ribs in a hurry!!!

At 10:45 am this morning we compiled a last minute menu for dinner. Consensus was ribs. Ok no problem I can do this. Then I got the oh ya, dinner must be at 3:30 pm. Wow, off to the store. Spares or baby backs? Baby backs are smaller and tend to cook faster. Bring them home and throw on counter. Run out to grab UDS out of shop. Now I have not used the UDS since thanksgiving, open it up and has left over lump in it. Great. I start about 20 pieces for a hotter smoke( in a hurry here ). Now I usually use the can in the middle of the basket trick, no time for that so I throw the red hot on top and let the UDS get up to temp. Then I notice no smoke, Dang I forgot wood. Run out to shed, nothing but mesquite, guess it will have to work. Chuck some on top, not optimal as I usually burry it down a bit. As the drum is coming up to temp I run in and prep ribs. No time to remove unwanted membranes so I score and go for rub, oh no, not enough rub. I rub in what I have and grab salt and pepper to finish. Drum up to 250* so I throw on ribs and will let the temps climb more as I get to cooking. I got ribs on at 12:15 pm.

Now I know this sounds like rambling but that is how the morning has gone and the problems that go with a hurried process. We will see how the ribs turn out.

Scored membranes


Rubbed with not enough.

Drum coming up to temp. Looking out window because its only 20* out side.


Ribs on.

2 1/2 hours in, cruising about 280/290*. I just probed them and they are close to being done. No sprits or mop. These will be served dry with sauce on the side.

bigbook said:

ok scored the membrane?? I though you where supposed to pull it off enlighten me please i have done so few ribs

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There are two sides to the membrane issue. Leave it on to keep in moisture or take it off to let in smoke and rub, I usually take mine off, but being in a hurry I just scored it to let a little rub get down in the meat.

I forgot, just after the last pic I flipped them meat down to finish. I'm trying to get a bit more color on them.

HeSmellsLikeSmoke said:

I don't see much pull back from the bones. Perhaps you should do the bend test just to make doubly sure they are done before you take them off.

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I did not say they were done. I said they were getting close to done. To expand and not confuse the new guys, the probe is starting to go in easy, but not butter smooth, the bend test showed maybe a 45* angle. My point is it won't be long before done. I have learned on baby backs pull back is not a good indicator for doneness.

TomB said:

Agree. Where is the pull back. Usually see bones. Maybe check tenderness with a toothpick. Temp ribs?

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Wow guys, this is not my first rodeo, don't worry, the ribs will be fully cooked, so much so because the wife likes fall off the bone ribs. I will post a fully cooked pic when done. Tom, I've never taken a temp on ribs in my life. Primary indicator is probing, secondary is the bend test.

Ribs done at 3:45, 15 minutes late. Had I pulled for a little tug on the bone I would have been on time. These were fall off the bone. Notice the rack in back broke while bend testing.


And for you bend testers. You can see the meat tearing on the top.

A note of point* from the time of the finished pic with a little pull back and the in progress with no pull back was a total of 45 minutes. As for the scoring, I am by no way a expert. This is only the second time I've done it. I usually remove. It is super fast in prep. I don't hardly notice the cooked membrane when eating. It does appear to me it may lesson the smoke ring a little.

1911Ron said:

They look good, question is did they taste good? If they taste good it's all good in my opinion:biggrin1:

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You bet they tasted good!