# baby back ribs a little dry



## old grisly (Dec 21, 2014)

I am new to forums and haven't smoked for many years, but just rebuilt my weber smoky mountain 18.5 and thought I'd try a baby back for me and wife. The results were very good tasting but a little dryer that if I had done them in the oven (but they WERE very good). We like them more juicy fall off bone and so I am asking - am I doing anything wrong?

Here is what I did - I used the 2-2-1. Probe through a small red potato on the top grate. We did one rack. Prepped ribs, rinsed, pulled membrane, yellow mustard light, rub fairly light (rub was lawreys seasoning, black pepper, onion and garlic powder/granules, red pepper flakes, cayenne, cumin, dark chili powder), oh and a dash of worchestershire after mustard, before rub, did both sides this way.

Smoker to 210-230 at top grate, used a gallon of water above coals.   Used the charcoal bed, hot coals into middle of it and let them spread outward over time. Several wet chunks of apple wood added just before meat. Meat on top rack, bone side down. Started timer 2 hrs, monitored temp it stayed at 225 or less. At 2 hr mark, wrapped ribs in foil, added some fruit juice to foil, back on smoker for 2 more hrs. At the 4 hr mark, Unwrapped ribs, took juice from foil (fair amount of it, maybe 1/2 to 1 cup) added to about a cup of KC Masterpiece regular bbq sauce, brished the ribs on top only liberally, back on top rack for 1 more hour. 

At 5 hr. mark, took them off smoker and covered, let it sit a bit (15 min). We loved the flavor of these ribs, did not fall off the bone, meat was tight to the bone but was pretty tender and great flavor. I want to get them more tender so, what do you folks think we should do to get them that way?

Thanks for any advice, 

Pat


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## bama bbq (Dec 21, 2014)

Tell you the truth, I've been doing them in 3 hrs using no foil at 350*F with great results. You have to mop every hr to keep the outside moist, and I sauce at the 2.5 hr mark, but they really turn out nice.


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## old grisly (Dec 21, 2014)

Bama, you know, at the restaurant, I used to do them on a cheap charbroil offset horizontal smoker, the one thats 100-150 bucks, and we cooked them pretty low and slow, didn't temp, just got em really tender and saucy, maybe that is difference, I used to sauce em half way or so - we cooked em 4 hrs or more, I'll work on it, raise temp a bit, sauce or mop more and see how it goes, thanks for reply,

Pat


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## bama bbq (Dec 21, 2014)

Hope it helps. Good luck and be sure to tell us how it goes.


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## noboundaries (Dec 21, 2014)

You're right there.  Probably just needed a little more time in the wrapped stage. 

My wife and kids prefer BBs and they want them fall-off-the-bone.  I use a chamber temp of 250F, dry smoke them for 2.5 hours, then wrap meat side up with a little apple cider for 1 hour.  When you unwrap them look at the draw on the bone.  You should see at least 1/2".  If not, wrap them up and steam them a little longer.Finally I unwrap and sauce for the last 30 minutes. 

Funny, if they get a competition bite they call them dry, even with juice oozing out of it.  Consequently I smoke to the crowd.  I make 'em like my wife and kids prefer when taking them to a party too.  Folks rave about the smoke and the fact they fall off the bone.  They taste mushy to me but folks love 'em.


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## old grisly (Dec 22, 2014)

Thanks Noboundaries, that's about what I was thinking of doing. I'll post the next one I do. Think I'm going to try a bone in pork loin this week in the WSM. We have family this week so might do the other rack I have as well.

Pat


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