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Dry Spare Ribs

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    Dry Spare Ribs

    Had some beautiful weather yesterday so I put a rack of spare ribs on the stick burner. I typically do these at 250, but I know a lot of you go at 225. The texture and flavor on this rack was right where I wanted it but they were fairly dry. Y'all think backing it down to 225 would help with that?

    #2
    Maybe, however, it may just have been the ribs themselves. Sometimes that happens. Did you spritz?

    Comment


    • MTurney
      MTurney commented
      Editing a comment
      I did spritz throughout but I'm still not sold on spritzing. Would the moisture soak into the meat or would it just dry out from the heat in the pit?

    • Sweaty Paul
      Sweaty Paul commented
      Editing a comment
      Spritzing just slows evaporative loss. Some folks think it helps improve moisture. I’m not sold on it. I usually just cook my ribs nekkid.

    #3
    I saw a short video of Johnny Trig picking out ribs. He wanted the ones with quite a bit of fat showing. I adopted his idea and haven't had dry ribs since. I know that's not the only cause of dry ribs, but it sure helped.

    Comment


    • bbqLuv
      bbqLuv commented
      Editing a comment
      I learned my lesson on picking out meat. I used to think Fat was bad and a waste of money.
      Then I learned Fat is Flavor. Me BBQ greatly improved.

    #4
    Did you take a inside temp measurement before taking them off?
    I've learned to not do this. Add soon as you can get a crack with the bend test, they are done. I used to try smoking to anywhere above 195°. They came out dry.
    The last ones I did were only about 177°. I though oh man they can't be done. But with the bend test, they came out the best I've ever eaten. The meat bit cleanly off the bone not fall off the bone. Perfect they were.
    Click image for larger version

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    Comment


    • MTurney
      MTurney commented
      Editing a comment
      I've never gone by temp, I go off how much the meat is receding from the bone and the crack and bend test as you said. We got clean bites with these so I'm thinking it might've just been the ribs. Thanks for chiming in!

    • Panhead John
      Panhead John commented
      Editing a comment
      I’m with MTurney on this one. I’ve always waited for the meat to recede from the bone, along with the bend test. I usually will use a water pan for added moisture also. I recently did some ribs, and after 5 hours I thought they were surely done and didn’t want to wait any longer. It was already 7:30 pm. The bark was great looking but the meat had receded very little from the bones. They were tough and fatty. I should have put them on earlier than I did.

    #5
    I really highly doubt the difference between 225 and 250 did it. That's quite insignificant. Moisture won't soak in the meat from spritzing, the muscle fibers are contracting as they're cooking squishing liquid out. Rendered fat & collagen give the juicy sensation if they're taken to the right doneness. There's tons of variables really, and I think we've all been there. Did they pass the bend test or were they 'done' based on the clock? Were they thicker (heavier) than normal, if so they could've been underdone. Did you dry brine? Were they less fatty ribs to start with? Were they thinner (lower weight) than normal? If all the answers are in line with your normal methods, then you could've just got an athletic stringy hog.

    Comment


    • MTurney
      MTurney commented
      Editing a comment
      Agree with everything you said 👍. So I guess the question is why do people spritz if the muscle fibers are contracting all of the moisture out anyway? I only ask because I’ve never believed in spritzing, but I still do it now and then because so many people swear by it.

    • Huskee
      Huskee commented
      Editing a comment
      MTurney Spritzing helps with customizing your bark some, and smoke adhesion & smoke ring perhaps, not moisture to any measurable degree. More on sprizting: https://amazingribs.com/more-techniq...-and-spritzing

    #6
    IMO you might of left them in too long or you just got a really lean slab of ribs? I do ribs up between 250-275 so I doubt that was the issue.

    Comment


    • smokin fool
      smokin fool commented
      Editing a comment
      +1 on temps, cooked ribs last weekend in the 280 to 300 range, everyone loved them.

    #7
    Next cook try brushing mayo on the ribs, it acts as a binder for the dry rub.
    Whether or not it helps by adding or keeping moisture in the meat is debatable but I've had really good results with mayo.

    Comment


      #8
      Did you wrap? I spritz apple juice to attract more smoke, and add additional flavors, not to keep the meat moisture inside My guess is sad meat or cook to long. when I do wibs, I do 3 racks at a time they are never all the same. Some are better than others. Good news is ya get to try again, on the next nice day. For years I only did them at 225, now it's 275. Smoke on!

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