# Crispy ribs



## hognut (Mar 18, 2013)

I'm new to smoking. My question is about dry ribs.  I followed the 2-2-1 in a wood smoker. The ribs were tender, smokey, and overall tasted ok. However, e outside was black & a little crispy. My temperature was almost exact. I wonder if it could have been caused by to much smoke.  I use more wood than charcoal.  Comments and help is welcomed.


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## cliffcarter (Mar 18, 2013)

How much sugar is in your rub and did you spray or mop the ribs while they were cooking? Too much sugar,especially white and brown sugar, can carmelize and give you a black crust. The sugar in a mop or spray will do the same thing.


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## davidhef88 (Mar 18, 2013)

What are you using to monitor your temps?  Have they been tested for accuracy using a boiling water check?


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## hognut (Mar 18, 2013)

I have a temp gauge built in the door


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## fpnmf (Mar 18, 2013)

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__ fpnmf
__ Jan 26, 2013


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## davidhef88 (Mar 18, 2013)

Sounds like your temps are higher than you think. Factory therms are notorious for being off. Have you checked it against a therm that has been testes in boiling water?


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## lu1847 (Mar 18, 2013)

You may want to check your temp gauge in the door for accuracy.  Lots of smokers and grills come with factory temp gauges that aren't very reliable.  I know on my grill it can be off by more than 70 degrees.  The one on my smoker is off by 20-30.  If you can remove it to test it in boiling water you should.  It should read around 212 in boiling water.  You may be surprised.  Good luck.


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## hognut (Mar 18, 2013)

Should smoking be done with a little wood and more charcoal?  How much wood is to much?


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## cliffcarter (Mar 18, 2013)

Hognut said:


> I'm new to smoking. My question is about dry ribs. I followed the 2-2-1 in a wood smoker. The ribs were tender, smokey, and overall tasted ok. However, e outside was black & a little crispy. *My temperature was almost exact*. I wonder if it could have been caused by to much smoke. I use more wood than charcoal. Comments and help is welcomed.


*Almost exactly what temp?*


Davidhef88 said:


> Sounds like your temps are higher than you think. Factory therms are notorious for being off. Have you checked it against a therm that has been testes in boiling water?





lu1847 said:


> You may want to check your temp gauge in the door for accuracy. Lots of smokers and grills come with factory temp gauges that aren't very reliable. I know on my grill it can be off by more than 70 degrees. The one on my smoker is off by 20-30. If you can remove it to test it in boiling water you should. It should read around 212 in boiling water. You may be surprised. Good luck.


Not every problem is a temp control/thermometer problem, If his ribs were overcooked why did he describe them as tender after a 2-2-1 cook? If they were overcooked the bones should be falling out of the meat, don't you think? I still say too much sugar applied in the rub and during the cook.

*Hognut*, can you tell us the procedure you followed including amount and kind of sugar in the rub, whether you mopped or sprayed the ribs and with what and what you used in the foil with the ribs during that phase.

Too much smoke will not make your ribs black *and* crispy.

What kind of wood did you use?


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## davidhef88 (Mar 18, 2013)

He also described them as dry. The only reason I was going toward temp was the fact I have never had the sugar turn crunchy at low temps on a relatively short cook, especially with two hours in foil. Temps can not be ruled out until we know what the temps were and what was taking them.


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## hognut (Mar 18, 2013)

Temp was held as close to 225 as possible.  I don't think the rub had a lot of sugar. It was 5 Pepper Blend by McCormick.


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## goinforbroke (Mar 18, 2013)

Ribs are, IMO, something you smoke without assuming temps, or relying on them.  And time is relative and bending here.   We know it needs to be at least 225, but after a while it just goes by feel.  I foil after some decent pullback from the bone, and unwrap based on the sort of tenderness that I'm expecting.   And that expectation has a built-in intuitiveness that knows I still want _some_ crust, which also doesn't involve them falling apart when they come off.  Or to be really dry and devoid of moisture.    In an order of importance, I look for tenderness during a foil, and always know that I can get a crust, even at the last few minutes, by getting really close to the fire.. assuming you're working with a fire (or coals).   To some degree, I guess you could say that one-half of my process is moisture/tenderness management, and the second is dryness/crust management.   Smoke penetration is assumed.


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## hognut (Mar 18, 2013)

I used apple juice when wrapped in foil


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## hognut (Mar 18, 2013)

The wood I used wasn't a particular kind. I know it wasn't pine or anything like that.


