# Rib Bone Pull back???



## m1garand (Jun 3, 2012)

OK,

I'm still experimenting with doing St. Louis Style Ribs.
Previously I did the 3-2-1 method, however found that the ribs were a bit mushy for my liking.
I am now doing a NO FOIL Smoke, I'm 5+ hours into it and the ribs don't have any pull back.
I've been cooking at 210 degrees.
Do I actually need meat pull back off the ribs?, should I cook until the ribs pull back.
Im gonna pull them after 6 hours but and a bit confused

Thank you


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## justin85 (Jun 3, 2012)

I usually cook mine in the 225-250 range and have good pull back in 3 hours before foiling. I'm not sure. Got any q-view of it?


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## damon555 (Jun 3, 2012)

Pick them up in the middle with a set of tongs...if they almost bend in half they are done. I've had ribs that didn't pull back at all that cooked up just fine.


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## m1garand (Jun 3, 2012)

Here we go, before and Current
I had previously been cooking them at 250-300 with a foil, however deceided to go lower temp (210) and no foil


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## s2k9k (Jun 3, 2012)

I see a little pull back there. They look Awesome! I want 1 or 2 or maybe 3........


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## m1garand (Jun 3, 2012)

I'm thinking I need to go longer than the current 6.5 hours,
However since this is my first NO Foil and my costco purchase had 3 slabs, I'm going to pull them.
Besides, the wife was expecting to eat after 6 hours is very agitated and is now questioning my Mad scientist experiments


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## bama bbq (Jun 3, 2012)

Possibly your lower temp is the culprit for no pull back.  I believe 3-2-1 is based on 225*-250*.  I recently did some StL Spares and I agree with you that they were a bit TOO done.  However, I did get major pull back within the first 3 hrs. I believe my next cook will be 2.5 -1.5 - 1 @ 225*-250*.


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## mdboatbum (Jun 3, 2012)

Well, how were they? I'm going to agree that the lower temps are probably the reason for no pullback. I'm still trying to dial it in, but I generally go for very gentle cooking and get less pullback. Of course, with fattier ribs, this also means less fat rendering out, so it's a toss up. Your ribs look awesome, can't wait to hear how they tasted.


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## so ms smoker (Jun 3, 2012)

Im with Mdboatman. They look great, but how did they taste?

Mike


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## justin85 (Jun 3, 2012)

Nice looking ribs! :drool


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## supercenterchef (Jun 3, 2012)

> I believe my next cook will be 2.5 -1.5 - 1 @ 225*-250*.


I've had good luck adjusting in Bama's direction...


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## chef jimmyj (Jun 3, 2012)

Seems like most of the Ribs I do, lately 4-2-0 at 225-235*F, have very little pull back. They come out tender but not falling off the bone or getting mushy. My family, Wife in particular, has requested Ribs more than anything else. I have gotten better at smoking them, thanks guys, but the biggest change was the use of Pitmaster's Choice Pellets in my AMNPS. Thanks Todd! I have gotten more requests to smoke stuff this Spring then all of last year! The AMNPS makes life soooo simple and the PMC Pellet flavor is outstanding. If you have not tried the AMNPS and PMC Pellets you missing out on some great Q...JJ


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## m1garand (Jun 3, 2012)

OK

How did they taste, well lets just say......holy moly WOW

These are by far the best cooking ribs I have cooked
Lowering the temperature to 210 (from 250)  and extending the cooking time from 6 to 7 hours made a world of difference
The Ribs were very  and I mean very tender juicy, Nice Bark on the outside, not too tough and good pull.
I will have to say that I will no longer be Foiling my ribs.

210 for 7 hours Spritzing with apple juice once an hour after the first 3 hours works for me.


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## kryinggame (Jun 3, 2012)

I smoke each and every single weekend and most of those weekends are ribs. Mainly I smoke spareribs/st. louis style and I always smoke at 225 degrees and I never get pull back. Pullback is not a requirement for doneness.  Yesterday I did 2 racks of st. louis ribs. The first rack was done in 5 hours and the 2nd was done in 5.5 hours. I don't do that 3-2-1 method, rather I just let the ribs go. I don't even open the door until 4 hours have passed by and when I do open the door, it's not to spritz but just to check the progress.

One thing I've learned is, there's no 1 proven method but what you like AND the ribs are done when they're done.


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## m1garand (Jun 3, 2012)

I was going to just let them go, however I'm a noob and did spritzing as a precautionary measure. As for being done, well I'm still trying to figure out how to do that. I picked
 the rack up and checked for the 90 degree bend, but I think it bent at 90 before I put them on. :(  what I did was grab a bone on the end and twist it, feeling for tug, not sure what other method there is


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## jp61 (Jun 4, 2012)

I'm also leaning towards the lower temps for no pullback. But, if they're done and they taste great.... who cares! Smoking them at 210° (if that's accurate) without foil I would think that it should take longer to finish.


Chef JimmyJ said:


> Seems like most of the Ribs I do, lately 4-2-0 at 225-235*F, have very little pull back. They come out tender but not falling off the bone or getting mushy. My family, Wife in particular, has requested Ribs more than anything else. I have gotten better at smoking them, thanks guys, but the biggest change was the use of Pitmaster's Choice Pellets in my AMNPS. Thanks Todd! I have gotten more requests to smoke stuff this Spring then all of last year! The AMNPS makes life soooo simple and the PMC Pellet flavor is outstanding. If you have not tried the AMNPS and PMC Pellets you missing out on some great Q...JJ


I have to agree 100% with Chef JJ about Todd's Pitmaster's Choice Pellets. The smoke smells really nice and adds great flavor to Q. I'm sure some people don't/won't like it but, I'm willing to bet that most people who try it, will love it. The stuff is really good, I'm not just blowing smoke here.


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