Can get ribs to fall off the boner or tender. What am I doing wrong?

[yellowfintuna]

For the terrible typer am I sorry for not proof reading. I "can't get ribs to fall of the bone" These little laptop keys are too small!

I have done 3 smokes with baby back ribs. But they just done seem right. Yesterday I did 2 racks, smoked for 6 hours, temps were between 210 to 245. Mostly around 235. Also spray with mop sauce throughout the smoke. I am using a char griller smoker with a firebox. Only mod is the dryer tube on the smoke stack and flipped the charcoal pan upside down to make a baffel. Using charcoal, some wood and hickory chips.
The ribs are tender inside but almost crispy and charred on the outside and they are hard to pull apart and dont fall off the bone. I have confirmed the temp with 2 thermometers. Redi check wireless and a regular on from the supermarket. One problem I did notice is that my homemade baffle doesnt completely line up with the firebox and lets some extra direct heat in. But it would not explain why the rack on the far end of the grill came out almost crispy. I have don't butts and they came out great but ribs are no good.

 

[harley]

Ummmmm, it's kind of hard to get meat to fall off a boner!!! ;) Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Try the 3-2-1 method.

 

[yellowfintuna]

Haha, I know.

 

[harley]

It may be to late, but wrap them in foil at 250 for 2 hours or 300-350 for an hour in foil, maybe add a little apple juice, broth,in the foil or whatever you have if they are really dry right now.
Oh, and quit taking the little blue pills!!! ;)

 

[yellowfintuna]

That sounds like it will help keep them moist. Its not the blue pills, its the blue cans!

 

[fourthwind]

Sharper teeth??????

Ouch.. bad thought I know..

Try using the foiling method as mentioned before. That will keep them from getting too crisp on the outside.

Two other things come to mind that may be worth investigating..

An airflow issue in the smoker due to the stack and baffle mod?

Too much sugar in the rub could caramalize and become crusty? Are you using processed sugar instead of raw sugar?

Just thoughts.

 

[harley]

Yep, I've got the baby backs on right now and slurpin a few blue cans. I guess, I'm slurping the wrong kind, cause I'm not sportin'!! But, in about two hours I may be while I'm eating the b-backs.

 

[harley]

Well keep your first thought to yourself, cause that hurt!

 

[yellowfintuna]

Wow, good point. I think I used way to much dark brown sugar. It doesnt say "raw" just says pure.


What negative effect would the slower airflow from the baffel mod have?

 

[desertlites]

I think it's cuz your not foiling-and you want tender not really fall off the bone-I did BB's yesterday-2-2-1 and I was Very happy with them.

 

[ddave]

What he said. Baby backs use 2-2-1. Foil with a little liquid for the middle 2. Shoot for 225° to 250° smoker temp. Don't be surprised if the bones are falling out when you take them out of the foil.

Personlly I don't like them that way but if that's what you're looking for then we'll try to help you get there.

Dave

 

[fourthwind]

The reality is however that you can get great (non crusty) ribs without foiling and such. It may be that with your current configuration that foiling will help you get what you want, but it may be covering up a problem with either method or equipment.

Too much of any type of sugar can create a crust. Most rubs are a balance so that you do get some bark, but not so much that you are biting into a shell. Any type of brown sugar is ok to use in moderation. Buying Jeff's rub and sauce are a great place to start, and then maybe modify if you need too. The raw sugar I was speaking of is in place of standard white sugar. Raw or "turbinado" sugar has a higher caramalization temperature, so you dont get the burning affect.

As for air flow issue's. Too little airflow will give you lots of problems including creosote on the food. This however usually makes the outside of the meat bitter. Higher air flow typically gives you more heat, and drier meat. This is why there are calculaters for designing smokers so that airflows are optimised.

You might if not already think about a water pan somewhere near the heat source to give yourself some moisture inside the smoke chamber.

Only taking a guess. Tough without being there to really help!