Bad Ribs

[Big T]

Well, I had my first flop. Well, I can't actually attribute it to my error, other than not using TexasBBQrub! (Hey I am out!)

Sent my wife into the supermarker to get some SPARE ribs and she comes back with these "extra meaty" babybacks. They were meatier than most I have seen so I said what the hey.

I rubbed on some homemade rub following this recipe from the net

2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup kosher salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup garlic seasoning
1/4 cup chili powder
1/4 cup lemon pepper
1/4 cup onion salt
2 tablespoons fresh coarse ground black pepper
2 tablespoons whole celery seeds
1 teaspoon crushed cloves
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup Mrs. Dash seasoning mix



The ribs looked good but tasted like ham! They were not good. They had a good crust on them but it was too salty. I even added a whole cup of brown sugar to the mix after tasting it dry before I put it on the ribs. If I cut a section of the meat away without the crust and tasted that it was exactly like a ham.

What went wrong? Could it have been the rub? The meat? It has been a while since I did babybacks and never the extra meaty ones.

[RichardF]

Originally Posted by Big T

The ribs looked good but tasted like ham! They were not good. They had a good crust on them but it was too salty. I even added a whole cup of brown sugar to the mix after tasting it dry before I put it on the ribs. If I cut a section of the meat away without the crust and tasted that it was exactly like a ham.

What went wrong? Could it have been the rub? The meat? It has been a while since I did babybacks and never the extra meaty ones.

Check the label on the ribs - My guess is thay say they were "enhanced," or "self-basting" and there will be a % that will idenify what portion of what you bought was additional liquid. You bought brined ribs that result in the hammy texture and too salty taste. Need to read the label.

Better luck next time

[BBQchef33]

Yup.. thems babybacks..

I think large amounts of salt kind of 'cure' them while they smoke. Or too heavy of rub. I dumped 6 racks of babybacks at the last comp becase they were hammy.


someone also told me recently that hickory lends to that hammy flavor too. Im not sure how much that holds true, but in the last bath i made, was mostly hickory, when I usually use only cherry.

[BBQchef33]

Originally Posted by RichardF

Check the label on the ribs - My guess is thay say they were "enhanced," or "self-basting" and there will be a % that will idenify what portion of what you bought was additional liquid. You bought brined ribs that result in the hammy texture and too salty taste. Need to read the label.

Better luck next time

oh yeah.. forgot about that too as a possibility.

But the costco(Swifts Premium) ribs I have been using for years aren't enhanced. (At least it does not say so on the packaging). This past year, i have had nothing but bad luck with babybacks with the majority of them coming out hammy. I even switched brands to IBP from Swifts premium. So it has to be something i am doing.

I gave up on babybacks this year becase 1) every package i bought was crap. Shiners or to much fat and 2) hammy and bright pink. Switched to spares and havent looked back.

[willkat98]

Originally Posted by BBQchef33

I gave up on babybacks this year becase 1) every package i bought was crap. Shiners or to much fat and 2) hammy and bright pink. Switched to spares and havent looked back.

And this is the exact reason I haven't had a good set of spares come out.

They always came out hammy.

I'll need to try again directly from the butcher to eliminate the enhancement into cryo pac.

[Big T]

That's what's odd about it. They were fresh from the butcher's case, not vac packed. The label he printed for the ackage read fresh pork loin back ribs. No indication of a solution.

[Smokin Gator]

Originally Posted by BBQchef33

but in the last bath i made, was mostly hickory, when I usually use only cherry.

I do love it when I smell like smoke... I gotta try the wood bath!!!

On the BB's my guess would be enhanced.

[Big T]

So do you think my rub was too salty? Even the meat on the inside was salty. Could the rub have penetrated that far in?

[Yakfishingfool]

I'm with Pooh on this. We tried spares and Baby backs (I always do spares) and I think we both agreed the spares were the better. Most baby backs I've had, except at applebee's or the like (just kidding) are usually hammy to me. Scott

[Yakfishingfool]

Forgot to ask....how long was the rub on the meat before cooking? Scott

[willkat98]

Originally Posted by Big T

That's what's odd about it. They were fresh from the butcher's case, not vac packed. The label he printed for the ackage read fresh pork loin back ribs. No indication of a solution.

This is interesting to me now too.

I wonder how the butcher actually receives product?

I know when I was a kid, I would see the refrig truck pull up in the back with frozen half cows and pigs on them (recall the guy kicking the heart that fell out into the back of the store)

Do butchers nowadays get things like ribs already processed into huge cryopacs, that they slice open, rinse, and display?

You can imagine them needing like 10 times the amount of ribs, versus say hams and butts, in the average week.

I wonder if they get the same vacusuck cases that people here get at Sam's and the like.

I'd sure like to find out.

[goodsmokebbq]

I used to get this problem when I left a rub on overnight. Now I rub and get the ribs on within an hour.

[RichardF]

Originally Posted by willkat98

This is interesting to me now too.

I wonder how the butcher actually receives product?

I know when I was a kid, I would see the refrig truck pull up in the back with frozen half cows and pigs on them (recall the guy kicking the heart that fell out into the back of the store)

Do butchers nowadays get things like ribs already processed into huge cryopacs, that they slice open, rinse, and display?

You can imagine them needing like 10 times the amount of ribs, versus say hams and butts, in the average week.

I wonder if they get the same vacusuck cases that people here get at Sam's and the like.

I'd sure like to find out.

Lots of markets repackage cryo'd meat and was wondering if that happened here, but then I looked were BIG T was from, and I could see the possibility of them having fresh ribs.

[RichardF]

Originally Posted by BBQchef33

I gave up on babybacks this year becase 1) every package i bought was crap. Shiners or to much fat and 2) hammy and bright pink. Switched to spares and havent looked back.

Phil - Here's a picture of recently smoked (cherry with a little hickory) COSTCO BB's. Any similarity to what you were seeing?

[Big T]

I rubbed and let it sit for about 30 minutes until the pit was up to temp.

I want to try this rub on some spares and see how it goes. I tasted the rub before putting it on. There was a good balance of salt and sweet. Neither was overpowering.