Bite Through Ribs

[Youngin']

I have been making ribs for almost a year now. I have tried every which way I've read here and I keep getting fall off the bone tender. Don't get me wrong, everyone that eats them thinks that that's the way it's suppose to be but inside me it's eating me up that I want bite through. Today I did a rack of St. Louis on the kettle rubbed down with oakridge pork with a hint of sweet seduction. I cooked them at 225* used Kingsford Blue and a chunk of apple and hickory. At about the 3 hour mark I didn't wrap them shut. I put a piece of foil underneath and put some parkay, brown sugar, and agave. With about an hour left, I put a very thin layer of sauce. Took them off and let them rest. When I went to cut them, they fell apart.

I have tried the 3-2-1 method, not wrapped, spritz, not spritz, no condiments, no sauce and they still don't come out bite through.

Usually I cook them at 225-250*.

What do you guys recommend I try?

Thanks,

Brian

[Lake Dogs]

Probably an hour less cooking time.

[Pappy Q]

You are cooking them too long.

[djoseph74]

My last batch was 3 hours. 250 degrees. You should watch 'em though. I thought I had left mine too long, but they turned out good in the end.

[thirdeye]

Huh? I thought everyone wanted fall-off the-bone ribs? Heheheeee.

I'm with the others, you cooked them too tender.... so either watch the total time (or the time wrapped) or try a higher pit temp, like 275°.

[Youngin']

Originally Posted by Pappy Q

You are cooking them too long.

Is there any way just by looking at them or as soon as they hit the 190's?

Thank you all.

[djoseph74]

Usually when it hits the 190s is when I can tell. The only time I've had them fall apart on me was when I took them to the 190s, then wrapped them for another half hour. They ended up overcooked a bit.

[Pitmaster T]

The best answer is Vinegar or acetic acid. Do not let anyone on this forum tell you hydrofloric acid. Hydrofloric acid will dissolve the WHOLE bone as well as the flesh.... and,,, LOL your mouth and teech when you bite into... wait... there would be nothing to bite into.... which is the entire point.

Soak your ribs in vinegar for a few days and the ribs will be soft enough to bite through. It will be nasty, and frankly I do not know why you would want to bite through the actual rib, but there you are. The meat around the rib will turn into mush though. The way this works... and its soooo brilliant... is because it ONLY dissolves the calcium, leavign the other materials behind... which of course, you will be able to bite through

I hope this was helpful.

[NS Mike D]

cut down to 3-1-1 I've never been able to go more than one hour in the foil without turning them into mush.

St Louis ribs are not equal and come in different sizes. Some can be meaty while some thin. so the cook time will vary.

Use the bendy test (do they bend 90 degrees when picked up? and the toothpick test (slides easily) and use your eyes (meat pulls back about 1/4" - 1/2").


When you take them out of the foil, you will have a good idea how close to done they are.


Sometimes, they are ready and just hit them with a quick glaze for 15 minutes and get them off to rest.

Other times, they aren't close, so take them out of the foil, close the lid and check back in a half hour. Once they start getting close, sauce them.

[Wampus]

Originally Posted by Youngin'

Is there any way just by looking at them or as soon as they hit the 190's?

Thank you all.

There's the bend test, where when you pick up a rack wither with tongs or with your gloved hand and bend them they'll start to break under their own weight.

Then there's the toothpick test, where a toothpick or wooden skewer will slide through the meat between the bones with little to no resistance.

Either one of these will tell you how tender they are.


One thing: IF you wrap in foil, and you find that the ribs are really soft when they come out, a slight rest in the foil after pulling off the heat will let them tighten up a little bit.

[Pappy Q]

Originally Posted by Youngin'

Is there any way just by looking at them or as soon as they hit the 190's?

Thank you all.

I do 4hrs at 275 degrees, then probe with a toothpick. No idea what temp they are.

[Wampus]

Yeah I've never temp'd a rib in my life. I totally cook them by feel and tenderness.

[Pitmaster T]

Originally Posted by Wampus

There's the bend test, where when you pick up a rack wither with tongs or with your gloved hand and bend them they'll start to break under their own weight.

Then there's the toothpick test, where a toothpick or wooden skewer will slide through the meat between the bones with little to no resistance.

Either one of these will tell you how tender they are.


One thing: IF you wrap in foil, and you find that the ribs are really soft when they come out, a slight rest in the foil after pulling off the heat will let them tighten up a little bit.

Pitmaster T Series - Weep 'em and Read (Success with No Foil High Heat Ribs) - YouTube

Pitmaster T Series - Weep 'em and Read (Success with No Foil High Heat Ribs) - YouTube

go look past 9 minutes and you will see a not ready toothpick test, then a bend and I think a ready toothpick test... i think thats at my 11:45 mark

[Wampus]

Oh I've seen it before Donnie. A FEW times my friend. Love that vid.

"What am I doin? I'm talking to the people now BE QUIET!"

[Bludawg]

I cook mine very close to PMaster "T"s method but I cook between 275-300.