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Too thick for bend test?

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    Too thick for bend test?

    The last couple of times I did LMR it took at least 9 hours to get the "crack". They were BBs from Costco. Results were kind of mushy and the meat kind of stuck to the the top of the teeth. So could the problem be?...

    1. Costco ribs being 3+ pounds each are too thick? Maybe they get overdone before they are ready to crack?
    2. Too much Memphis Dust creating too thick of a bark which takes longer to crack?

    Thoughts anyone?

    #2
    9 hours? What temp and grill were you cooking on? You sure they weren’t thick ribs?

    Comment


    • Rod
      Rod commented
      Editing a comment
      Rec Tec at 225deg. Not sure what you mean by "thick" ribs?

    • Rod
      Rod commented
      Editing a comment
      I seem to recall Huskee stated on a Disqus thread that up to 9hrs is not unusual for 3lb +.

    #3
    sometimes loin back or baby back ribs won't follow the bend test rules because they are thicker or have a lot of loin meat which won't really crack well. i try to use the toothpick/probe tender method for those ribs

    Comment


      #4
      Think I'd bump the temp up closer to 250. I do loin back ribs all the time and run around 3lbs per rack. The bend test has never failed me. Mine normally go between 5 and 6 hours on the stick burner and usually closer to 5. I run my temp around 250. I lay the rub on pretty thick on ribs and do spritz them 3 or 4 times during the cook. I don't have a Costco so I get mine from a local food service company as I buy by the case. I usually get the Smithfield brand. Always very meaty and great flavor.

      Comment


        #5
        With pork back ribs selling for $3.99/# (or more) and boneless pork loin frequently less than $2.00/# it's not hard to imagine how "baby backs" end up with so much (very lean) loin meat on them. Totally different cut all of a sudden, with a totally different cook... My number 1 reason for choosing spares or St. Louis style when I want pork ribs!!!

        Comment


          #6
          Make sure your temps are accurate with another digital thermometer

          Comment


          • Rod
            Rod commented
            Editing a comment
            Yep. Done did.

          #7
          The ribs I get from BJ’s are pretty thick. They usually take 6 hours on the Weber Kettle @ 225to 250. Sometimes they don’t crack a lot but I check the thickest part with a probe thermometer for temp and tenderness. I also lay on the Memphis dust pretty thick.

          Comment


            #8
            When the ribs are to thick I don’t worry about the bend test instead I used a toothpick or my Thermopen to check for tenderness.

            Comment


              #9
              3lbers at 225 seem to take me about 5 or 6, maybe 7 if they're thicker than average; at 250-275 I can shave off an hour, give or take. Over 3lbs, say 3.5 or 3.75 (huge BBs) or 3.75-4lb StL have both taken me 7, 8, or even 9 hrs before, at 225 ish. I will not buy large loin backs any more, I prefer them to be actual "baby" backs, which to me is 2.5 to 2.75 lbs max and no larger.

              The trouble as I see it with thick/large loin backs is all that loin meat on top prevents the 'crack' from showing when it otherwise would. So you tend to cook it longer, and in so doing that drier loin meat gets even drier. Then you're left with a dry not-as-pleasant rack of large ribs that took too long.

              Comment


              • PJBowmaster
                PJBowmaster commented
                Editing a comment
                This is EXACTLY what happened to me today. First time with "Baby Backs". They were meaty for sure with a lot of loin meat. They sorta cracked at 5 hours. But they were dry....I'll go back to St Louis cut.

              #10
              It's seems as if you are trying to get a "pulled" texture from something that should go "probe tender" but that loin is a killer!!

              Comment


                #11
                I agree, I don't ever use the crack test on baby backs. It works with STL, but baby backs have never done so for me. I used to do them about 3h and they were cooked and everyone raved about them. Then I started going 4-5h and they are fall-apart tender and everyone raves even more. I can't fathom going 9+ hours. I don't even know what they would be like. I honestly wouldn't want them any softer than I am getting from them right now, trying to cut them apart, even with a reasonably sharp knife, half the time, trying to cut through the park, the meat just pulls away from the adjacent bone.

                Comment


                • gcdmd
                  gcdmd commented
                  Editing a comment
                  What temperature do you cook at? TIA.

                • DogFaced PonySoldier
                  DogFaced PonySoldier commented
                  Editing a comment
                  I do mine at "225" on my Traeger, which usually translates to 220-250.

                #12
                I got over the hump of that some of the myths, stories, opinions, timing, techniques, what have you, that I have heard about any cook over the years may or may not apply.

                I don't disregard them but use them as a means to avoid "gotchas".

                That's why we post stuff. So much great info on this forum.

                Use your cooking instincts and by golly temperature always prevails.

                M.

                Comment


                  #13
                  If they stick to your teeth they sound overcooked. My smoker/me make a ton of steam/moisture from water pan. It makes bark form much later in the cook. I have used a couple road pavers, giant bricks, as heat sinks in the water pan lately and it helps, Less surface area of water pan for evaporation.

                  Comment


                    #14
                    The bend test does not work for back ribs. You need to cook back ribs to time, not bend/crack. And probe check the ribs for done. Especially the Costco back ribs in the cryovac packages ... those are are really meaty and just won’t bend/crack until they are way over cooked .... and that is why the ribs were mushy/sticky.

                    Comment


                      #15
                      ecowper I did another Costco rack this past weekend and did the probe test instead. I think I still slightly overcooked them (6hrs I think), but they were way better. I think I may prefer the ole 3-2-1 method. Losing a crunchy bark isn't as important to me as flavor and texture.

                      Comment


                      • ecowper
                        ecowper commented
                        Editing a comment
                        I cook those Costco ribs about 5 hours typically

                      • DogFaced PonySoldier
                        DogFaced PonySoldier commented
                        Editing a comment
                        Ditto that.

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