Not to happy with my first smoke!

[deerjohn]

We just finished consuming my first try at smoking baby backs!!  They were delicious, all guests really enjoyed them!!  I started with the 321 method and then added an extra hour because they weren't pulling back on the bone as I thought they should!  Even with an extra hour, the bones were only out about 1/4", but everyone was waiting to test my smoking expertise so we ate PIG!!  As mentioned, guest loved them, but I wasn't totally satisfied.  The MES 30 performed flawlessly if I could believe the temp readings.  I smoked 3 racks , for three hours naked, then 2 hours wrapped with brown sugar and honey, and then 1 hour with some  BABY RAYS!!  After the last hour, I still didn't have much bone exposed so I left them in for another hour.  I was not trying for fall off the bone but I thought they could have been a little looser on the bone.  Why didn't I have more bone after 7 hours??  Why wasn't the meat loose on the bone??  Maybe I'm being to Picky??  I did have lots of smoke, but had to load the feeder every 45 minutes!   

 

[dirtsailor2003]

What temp did you run your smoker at?

Sometimes you won't get the shrinkage on the bones. May be that particular cut. But to have 3 racks turn out the same probably points to something else not the meat.

The bend test is one of the best ways to check for doneness on ribs. Pick the rack up from one end about three ribs in and lift. If the rack bends almost 90 degrees you are done.

For baby back ribs most use the 2-2-1 method. The 3-2-1 method is for spares and beef ribs. I don't use these methods I cook straight through with no foil. Baby backs normally done in 4-5 hours running the pit at 250.

 

[tropics]

 
We just finished consuming my first try at smoking baby backs!!  They were delicious, all guests really enjoyed them!!  I started with the 321 method and then added an extra hour because they weren't pulling back on the bone as I thought they should!  Even with an extra hour, the bones were only out about 1/4", but everyone was waiting to test my smoking expertise so we ate PIG!!  As mentioned, guest loved them, but I wasn't totally satisfied.  The MES 30 performed flawlessly if I could believe the temp readings.  I smoked 3 racks , for three hours naked, then 2 hours wrapped with brown sugar and honey, and then 1 hour with some  BABY RAYS!!  After the last hour, I still didn't have much bone exposed so I left them in for another hour.  I was not trying for fall off the bone but I thought they could have been a little looser on the bone.  Why didn't I have more bone after 7 hours??  Why wasn't the meat loose on the bone??  Maybe I'm being to Picky??  I did have lots of smoke, but had to load the feeder every 45 minutes!   

MES 30 the temp is probably way off. you can not trust the censors on them,.get a maverick or some other brand check your CC

Richie 

 

[chef jimmyj]

I RARELY get much pull back at 225-250. I only go by Bend test for bite off the bone and bone twist, comes loose with light effort for fall off the bone. Foiling, min two hours, is needed for fall of the bone. Some will definitely disagree but in my experience, pull back is a poor indicator of doneness and a rib IT is worthless. Such thin meat can easily reach 200+ and be no where near the doneness I want...JJ

DSCN0080.JPG

• chef jimmyj
• Jun 1, 2012

Perfect example...Bite thru nearly fall off the bone and very little pull back...