Ribs & ET-732 Food probe location question ?

Pappy · 09-21-2011, 08:00 AM

When you smoke STL style spare ribs where to you place the food probe using the Maverick ET-732 ? They seem so thin and have a lot of bones. I guess the best place is between the thickest meaty part between the ribs. Do you agree or have any better ideas ?

What internal temp should I be looking for?

Mister Bob · 09-21-2011, 08:04 AM

I don't use a probe for ribs. I know when the ribs are done when a toothpick slides in between the bones like buttah, or when the rack bends almost to breaking when picked up from the end, or when you have good pull back on the bones, or after 4 hours at 275 (with foil) or about 5 hours without, but I never check temperature.

HeSmellsLikeSmoke · 09-21-2011, 08:05 AM

I never probe for temperature on ribs. I use the bend test after I see about 1/2" of pullback.

I suspect that very few use temperature.

Gore · 09-21-2011, 08:24 AM

Ribs are going to be hard to probe because they are so non-uniform. For me, the bend test is the best bet. Pick them up from one end. If they are stiff, then they are undone. When they bend (again), then they are getting there. I like them when they bend about like this:

so the meat is just "cracking" at the top of the bend. There is no "right" or "wrong" doneness (except in comps). Some will like it less done, just a little bend, and others will like it breaking or completely fall-apart.

Coldholler · 09-21-2011, 08:48 AM

I don't stick one in the ribs either. All the aforementioned signs are better ways to tell. My ribs are done after being cooked 3-3.5 hours at 250 on my hood thermometer, which reads a little -- 25-40d -- cooler than the cooking surface.

Can you leave a probe on the grill, to double-check cooking chamber temp, or does contact with the metal create a higher temp than the air temp?

I usually lay a probe from my wireless thermometer on top of a rack, with the temp hanging off the high end. After a while, this is a better gauge than the thermometer in the hood.

azken · 09-21-2011, 08:57 AM

The 732 works fine with just the chamber probe attached. Ditto's on the above for checking when the ribs are done.

GreenDrake · 09-21-2011, 09:03 AM

As others have said, you don't need to probe ribs, bend test is all you need. For that matter, with large smokes like brisket, I do the butter probe test as well. Try it out next time you do one, my bet is if you do both, over time your poke test will show you when it's done.

gtr · 09-21-2011, 09:39 AM

I'd just say the same as all these other farkers^^^^^ babbling and otherwise. I think you got all the info you need here.

09-21-2011, 08:00 AM	#1
Pappy is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 05-09-11 Location: Granite City, Illinois (Near St. Louis "GO CARDS") Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Ribs & ET-732 Food probe location question ? When you smoke STL style spare ribs where to you place the food probe using the Maverick ET-732 ? They seem so thin and have a lot of bones. I guess the best place is between the thickest meaty part between the ribs. Do you agree or have any better ideas ? What internal temp should I be looking for? __________________ Performer, UDS, 1983 WSM, Frank-in-Weber, 120 Gallon Offset, IQ-110, ET-732

09-21-2011, 08:04 AM	#2
Mister Bob is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 06-15-09 Location: New Windsor, NY Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	I don't use a probe for ribs. I know when the ribs are done when a toothpick slides in between the bones like buttah, or when the rack bends almost to breaking when picked up from the end, or when you have good pull back on the bones, or after 4 hours at 275 (with foil) or about 5 hours without, but I never check temperature. __________________ Mister Bob, Pitmaster - Bob's Hogs KCBS CBJ #31759 - IMBAS Certified MOINK Baller The Hog Blog BBQ Tips, Tricks and Recipes Custom 84" offset trailer Black Betty (ram-a-lam), red Stumps Baby, large BGE (they don't come in red), Smoke-EZ 26.75" Weber OTG, UDS, Mini UDS, Weber gasser, red and black Aussie Walkabout red BBQ Guru CyberQ II, Super fast and super accurate red Thermapen

