Discussion
I smoked a rack of pork ribs for the first time yesterday using the method from Fred Thompson Grill Master as below:
1.4kg rack with mustard and BBQ rub
1 hour in a foil wrap with 30ml of water in the oven at 120
1 hour indirect at c. 95 using briquettes with a mix of hickory, pecan and cherry wood chips and a drip tray full of water
20 minutes direct while basting with BBQ sauce
The taste was excellent, but the ribs were quite chewy rather than butter soft.
If I do it again do they need longer in the oven, longer smoking or something else?
Ideally I'd do a full day smoke, but that isn't always practical, so if possible I'd like to adapt the above to get softer meat.
Excellent book btw. Always get very positive comments for any recipes I make from it.
1.4kg rack with mustard and BBQ rub
1 hour in a foil wrap with 30ml of water in the oven at 120
1 hour indirect at c. 95 using briquettes with a mix of hickory, pecan and cherry wood chips and a drip tray full of water
20 minutes direct while basting with BBQ sauce
The taste was excellent, but the ribs were quite chewy rather than butter soft.
If I do it again do they need longer in the oven, longer smoking or something else?
Ideally I'd do a full day smoke, but that isn't always practical, so if possible I'd like to adapt the above to get softer meat.
Excellent book btw. Always get very positive comments for any recipes I make from it.
I smoked two racks yesterday. Sorry, but I didn't take photos at the time so this is all I can show you!
They were very nice, though
and look at that smoke ring!
They were cooked/smoked 5 hrs indirect at around 110C then wrapped in foil with a splash of apple juice and back on at 125C for 40 mins then brushed with sauce and grilled each side for a few minutes to finish.
If I can't take the time to look after the smoker all day, my 'lazy' method is to put the ribs in a dish and cover tightly with foil then put in an oven at bout 140-150 for 3-4 hours, sauce them and put them on the grill for the final cook for a few minutes. This usually ends up with the meat shrinking more but the ribs can be falling off the bone and very tender that way. Purists don't like that method as they want a bit of 'chew' and that's only achieved with a long and low smoke.
I can't see how the cooking method you used could result in tender ribs unless it was maybe designed for baby backs rather than spare ribs. A rack of ribs needs 4 hours minimum at 110-120F in my experience.
They were very nice, though
and look at that smoke ring!They were cooked/smoked 5 hrs indirect at around 110C then wrapped in foil with a splash of apple juice and back on at 125C for 40 mins then brushed with sauce and grilled each side for a few minutes to finish.
If I can't take the time to look after the smoker all day, my 'lazy' method is to put the ribs in a dish and cover tightly with foil then put in an oven at bout 140-150 for 3-4 hours, sauce them and put them on the grill for the final cook for a few minutes. This usually ends up with the meat shrinking more but the ribs can be falling off the bone and very tender that way. Purists don't like that method as they want a bit of 'chew' and that's only achieved with a long and low smoke.
I can't see how the cooking method you used could result in tender ribs unless it was maybe designed for baby backs rather than spare ribs. A rack of ribs needs 4 hours minimum at 110-120F in my experience.
eyebeebe said:
Thanks - yes the recipe was for baby back ribs, but the same weight as I had. Didn't think it would make too much difference. I guess that's an amateur mistake.
Sounds like I need to double the oven and double the smoking time in future.
Ah, yes quite a difference in the meat. Same as comparing pork loin with belly really.Sounds like I need to double the oven and double the smoking time in future.
You could play around with longer times for both cooking stages depending on how firm you want the end result to be.
There's still nothing like doing them in the smoker for the full cooking time though. Makes you feel (and smell) like a proper 'Pitmaster' and you can usually get away with doing less chores around the house and sneak in an extra drink or two...
eyebeebe said:
1 hour in a foil wrap with 30ml of water in the oven at 120
1 hour indirect at c. 95 using briquettes with a mix of hickory, pecan and cherry wood chips and a drip tray full of water
20 minutes direct while basting with BBQ sauce
2 hours and 20 minutes isn't long enough to get them falling off the bone, and look out for a membrane on the inside of the rack that you need to remove as butchers here don't seem to do it for you.1 hour indirect at c. 95 using briquettes with a mix of hickory, pecan and cherry wood chips and a drip tray full of water
20 minutes direct while basting with BBQ sauce
I'd look to double the cooking times for both parts of the process, or do them on the smoker for the full cooking time for proper full on smokey goodness
The cooking time was nowhere near long enough, i smoke large meaty racks of spare ribs for about 4 hours at 135c. Ribs will be done when you can insert a toothpick or temperature probe into the thickest part with little resistance, like butter. Also, if you lift up the rack with some tongs it should bend, if you do this and they snap and fall apart then they're overdone.
I also wouldn't advise to start them in the oven, i'm a bit of a purist so don't finish anything in the oven, but if you want to do so then i'd recommend starting on the bbq and then finishing in the oven
I also wouldn't advise to start them in the oven, i'm a bit of a purist so don't finish anything in the oven, but if you want to do so then i'd recommend starting on the bbq and then finishing in the oven
Not sure why the oven and then indirect method.. Once the meat is up to temp it'll stop taking on smoke, so if you absolutely must use an oven then I'd do it after 2 hours of smoking indirect.
What are you using to check your BBQ temp?
Make sure the membrane has been removed.
You shouldn't need more than 4 hours total cooking time indirect for babybacks.
What are you using to check your BBQ temp?
Make sure the membrane has been removed.
You shouldn't need more than 4 hours total cooking time indirect for babybacks.
Chucklehead said:
Once the meat is up to temp it'll stop taking on smoke...
I'm not sure that's quite right, is it? From my research, cold meat will take on more smoke, and the smoke ring only develops up to a temperature point, but hot meat carries on taking on smokey flavour. I don't disagree about smoking first, oven later if you're going to do it that way though.
The reason I sometimes start ribs in the oven and finish them on the BBQ, is because I usually grill other things to accompany them so I only need to fire up the BBQ once that way.
I can see everyone's point WRT smoking first and finishing in the oven, but if you want a simpler approach than smoking them all day, it does make more sense to pre-cook them and finish on the BBQ.
Just my 2 cents.
I can see everyone's point WRT smoking first and finishing in the oven, but if you want a simpler approach than smoking them all day, it does make more sense to pre-cook them and finish on the BBQ.
Just my 2 cents.
_Neal_ said:
I'm not sure that's quite right, is it? From my research, cold meat will take on more smoke, and the smoke ring only develops up to a temperature point, but hot meat carries on taking on smokey flavour.
I don't disagree about smoking first, oven later if you're going to do it that way though.
Meat will stop taking on smoke once the surface has dried out, a quick spritz with a liquid of your choice and it will start again. Nothing to do with temperature.I don't disagree about smoking first, oven later if you're going to do it that way though.
Scantily said:
Meat will stop taking on smoke once the surface has dried out, a quick spritz with a liquid of your choice and it will start again. Nothing to do with temperature.
Agreed, and it'll still build up a smokey crust even with a dry surface e.g. pulled pork. I agree that keeping it moist is the way forward, which is why it's common to have a bowl of water or similar within the smoker. Gassing Station | Food, Drink & Restaurants | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff