Help with BB ribs

Oldpro1946 · May 17, 2012

Smoked some BB ribs yesterday. Smoked at 300 for 2.5 hours. They were tender, good bite but not "falling off the bone" tender, which I am shooting for. Should I put them in a covered pan after the 2.5 hours put in a little orange or apple juice and cook them another 1 hour? I'd prefer not to foil them. Or should I smoke them 3.5 instead of 2.5 hours? Thanks.

daninnewjersey · May 17, 2012

I'd say if the bark isn't getting too dark just let them go longer. They'll definitely start to fall apart after a while.....

Unfathomable Bastid · May 17, 2012

If you want falling off the bone, then the tried/true method is to foil. I know you mentioned you'd prefer not to foil, but it does work every time. People speak of 3-2-1, but for me at the 225-250 range, that will turn your ribs into mush. I like 3-1-1 at that temp, and it makes for perfect tug off the bone tenderness.

I'm not sure that you can get "fall of the bone" at any temp/time without foiling of some kind.

Ron_L · May 17, 2012

Cook them longer. Just watch the bark color at those temps. You may have to foil to keep the bark from burning.

Cazador · May 17, 2012

Drop the temp and go longer. I'm with the others on foiling to make them fall off the bone tender. I do mine at 225 for 3 hours then foil for another couple of hours still at 225. I might get banned for admitting this... but I'll often cheat and just throw them in the oven for the foil part of the cook. When they're foiled you're really just baking them anyway.

Durzil · May 17, 2012

Drop the temp to 275* and go longer. If you mention type of smoker it would help some. On my UDS I do 250* for about 4 hours no foil. But we like our ribs slightly dryer than most. Always tender.

Deep South · May 17, 2012

I do 4 hours in the smoke @ 225 and two hours in the foil @ 225.

Panthers65 · May 17, 2012

Smoke them until the bark looks like how you want it, then foil and smoke them until their done. Give it another 15 min. after than to firm up the outside again.

Pitts · May 17, 2012

Covered pan with fruit juice or foil......same end result.

Durzil · May 17, 2012

Deep South said:
I do 4 hours in the smoke @ 225 and two hours in the foil @ 225.

That seems like a long time for BB ribs? Was this for spares?

El Ropo · May 17, 2012

Unless they passed the bend test, they weren't done. Ribs are done when they're done. You could also try the toothpick test. insert a toothpick into the meat between the bones, when it slides in with little to no resistance, they're done.

6 hours @ 225 for BBs seems like meat massacre to me even without foil. On the other hand 2.5 hours @ 300 probably wasn't long enough.

Help with BB ribs

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