09-21-2011, 08:05 AM	#3
HeSmellsLikeSmoke somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 04-02-07 Location: Warren, Vermont Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I never probe for temperature on ribs. I use the bend test after I see about 1/2" of pullback. I suspect that very few use temperature. __________________ Jim - Another transplanted Texan Former KCBS CBJ Large and Medium Big Green Eggs , Black 18.5" WSM, Blue Weber Performer - Stainless, Green Weber OTG Kettle , Brinkmann SnP Pro, and a Stainless UDS. One retired Portable Kitchen grill. Red Thermapen, Maverick ET-73, EdgePro Apex Sharpener. Avatar is the original 1951 Weber Kettle

09-21-2011, 08:24 AM	#4
Gore somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 10-05-08 Location: Hiding out from blood suck ghost snake gods ... and Nazis Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Ribs are going to be hard to probe because they are so non-uniform. For me, the bend test is the best bet. Pick them up from one end. If they are stiff, then they are undone. When they bend (again), then they are getting there. I like them when they bend about like this: so the meat is just "cracking" at the top of the bend. There is no "right" or "wrong" doneness (except in comps). Some will like it less done, just a little bend, and others will like it breaking or completely fall-apart. __________________ Assistant to a Mad BBQ Scientist (and a squirrel): Primo Oval XL, Small Offset, Gasser, Optigrill, UBS "I love everything about the pig, even the way she walks." -- Spanish proverb (\__/) (='.'=) This is the rabbit baby. Invests him in yours signature, (")_(") and the help rabbit baby takes over control of the world! Hmmmm, I wonder, WWGALD? Avatar courtesy of Grillman and NorthwestBBQ Promoted by Bigabyte to "Idiot #1"

09-21-2011, 08:48 AM	#5
Coldholler Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 09-03-11 Location: Jackson County, NC Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I don't stick one in the ribs either. All the aforementioned signs are better ways to tell. My ribs are done after being cooked 3-3.5 hours at 250 on my hood thermometer, which reads a little -- 25-40d -- cooler than the cooking surface. Can you leave a probe on the grill, to double-check cooking chamber temp, or does contact with the metal create a higher temp than the air temp? I usually lay a probe from my wireless thermometer on top of a rack, with the temp hanging off the high end. After a while, this is a better gauge than the thermometer in the hood. __________________ Big homemade smoker on a trailer, Weber grill, firepit

09-21-2011, 08:57 AM	#6
azken On the road to being a farker Join Date: 07-01-11 Location: Arizona Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	The 732 works fine with just the chamber probe attached. Ditto's on the above for checking when the ribs are done.

09-21-2011, 09:03 AM	#7
GreenDrake is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 06-21-10 Location: Hayden, Idaho Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	As others have said, you don't need to probe ribs, bend test is all you need. For that matter, with large smokes like brisket, I do the butter probe test as well. Try it out next time you do one, my bet is if you do both, over time your poke test will show you when it's done. __________________ PNWBA - Hayden, Idaho http://www.facebook.com/BC2BBQ

09-21-2011, 09:39 AM	#8
gtr Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 10-16-10 Location: Culver City, CA Downloads: 2 Uploads: 0	I'd just say the same as all these other farkers^^^^^ babbling and otherwise. I think you got all the info you need here. __________________ 50" Klose BYC, Backwoods Chubby, UDS, 26" & 22.5" Weber Kettles, Jumbo Joe, WGA, WSJ/MUDS, Jumbo Old Smokey, Pig Hibachi, a piece of expanded metal I throw over the fire pit sometimes, Stealthy Black & Vol Orange Thermapens Displaced East Tennesseean Proud recipient of a Tick Former outlaw MOINK baller, now IMBAS Certified, but still lookin' over my shoulder. Golden Goose Egg - Got 2 in the nest baby! SPFP Mayzie's keeping an eye out for you! WTFWGALD?

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