# My ribs drama continues...with Q/view



## tndawg (Sep 23, 2009)

Another frustrating day!!!! Picked up another package of the same ribs from Monday. I have decided that the ribs are CRAP!!!!! I smoked these for about 5 hours at 210-250 on the newly installed, verified-accurate temperature gauge. 

What I found is that the meat is filled with gristle. In the pic below, you can see almost 2 different sides of the meat. The side above the gristle line is full of fat and inedible. The side below is fine. Tastes great, juicy, etc.

Obviously, I will NOT be buying that brand of ribs again! I also threw on some peppers that were ready to be picked, and a yellow potato that was left over from a pot roast. The potato was pretty dang good, and the peppers are in the dehydrator!!!

I did have one issue with the smoker. During the smoke portion, the temp held right at 210-220. After the wood quit smoking, it ramped up to a little over 250. The only way I could get it back down was to leave the bottom door wide open. Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated!!!!!


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## danbury (Sep 23, 2009)

Can't comment on your pit, although I have the larger version but never used it for ribs.
I would suggest go to Sam's Club if you have one for your ribs or if you have a local butcher shop.
DO NOT use the ones from a regular Super Walmart as most always they are injected with crap that will make your ribs taste like salty ham.

Didn't see if you removed the membrane or not, but if you did not.. you need to take that off.  There are posts and stickies available here on how to do that.


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## fishawn (Sep 23, 2009)

Everything looks good/right except the ribs to me. I have never gottten a "bad" rack before, so I'm not sure what to compare them to. I get mine most of the time at Costco & they are always good.


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## alx (Sep 23, 2009)

I usually buy spareribs and trim st. louis style.They end up about 2 pounds trimmed.The trimming can be smoked with ribs or sausage etc.

those are ROUGH looking to start with-as you mentioned



6 i did for a garden work party-hang in there....














foiled with some honey,cane sugar,onion powder


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## mballi3011 (Sep 23, 2009)

I don't know where you used to buy your ribs but I don't think I would buy them anymore. I'm with alex the ones I buy look like the ones alex has pictured nice and big not trimmed because usually the trimmed ribs are usually cost more anyway. Find a new store if you can


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## zeeker (Sep 23, 2009)

I agree with ALX. All the best


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## rickw (Sep 23, 2009)

Same here, I agree with Zeek


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## ddave (Sep 23, 2009)

I disagree . . . but only slightly.
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  I wouldn't call them rough, I'd call them scary.
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





I buy babybacks all the time and those are some pretty scary looking ribs to me.  I'd definitely find a different source for ribs.

Dave


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## ronp (Sep 23, 2009)

Out of the thousands of slabs I have seen in my days those are the worst I have ever seen. Where did you get them? I would have taken them back. 

Somebody really butchered them, pun intended.


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## shooterrick (Sep 23, 2009)

I agree with the general opinion the ribs cuts look poor.  Check out a different source as suggested.  Hope you have many successful future smokes!


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## shooterrick (Sep 23, 2009)

Just a second thought.  Did the package say Belgium Ribs?  They are sometimes sold in this country and are the absolute worst cut of rib you can buy.  Actually they are what is considered waste by most processors when butchering ribs.


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## tndawg (Sep 23, 2009)

I got those ribs at Kroger. The brand was Purnell's, and the they were labeled as "Loin Back Ribs".

I thought they would be all right because Purnell's is a very good brand of breakfast sausage and I have actually been in their plant. Boy was I wrong!!!

Any ideas on my temperature swing?


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## rickw (Sep 24, 2009)

Did your water pan get low during the cook?


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## bigwayne (Sep 24, 2009)

Can tell from looking at those ribs that they are just not right.  They are some sort of trimming that is leftover after they processed the meat to make a higher cost cut.  I would just stay away from those.


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## nickelmore (Sep 24, 2009)

Not sure where you got those "ribs"  I usually buy from a locally owened supermarket, but recently tried some spares from Aldi and was they turned out great for my first bunch.   I got them marked down which was even better!  As I recall I got large full slabs for like 5 or 6 bucks.


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## old poi dog (Sep 24, 2009)

Don't get discouraged. You've gotten a lot of good advice from some pretty knowledgeable people.  Give it another go.


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## tndawg (Sep 24, 2009)

nope..in fact it didn't use a whole lot of water at all.

Will definitely not be buying those again!!! I've heard a lot of good things about Costco, so I will be getting a membership there this weekend.

I'll be trying some spares next!

Oh, I'm not giving up!!!! Once I get aggravated about something, I gotta beat it!!! 

I kind of knew going into today's smoke it might not turn out. These were the same crappy ribs I tried Monday. Today was more of an experiment to see if was the ribs, or if it was me. It was definitely the ribs!!!!

Thanks for all y'alls help!!!! Another smoke down, another lesson learned!


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## alx (Sep 24, 2009)

Man,like the avatar.i was a goon who could skate.Hang and bang brother...........Ribs are easy when you get em en the wheelhouse....


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## tndawg (Sep 24, 2009)

Thanks ALX!!! 

Hockey is my sport of choice!!!! My wife knows Fall means Hockey Widow. She has learned to accept the Center Ice package!!!


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## alx (Sep 24, 2009)

OVECHKIN up here in maryland my friend.All my buddies are Philthy/pengirl   fans............


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## omahasmoker (Sep 24, 2009)

you either got ribs from a very old farrowing pig or those ribs were bad because they were frozen and thawed more than once. it just ruins the texture of the meat and its only good for hamburger after they do that to it.

 i was a commercial refrigeration tech for a few years and i saw chain supermarkets in Dallas pull that garbage all the time. a display cooler would go down and they would load everything into the blast freezer and freeze it solid. once it thaws out the second time, the meat loses about a third of its moisture. you can never get it back to the way it was. the stores did it but it was never worth it because people brought the meat back for a refund and then never came back again.


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## ddave (Sep 24, 2009)

Or the butcher called in sick and they didn't have a sub so they called the local tree trimming company and a guy showed up with his chain saw and since he was more used to using a chain saw than a set of knives he tried to make the best of it.
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






I ain't been doing this a heck of a long time but I think I've been doing it long enough to say that those are some pretty nasty looking loin back ribs.  I think you'd have to be a magician to make those things look, much less, taste good.

Dave


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