Ribs

[Dex]

I just got my shipment from Iceman in the mail today, so I plan on making ribs on New Years day. What wood do you guys like for ribs? And how long do you smoke?

Also, I've noticed people saying the ribs are done when the meat is pulling off the bone, or when you can slip a toothpick easily through the meat, or around 4 hours or so. Is anyone using their digital thermometers to tell when the ribs are done? Or is it tough with the probe placement because of the actual bones at stuff?

Either way, hoping to make some killer ribs!

[Tenpoint5]

IMO Ribs have there own personal built in thermometer, Bones. They will tell you when they are done. When the meat pulls back away from the bone tips and you can twist and lightly pull the bone out they B done.

[Smoking Duck]

Dex,

10.5 is correct.....the meat will tell you when it's done.  If you haven't already, check out Iceman's post below.  Great tips on getting started.  For ribs, I try to useany of the following: apple, maply, oak or hickory.  Hickory is probably my favorite but really it's hard not to like any wood on ribs.

SD

Iceman's Rib Tips

[pensrock]

Hickory, apple, oak, maple..... you get the idea.

[Dex]

Thanks for the tips guys. Yes I have read Icemans post on ribs. I will probably use hickory.... or apple. Not sure yet.

All I know, is the end product will be finished with some of this!

[Consiglieri]

I look to several factors to determine if ribs are done.  I don't use the Mav with ribs because I can't get enough of the probe in the meat to avoid getting artificially high readings.  Here's what I look for:

Approprate internal temperature
Cooking time about 6 hours at 210
Color consistent with adequate cooking
meat pulling back away from the ends of the bones
Limpness (don't know what else to call it): the tendency of the rack of ribs to droop towards the ground when you hold one end
The ability to push a toothpick through the rack without much effort
If you're hungry, no one's looking, and you can trim up the rack to hide what you've done, the ability to pull off some meat or a rib with little effort.

[westexasmoker]

I know what kind of wood......Ask me, Ask me!!  ;D

C

[FLBentRider]

Consigs has the "meat" of it...

This is how I do ribs:

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=7500.0

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=7592.0

I use Hickory for ribs.

[Dex]

I know what kind of wood......Ask me, Ask me!!  ;D

C

LOL

I'd like to buy a "M"

[KyNola]

Dex,

Here's my two cents worth.  The day before, strip the membrane from the back of the ribs.  Rub with your favorite rub and wrap in plastic wrap and into the frig overnight.  Next day, 2 hours 40 minutes of hickory at 210-225.  Then wrap each rack in foil with a splash of apple juice and continue at 210-225 for the next 3 hours or so then open the packages, baste with Ice's sauce and back in for another hour or so but don't close the packages back up.  After the smoking process, I have been known to move the ribs into the house oven for the remainder of the cooking time.  Total time, about 6 and a half hours from start to finish.

Have fun!
KyNola

[Dex]

Dex,

Here's my two cents worth.  The day before, strip the membrane from the back of the ribs.  Rub with your favorite rub and wrap in plastic wrap and into the frig overnight.  Next day, 2 hours 40 minutes of hickory at 210-225.  Then wrap each rack in foil with a splash of apple juice and continue at 210-225 for the next 3 hours or so then open the packages, baste with Ice's sauce and back in for another hour or so but don't close the packages back up.  After the smoking process, I have been known to move the ribs into the house oven for the remainder of the cooking time.  Total time, about 6 and a half hours from start to finish.

Have fun!
KyNola

I can manage this KyNola. So I dont need to mop every hour? Or instead of mopping, you are wrapping in foil?

[KyNola]

Dex,
I'm sure there are a hundred different ways you can do ribs but I personally seem to get better results by wrapping in foil with the apple juice and I don't realize the benefit of continued mopping although for some I'm confident there is a benefit.  The last hour of my routine, I will baste with the sauce once I open the packet up and then about 30 minutes later to allow the sauce to "set".

Good luck and have fun.  Let us know the results!

