Tips for bark on ribs?

[BillyBriskets]

Anybody have any tips for getting better bark on ribs with a pellet smoker? I typically smoke at 225-275 depending on how much time I have. I couldn’t say if temperature has made a difference on my bark in a pellet cooker. I use Memphis dust and don’t touch them throughout the entire cook. I’ve gotten better bark using charcoal but I’d like to see if I can get better results with pellets.

[Attjack]

You can spritz or baste with more rub mixed with apple cider vinegar or cider. Hit it every hour or even every 30 minutes. You should see a difference,

[BillyBriskets]

Thanks I’ll try this. For some reason I had it in my head spritzing takes away from bark.

[Attjack]

You might want to wait a couple hours before spritzing or be careful to not be washing away the rub. My thought is that I'm trying to both keep the meat from drying out and also adding more rub with the mixture.

[DogFaced PonySoldier]

I agree - I've started spritzing with 50/50 apple cider vinegar and water, and it helps me get a nice slightly sticky coating on my ribs WITHOUT using BBQ sauce. I do it after at minimum an hour, maybe 2. I don't wrap anymore, either. It's been working well for me and I will continue - I might do it on the brisket I'm planning tomorrow.

[bbqLuv]

How to get a good bark when smoking meat - Smoked BBQ Source
Happy Grilling to you

[BillyBriskets]

Great article thanks

[Panhead John]

BillyBriskets I’ll bet this guy here can help you. He’s one of our resident pellet pooper gurus. glitchy

[glitchy]

Charcoal is often going to give a better bark on short cooks, well maybe all cooks. Have you verified grate temps with another thermometer to make sure you’re actually at the temp the controller says? I usually run 250-275 for ribs. Any pics of your ribs to share?

[Mr. Bones]

This is what my ribs look like, typically...made a separate post, so's to not hijack yers...

[BillyBriskets]

That’s what I’m going for! I don’t think I’ve gotten that even when using kettle though. I’ve got a 1 year old who fears nothing and tackles everything so I’ve been nervous about long kettle cooks this summer so far.

[scottdware]

Dude that bark is killer!

[ofelles]

Now you're just showing off! Wow!

[BillyBriskets]

Charcoal is often going to give a better bark on short cooks, well maybe all cooks. Have you verified grate temps with another thermometer to make sure you’re actually at the temp the controller says? I usually run 250-275 for ribs. Any pics of your ribs to share?

I posted yesterday while cooking these at 225. These weren’t quite done and added a little more bark but still less than what I want. Grilla was spot on temp last year I haven’t checked this year so I may do that.

[Potkettleblack]

Those look plenty good.
Move the ribs to be positioned more around the edge to get more convection effect.

[glitchy]

I agree with Potkettleblack, they look pretty good to me. Seem pretty consistent with what I pull from my pellet grills.

[Potkettleblack]

Also, if I'm thinking about bark, the best bark I've gotten came on the gasser, but the best flavor comes from charcoal or the pellet.

[shify]

In addition to cooking at a higher temp, how much rub are you adding? I would hazard a guess that you are going a little too light on the rub.

[glitchy]

Not to hijack your thread with my cooks, but for a pellet grill rib comparison here's picks of a couple racks I did on a Woodwind pellet grill. I cooked them at 260 (top secret magical temp from a BBQ competitor). I usually start bone side down and after an hour start spritzing and flipping the ribs every 30-60 minutes. That timing has more to do with what else I'm doing besides cooking.

As to the temp, I don't know the magic behind it. It works well for me with both baby back and spare ribs. However, on some of the pellet grills I've had, smoke is much diminished at this temp, others have been OK. It would be a piece you have to learn for each cooker. As well, some pellet grills produce better bark than others from the radiant heat from the drip tray being closer to the grate than others.

These would be fairly typical of what I've seen on most the pellet grills I've had except the SmokeFire (which produced more bark but was designed very differently than other pellet grills).

[saneric38]

I typically add equal parts of sugar to the rub, and I spay with Apple Juice and Apple Cider Vinegar mix every hour or so. Right or wrong, there is some nice bark created. The pellet smoker gives a dark red bark.

[smokin fool]

I add BBQ sauce to the AJ/ACV mix.
We probably get the same results just another way.

[JeffJ]

Try a quick reverse sear at the end of the cook.

[mrteddyprincess]

Ribs I ate in Memphis:

[Mr. Bones]

Looks Dee-Lishus!!

Where did ya eat them there at, Brother?

Did ya table sauce em, or did they come out that way?

How were their sides? Portions look summat smallish, fer what I'd haveta guesstimate was a $30-$40 meal, minus drinkies, an tip...

Was it their 'Executive Chef' who cut yer Tennessee Toast?

Regardless, implement needs sharped up, I'd reckon...

Many Thanks fer sharin this experience with us,; mebbe one day, I'll git to try some, in person...

[mrteddyprincess]

Mr. Bones my wife and I took the seven hour drive to Memphis to stay two nights and eat BBQ because I wanted the experience.

We ate three places. I can't tell you all the names, but my favorite was Cozy Corner, and that's the second pic you see. The rib doesn't have the appeal in the pic, but it was the superior rib. The first pic was a chain and I felt like I could get that in IN. The second one is a pic of a true BBQ joint icon in Memphis. Such friendly people, and the BBQ was universal.

[mrteddyprincess]

Mr. Bones Memphis style almost always offers the sauce on the side because they respect the bark. Meals were more like $20ish. Cozy Corner offered BBQ bologna sandwiches, and that might have been my favorite thing I tasted in Memphis. Sides were plenty tasty and I had no complaints about the portions.