# Smoked First Ribs Today



## rileybowler (Aug 22, 2015)

I used the 3-2-1 method didn't really use a rub just some basic seasonings salt, garlic, onion powder and paprika. I smoked them on my new Camp Chef PG24S and it did do a very nice job of maintaining the temperature. I also put some sauce on them for the last hour of smoking. The ribs were very tender and the meat came off the bone none left for dog. They were just slightly dry so next time I am going to cut down on total time cooked.













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The pictures run in progression, 1st picture raw ribs, 2nd put in smoker 3rd after wrap, last 2 finished. All in all I think a success, the wife really liked them so that is a plus and I loved them as well. Does the spraying with something like apple juice help with moisture. I smoked them using a combination of apple and pecan. Any suggestions greatly appreciated.


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## mike5051 (Aug 22, 2015)

Nice job!  Were they baby backs?  They looked pretty lean.  I think baby backs do better with a 221.  I've converted to no wrap ribs for my last few smokes and have been very happy with the results.  What was the temp of the smoker?  I stay between 225 and 250 and about 5 hrs on the smoker.

Mike


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## rileybowler (Aug 22, 2015)

No they weren't baby backs


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## floridasteve (Aug 22, 2015)

Rileybowler said:


> No they weren't baby backs



Yea, baby backs are smaller than full spare ribs, so you use the 2-2-1 rule for them.  BUT -- congratulations on you first smoke being mostly successful!  And the wife likes them too -- wow!  Your first smoke was better than than mine. Lol


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## cats49er (Aug 22, 2015)

Looks good from here,congratulation on a 1st smoke.I don't know how long you have been smoking,but may I suggest you take Jeff's 5-day coarse.Its free and if you sign up for the news letter you can download it all at one time.Even if you're an old hand at smoking, it's a good refresher.So if you have any questions fire away ,some of these nice folks on her will be happy to help.


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## b-one (Aug 22, 2015)

looks like some tasty ribs! They say practice makes perfect!


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## GaryHibbert (Aug 23, 2015)

No kidding.  A success on your first smoke.  Congratulations. 

My first smoke was chicken breast and thighs.  It was soooooo bad even the dog thought twice about eating it

Gary


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## joe black (Aug 23, 2015)

Riley, those are some really good looking ribs.  If you are foiling, some apple juice would help with the moisture.  I don't foil my ribs and I cook about 260-280*.  I think this gives me a finished product that is done but not FOTB.  As far as your rub is concerned, I think that simpler is sometimes better.  If I'm cooking several racks for friends, etc., I will do at least one with salt, pepper, onion and garlic.  You will see this as SPOG.  Great job and congratulations on your first cook.  Keep smokin',  Joe.


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## joes bbq ribs (Aug 26, 2015)

Riley-  nicely done congrats on your first smoke on your new smoker looks like everything worked out well other then you said they were a little dry but that's okay, every smoker cooks differently.  When you wrapped the ribs did you put any juice in there or did you just wrapping them up?  Anyway they look nice I'm sure they were tasty and tender enough to eat
 Happy Smokin"
Joe


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## ammaturesmoker (Sep 3, 2015)

Foiling with apple juice is ok but I have found beef broth is best.


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## smoke n brew (Sep 6, 2015)

Personally, I prefer apple juice as it is not only slightly sweet, but it is also slightly acidic and does wonders on too chewy ribs after an hour or so in foil.


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## krex1010 (Sep 7, 2015)

Apple juice is good, but I have been using hard cider with a little brown sugar as my spray and i have to say I'm a fan, I rarely foil ribs but I bet it would be good as a foiling liquid too.


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## dschaef (Sep 8, 2015)

RE: "First ribs today" and his success with ribs. I waited until my seventh smoke (ham, meatloaf, salmon, brats, chickens, brat burgers) until I had the nerve to try ribs for the Labor day holiday.  
Big disappointment!
After reading many posts about ribs I decided to use the 2-2-1 method with Jeff's Rub. I followed the instructions with only two exceptions which I thought wouldn't affect the outcome; 
1) rub applied the evening before smoking in the morning (instead of just prior to  smoking as recommended) 
2) mixed rack of Baby backs and rack of Spares (conflict of 2-2-1 and 3-2-1).  
Both were dry and definitely not falling off the bone (dog would have been happy).  Smoker (Cookshack 025) temp. was 235 to 242 the entire time.
Would applying apple juice or beef broth during the second two hour foiled cycle made a difference??
Seeing the wife’s slow cooker (great flavor, downside: all the fat) trumped my feeble attempt at smoked ribs,  I’ll not be trying ribs again unless some kind person out there in Smokedom can suggest how many ways I went wrong.


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## floridasteve (Sep 8, 2015)

Adding some foiling liquid would have started the steaming action inside the foil sooner, and may have helped some, but your main problem was that you removed them too soon from the smoker.  They just weren't done.  Remember, there time are only guidelines. A lot can affect them -- maybe your thermometer was off, how many times did you open the door, size of your meat.  Spares need at least 6 hours.  The final test is internal temperature and most importantly tenderness.  Stick the meat with a proce, skewer or toothpick.  If you feel ANY resistance, they are not done.


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## krex1010 (Sep 8, 2015)

I've never been a fan of the 3-2-1 or 2-2-1 methods. I find that taking a braised piece of meat, still hot and leaking and throwing it back in a dry cooker is a recipe for dry meat. I don't foil ribs anymore because I just think the texture and taste is not helped by braising. When I did foil, for spares I would foil for an hour in the cooker, then pull them out and open the foil loosely and let them sit 20/30 mins, then open and let them rest and cool for a half hour or so, meanwhile I'd crank the cooker to 350 or so, or fore up the grill, them pop them back in the cooker or or the grill until they were heated through. Baby backs I'd decrease treat the same way but a little less time on all steps......my fav way for ribs now it to use my wsm like a uds, run the temps up around 300 and leave the foil for the leftovers if there are any


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## dschaef (Sep 8, 2015)

FloridaSteve:  Thanks for you quick response!
Because they seemed dry, I would have never thought undercooked.  Shows how much I have to learn…
I do have confidence in the temperatures however as I monitored both with the built in Thermo plus  a “Dot” digital (which never varied by 5 degrees).
I’ll try that probe/resistance trick; seems logical.  I read someone measures 180 degrees in the meatiest part between ribs for doneness but I doubt if I could do that repeatedly without touching bone.
Thanks again!


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## ammaturesmoker (Sep 8, 2015)

Kind of smoker? Water pan? Temp of smoker? Wood used?


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## dschaef (Sep 9, 2015)

Cookshack SM025; no water pan; 235 to 242 deg.; apple/cherry. Preffered pecan not available.


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## dschaef (Sep 9, 2015)

Oop's,being new to forum's it just dawned on me: am I high-jacking a thread here?
My apologies to Riley if I did.
I may have to just lurk in the background until understand the protocol.


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## smokinshixa (Sep 13, 2015)

Great post and replies...new to forum & smoking only about 4 months...Ive done ribs a lot but use 3-2-1 on baby backs...next time I'll do 2-2-1...Thanks


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## ammaturesmoker (Sep 14, 2015)

Baby backs 2-2-1 is perfect....the larger ones go 3-2-1


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