Dazed and Confused

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big smoke

Newbie
Original poster
May 8, 2008
19
10
Smoked two racks of baby backs yesterday. They were 2 identical racks for the most part and did everything the same. The problem one rack was absolutly great, tender and juicy but the other rack was really tough.

The only thing that was done different, was on one of the racks for the life of me i couldn't get the membrane off. The problem i don't remember which rack, the good or the bad.

Would not taking the membrane off make the one rack tough and not as juicy?
 
It could make it a little chewier but I think the problem lies elsewhere. Maybe it was hotter on one side of the smoker? Or perhaps it was just the meat, every piece is different.
 
one of them hogs might have been from the tough side of the tracks!!! lol i have bought packs of ribs where out of three racks you may have a tough one just like with butts sometimes you just get one that just won't cook out right. it just happens sometimes...my opinion anyway.
 
Smoked plenty of ribs with the membrane on before I knew to remove it and it didn't really affect the tenderness at all. They just eat better with it off. Something different with the rack or the heat near that rack. Betting it would have tenderized eventually.
 
Were they frozen when you bought them? Maybe one older than the other? Borned on date is important for freshness....or is that only for beer
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bought at the same time not frozen in fact they were just put out. is toughness caused from over cooking or undercooking. the tough slab was the smaller of the 2 but not by much.
 
My experience has been that tough ribs were the result of overcooking them. If they were undercooked, they'd probably be more chewy than tough.
 
Oh, I thought this was about me..

I think Ron has it.. sounds like one was not getting the proper heat nor smoke to it.
 
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