Ribs and the newbie learns an important lesson.

[dmcneil]

Some of you know I am only into this whole smoking deal a very short time. I have tried chicken, pork butt, salmon, brisket and ribs. The last time I tried ribs I wasn't happy. They weren't tender enough and just didn't do anything for me. So I jumped back on the bike and tried again. I read Meathead s recipe a dozen times and read everything I could to figure out how to succeed. I was drawn to wrapping because it seemed like a sure fire way to get tender ribs....but it just didn't sit right with me. I have all our kids coming over next weekend for.....yep.....ribs so had to do a dry run today.

I elected to go simple. Apply Butcher Premium Rub about an hour before heating up the Mak 1 star up to 225. Put the ribs on and walk away. No looking, no spritzing, no fretting....just walk away and trust the grill. I only peeked at 3 hours and 6 hours. At 6 hours they were almost done and at 7 they were ready.

That is what I didn't do the first time around. I was peeking and spritzing like the newb I am. That added so much time I had to pull them for dinner before my wife demanded something to eat from McDonald's.

This time I was determined to TRUST THE GRILL. i was very happy. I think I was on near to the ribs being over cooked but they were not fall off the bone and were moist. I added MAK's Honey Stinger sauce on the last 30 minutes of the cook.

In the pic you can see there is some separation between the sections. I am not sure what that is all about but they were not dry.

Thanks to all of you for posting your experiences. They are so helpful. So for all you newbies like me.....TRUST THE GRILL!!!!

[FireMan]

Annnnndddd, what happened? We know you were like a kid in a candy store peekin away. We want to see the goods, especially when they is wibs.

[dmcneil]

I accidentally hit post before I finished....like a newb. ;-) I posted an update.

[RonB]

Congrats on a successful cook.

[Scout789]

The real lesson here is, never stop cooking and never stop learning. Everyone of us has had efforts that we were not proud of. It happens to me even after 40+ years of cooking. When it does, I strive to figure out what happened (just like you did) and learn from it (just like you did). Even more great results are ahead if you keep at it.

[dmcneil]

Wise words my friend. Thanks.

[Mr. Bones]

Indeed, never stop learnin...

[Henrik]

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[FireMan]

Talk about a learnin curve, you nailed it. It all looks good!

[smokenoob]

have to watch that steep part of the learning curve, very steep and easy to fall off!

[Dewesq55]

Looks like baby backs. 6-7 hours is usually way to much for them. I had full spares done to perfection in 6 hours today. Although, my cooker likes to run about 240° which is hotter than you were cooking.
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[dmcneil]

Dewesq55 I thought the same thing. At 6 hours the bend test just barely made a crack but on the toothpick test there seemed to be some resistance. It may have been perfect and I just thought it should feel different. Next time I will test at 5.5 hours.

[Mr. Bones]

Great Lookin Ribs, there! nice Job!

[boftx]

Once you get old enough you'll appreciate ribs that fall off the bone instead of pull off the bone.

[Keiferr]

Keep cookin, keep experimenting and learning. We've all failed at some point and called for pizza. It's science with a touch of art and sometimes treachery.

[Scout789]

We've all failed at some point and called for pizza.

Or made a ham sandwich. Either way it is very humbling or perhaps even humiliating.

[Keiferr]

And educational!

[Troutman]

Guess the old adage ‘if you’re lookin’ you ain’t cookin’ seems to apply here. Nice job and beautiful plate of food.

One suggestion, when I do ribs in my pellet pooper I run 250-275* instead of 225*. No noticeable difference in the outcome but you cut at least an hour off your cook time. Give it try!!

[dmcneil]

Troutman I will do that next week when I cook 3 slabs for the family. Thanks.

[abett]

That's a beautiful plate of food.

[Steve R.]

It looks like they were a little overcooked from what you were shooting for. I have found the bend test isn't reliable with BBR's. A toothpick or temp probe inserted into the meat tells me if they are getting close. Then a Thermapen, with readings taken from several different spots averaging 190 - 200, removes all doubt for me.

A lot of people say you can't use a thermometer with ribs, but I say if you can learn to slice them between the bones, you can learn to stick an instant read thermometer in there.

[Scout789]

Something I've had success with is placing one rack on top of another after about 2/3's of the estimated time has passed. I then put one or two temperature probes between the racks. I then cook to 195-200. If only cooking one rack, I cut it in half and put one on top of the other. I get good results this way.