically, the pork butt is "done" (safe to eat) at 140-145F or so. I take mine to 190F. That is several hours later. And a whole lot tastier!"

Tenpoint5 · September 24, 2008, 06:43:55 AM

Quote from: Gizmo on September 23, 2008, 08:53:25 PM
Quote from: Redneckinthecity on September 23, 2008, 11:14:39 AM
Do you or others have a recommendation for a thermometer for inside the cabinet? I have a Poulder digital thermometer with the probe that you can leave in the oven. Does it need to be inserted in the meat or just left hanging in the cabinet through the vent?

The Maverick ET-73 is a good cheap dual probe, one for meat, one for cabinet, remote thermometer. It has some drawbacks such as range is not as advertised and the switches can be delicated (read easily broken), but can last a long time. There is also a mod to make the range better.

Tenpoint5
Can you shed a little clarification on this?

Quote from: Tenpoint5
"Technically, the pork butt is "done" (safe to eat) at 140-145F or so. I take mine to 190F. That is several hours later. And a whole lot tastier!"

Not I Giz that quote would be from FLB. My butts usually go to 205-208. Bacteria and pork scares the Hell out of me!! I wanna make sure mine doesn't contain any