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Why do my ribs come out so dark?

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    Why do my ribs come out so dark?

    I smoked 6 BB racks this weekend on my Jambo. Held temp between 250-270* and smoked for 3 hrs before wrapping (used both Al foil and butcher paper for wrapping). Used Pecan as my choice of wood. But my ribs always come out so dark (see pic), not the mahogany, golden brown I want.

    Suggestions from the board....

    Maybe too much sugar in the rub? Used Killer Hogs BBQ rub.
    Attached Files

    #2
    Try using meatheads memphis rub Cut down on the sugar and only use white sugar not dark brown sugar. (Dark brown sugar burns easier). Add extra paprika to get the mahogany color. my 2 cents

    Comment


    • Ahumadora
      Ahumadora commented
      Editing a comment
      Also try using Oak. I never had much luck with Pecan Burnt hot n fast.

    #3
    Hmm...I'm always trying to get mine as dark as yours. Mine turn out more mahogany but I'm not using sugar in my rub.

    Comment


      #4
      TripleB Killer Hogs is my go to for ribs. Love that stuff. I see your using a stick burner. Jambo.
      like Ahumadora said. Try using oak or maybe cherry. You may also try wrapping after 2hrs. That should keep the bark down a bit and hopefully give you the mahogany color your looking for.

      Comment


        #5
        Click image for larger version

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        These are some ribs on the PBC usin’ Killer Hogg’s BBQ Rub
        Great taste and good bark

        Comment


        • jbones
          jbones commented
          Editing a comment
          How long and what charcoal?

        #6
        Maybe to heavy with the rub ?

        Comment


          #7
          Yep I think your using the wrong wood. Pecan is a relative of hickory and can be dark. I use oak and apple and since ribs are thin only smoke for 2-3 hours on my SL's and then finish. I also use demerara sugar as it doesn't darken like either of the brown sugars or white sugar. It has larger crystals so you don't use as much and melts slower. Just be careful on demerara there is true that is manufactured from sugar cane and is light brown and not processed and some that is processed and molasses added back.

          I also don't use cherry as it can be a dark wood. See the turkey to the left after 3.5hrs.

          Comment


          • Bkhuna
            Bkhuna commented
            Editing a comment
            I use pecan for pork all the time and don't have issues with darkness. Maybe it's a matter of how much smoke and the quality of the smoke, not the wood itself.

          #8
          I use apple chunks fer smoke

          Comment


            #9
            I'm thinking your temperature was spiking high enough to caramelize the sugars more than once. I think several times over the course of the cook. If you are burning clean blue smoke, no matter the wood (oak, hickory, pecan apple, etc..) It doesn't matter. You will get color but not that thick. IMHO the sugars are making bark. Not the end of the world...I'm sure them ribs were damn tasty.. What digital thermometer are you using to monitor the temp of the pit?

            Comment


            • TripleB
              TripleB commented
              Editing a comment
              I used thermoworks. I kept an eye on it the whole cook and did not see any spikes. Also recorded the temp every 30 minutes. Can’t recall seeing any white or dark smoke out the chimney.

            #10
            Just one man's opinion, but I fail to see a problem here. Unless the dark exterior is actually burnt. That dark color in contrast with a nice smoke ring is a thing of beauty.

            Comment


            • Mr. Bones
              Mr. Bones commented
              Editing a comment
              Oh, Hail Yessss
              Jus sayin, goin to Beddy-Bye, now...

            • Mudkat
              Mudkat commented
              Editing a comment
              My thoughts exactly. I usually wish my ribs were darker.

            #11
            IMO it looks like the temp was higher than you realized. What are you using to monitor your temps?

            Comment


            • TripleB
              TripleB commented
              Editing a comment
              Thermoworks. Didn’t see any spikes in temp.

            • Dadof3Illinois
              Dadof3Illinois commented
              Editing a comment
              I use killer hogs a lot and sometimes even with extra brown sugar and if I keep my temperature below 250 I’ve never had them turn out like that.
              You might try an experiment, Get the Jambi up on temp and do one slab without anything, one with a sugarless rub and a third slab with killer hog rub.
              Not only would you find out if it’s the rub or not but also have some good food!!! I love BBQ experiments...🤪🤪

            #12
            It's the sugar. I use Killer Hogs as well. I've used other rubs and the ribs come out a little more mahogany but the flavor is better with the Killer Hogs. Try lower heat. Here's some I did over the weekend, the ends got a little too charred but the majority came out great. Cooked at 275* for about 3 hours, wrapped for 1 hour in paper. This is the final stage, allowing the bourbon whiskey glaze to tack up for 20 minutes or so.

            Click image for larger version

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            Comment


            • TripleB
              TripleB commented
              Editing a comment
              Temp probably averaged 250*. Should be a perfect temp for ribs. I also followed your flavor profile from another post - dry brined for 24 hrs, POG and Killer Hogs.

            • Bkhuna
              Bkhuna commented
              Editing a comment
              Those are perfectly colored ribs.

            #13
            Thanks all for your insight. I will try an oak/apple blend next time to see if that helps with the rib color. Obviously there is sugar in the Killer Hogs rub, but I really kept an eye on the temp (ave. 250*) and no spikes in temp that I remember.

            Comment


            • Troutman
              Troutman commented
              Editing a comment
              Also try a cherry or cherry/hickory blend. Talk about a nice mahogany !!

            #14
            I would try to cook a little cooler and use a simpler rub on the ribs. As others have mentioned, the sugar can have an effect on the color of the ribs as they get to the end of the cook.

            Comment


              #15
              Originally posted by TripleB View Post
              ...I really kept an eye on the temp (ave. 250*) and no spikes in temp that I remember.
              Even if your temp stays rock steady at 250 F, sugar will begin to caramelize if given long enough exposure to that temperature.

              The rule of thumb for melting and caramelizing sugar for making things like candy and sauces is to heat it to around 340F / 170C. What is less well known is that sugar will also caramelize at much lower temperatures. The process just takes longer. A low 'n slow cook creates very good conditions for lower temperature caramelization.

              Here's a quote from Curious Cook on this topic --

              "...I made the caramelized sugars ... in my gas oven at around 250°F/125°C ...
              "...Caramel makers have long known that, as is true in most kinds of cooking, the key to caramelization is the combination of cooking temperature and cooking time. But the temperatures have typically been very high, the times measured in minutes. Now we know that you can caramelize low and very slow and get something different. Sugar breakdown even occurs at ambient storage temperatures, though it takes months for the discoloration and flavor change to become noticeable....
              "

              Source: https://www.curiouscook.com/site/sugar/

              More info: https://www.seriouseats.com/2016/05/...ing-sugar.html

              Comment

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