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## s2k9k (Mar 18, 2013)

:welcome1: to SMF!!! We're happy you found us! You've come to the right place, we have over 45,000 members who just love to share their experience and over 900,000 posts describing it! 

The search bar at the top can be your best friend when you are trying to find answers to your questions but you can still ask too if you want!

Would you do us a favor and add your location to your profile, it helps others to know where you are when they offer advice, Thanks!

You might want to check out Jeff's Free 5 day E-Course, it will teach you all the basics plus a whole lot more!


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## cliffcarter (Mar 18, 2013)

Davidhef88 said:


> He also described them as dry. The only reason I was going toward temp was the fact I have never had the sugar turn crunchy at low temps on a relatively short cook, especially with two hours in foil. Temps can not be ruled out until we know what the temps were and what was taking them.


Not trying to start a fire, the initial post had little info. I have had black on my ribs using brown sugar and cooking at low temps.

The 5 pepper blend from McCormicks seems to be mostly salt and chili powder with bits of other ingredients, that and a smokey atmosphere may get them black to a degree, crispiness may be a result of actual temp higher than was indicated by your themometer as stated by the others.


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## hognut (Mar 18, 2013)

Ok thanks for the input. I'll check my gauge to ensure accuracy.


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## kathrynn (Mar 18, 2013)

to SMF!  We are so glad you joined us! Practice makes perfect for your tastes!  You will get there...and your ribs will be wonderful!

You will soon get addicted to this site!

If you need any help roaming around the forums....just holler!  Happy to help out!

Kat


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## bruno994 (Mar 19, 2013)

Depending on the type of smoker you are using, the temp at the door (gauge) could be 50 degrees off from the center of the rack.  I have some minor leakes around the bottom of my door on my RF and the door gauges will be showing right around 200, when my Maverick is showing 240-250 in the center of the bottom grate. 

As far as dry, crusty, but tender ribs, it could be from too high temps, less meaty ribs, could be that last hour back on the smoker to finish the 2-2-1 method, for the most part, maybe only a half hour is needed for that stage.  Might have built up that crust during that stage. 

Goinforbroke, well done on the post on how to cook ribs (gonna throw you some points for that post!).  I agree with you completely.  Rib cooks have specific time frames and signs that I am looking for during the cook.  Cooking comps I mainly cook spares, so it's a modified 3-2-1.  I look for pull back on the meat from the bones, but for the most part at the 3 hour mark at 250, I have what I'm looking for as far as color and the pull back everytime, so I foil at the 3 hour mark, now when it come to the 2 stage, I do the toothpick test, if I'm at a comp, it's cook 'em until they nearly fall off the bone (you got to cook them tender here in Texas, they only take samples with a plastic fork and knife) if I'm at home, it's usually at the 1 1/2 hour mark, the toothpick should easily slide through the meat with little resistance, when this happens, they are ready for a light glaze or sauce, then back on usually only for a half hour or so.


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## flash (Mar 19, 2013)

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__ flash
__ Mar 19, 2013






Good smoke on right. Too much on left.

Being you did a 2-2-1, gotta guess you were doing baby backs ribs? Sometimes I back off to more of a 2 -2- .5 if they are not the bigger meaty ones. 

As you said, check your gauges, watch too much sugar in the rub.


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## redwood carlos (Mar 19, 2013)

Flash said:


> smokegoodvsevil.jpg
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Great example! I will actually use this picture to show my buddy what I was trying to explain to him last night.


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## goinforbroke (Mar 19, 2013)

bruno994 said:


> Goinforbroke...


Thanks man, much appreciated.   Ribs are a dance, no doubt.  I was thinking today, the tricky thing as I see it.. is.. there's a 'tender window' during the foil that a bbq'er should pay attention to. (your toothpick).   Foil protects ribs from getting too black, which I assume is the point or consternation of the topic starter.  But at the same time you have to anticpate how much exposure after foiling you want, that balances tender with crisp.   example:  I made some baby backs recently (and this is apropot here.. vs. spares) that I tendered too long in foil. Maybe it was the pale ales I was tossing back, who knows.  But, I still went for 'my style of crisp and color' after foiling.. which also added more tenderizing too.  The product was a bunch a tasty rib meat that fell apart in my tongs.  Ended up being sandwich material.  oh well.  I'll get 'em next time.


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