KyNola

[Consiglieri]

Dex:  Here's a summary of information I've gathered here ribwise (thread link follows too)

1.  Smoke time.  Each person has their own smoke preference.  Some like it thick.  Others, like my wife, prefer a lighter finish.  4 pucks (assuming you have three other pucks or bubba pucks to back them up) equals one hour, twenty minutes of smoke.  Not a whole lot.  Many here will apply smoke 4 of the 6 to 7 hours it will take to finish off a family size load of ribs.  Some will use hickory, or hickory and apple, or maple and apple, etc.  Wood choice also comes down to personal preference.  Before I had the Bradley, I used almond wood chunks over charcoal and it provided a nice, sweet taste.  With the Bradley, I like experimenting, but I always seem to come back to an apple with maple or apple with pecan selection.  I like hickory too, but the fruit and nut wood seems to suit my taste with pig.  I smoke for two hours, twenty minutes with a light weight of ribs.  With greater quantities like all 6 racks, cooking time can take 10 hours or more for me, and I'll figure about 1/3 of the time for smoke.

2.  Box temp.  With the DBS temp fluctuations, I'm starting to lean towards a little more heat on the temp setting (at least with a larger load). Letting the ribs come up to room temp is important, but if a whole bunch of meat has been in your fridge, it can take 2 or more hours to get it up to room temp.  Effect: drops the box temp like an anvil.  Might as well put a block of ice in for a few hours.  Long and short of it, IMHO: takes time to get the ribs loaded and the meat may be cold so to "equalize" between temp before I open the door, the time to load, and the chilly meat, I'm going to be preheating to 230-250 and then adjust.  Target cooking temp is still 210, but with the cold meat need to offset the starting hour(s) to compensate.  Maverick's box monitor is a big help here.

3.  Basting.  Apple juice is the bomb.  It's sweet, compliments the pork flavor, and requires no prep.  Start applying it about 1/2 way through the cooking time or after the third hour, which ever is earlier,(brushing or spraying) every 45 minutes or so.  If you have a favorite mop sauce, go for that instead.  But apple juice is hard to beat.

4.  BBQ Sauce.  This is another point of personal preference.  Sometimes, a well cooked, well seasoned "dry" rib suits.  Other times, the barbeque sauce is preferred.  When I'm cooking enough volume, I like to experiment between rubs, dry/wet finishes.  If adding bbq sauce or a glaze, I like to brush on a coat about an hour before the anticipated finish, then another about 30 minutes later (with a dish on the table if people want to add more).  Others like to brush it on and then grill the meat.  Others still brush it on, wrap the meat in foil, and put it into a warm oven for  an hour or more, but to me this seems more like an FTC finish.

5.  Resting.  Here is another point of personal preference.  Some will tell you to tent your ribs loosely in foil for 15 minutes to let the meat settle, etc.  They're correct... but, man, one of the best tricks to be learned on this site is the FTC magic.  To FTC (Foil, Towel, Cooler), grab your favorite cooler about 20 minutes before you pull the meat from the heat and add some hot water (I use a kettle full) to preheat your finishing environment.  When you're ready to pull the meat, dump out the hot water, spritz the ribs with apple juice and/or a bit more sauce, wrap the ribs in foil, and then also wrap with the towel to add a bunch of insulation, and put all the bundle into the cooler for an hour.... or two or three... some say even five.  The meat is kept warm and internal temp is maintained too.  Plus, the meat breaks down like stew meat and becomes falling off the bone tender.

Some great techniques discussed here, with a lot of variation.  Again, good luck and send me some ribs.      Or a beer.   Or two.  Cheers.

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=5348.msg49957#msg49957

Iceman posted a good rib thread which contains alot of helpful information that I believe is now posted on the recipe site.

Good luck and post some pictures.

[IKnowWood]

confused?


Don't worry, take this knowledge apply your own sense of taste, style, and effort and give it a go.  It will all eventually end up to your preference and style.  There is many ways to get it done.

As for wood, Pecan is my favorite for ribs.  Course I use a lot of it, 4 hours to be exact (I think once I did 5 but it was no different).  I spritz with juice finish with NO-sauce.  Sauce on the table for adding when its time to eat.  Total cook time at 215 to 225 (215 to start end last 1.5 hrs at 225) is 6.5 hrs.  No FTC, wrap or otherwise.  From smoker to table to mouth with some sauce here and there.

Pretty-much iceman's directions. 

[Dex]

Thanks again for all the feedback guys!

I picked up two racks of babybacks today from our local butcher shop. Do most of you find that you need to cut the racks in half so they fit in the smoker?