Smoking baby back ribs

[butmanj2000]

I have a Pitt Boss Pellet Smoker and have been using it for 2 years . I'm not happy with my ribs. I use a temp spike thermometer and smoke the ribs at 225. My problem is the ribs reach 200 degrees internal within 1.5 hrs. They are not tender. I usually wrap at 156 but the recipes I read say it should take 4 hours. I need some advice.

 

[NCGrimbo]

I've always used the 3-2-1 method for pork ribs unless they are baby backs. Smoke for 3 hours, wrap and back in the smoker for 2 hours, and then finish in a cooler for 1 hour. The only change I make is to check to see how much bone is exposed before wrapping. I like to see at least 1/2" of bone before wrapping. For BB's, it the same, but use 2 hours in the smoke, 1 hour wrapped, and 1 hour in the cooler. For me, the key has been to make sure I see the ends of the bones before wrapping with both types of ribs.

If you're talking about beef ribs, I can't help you there. I've never wrapped them and let them go until over 200 degrees and probe tender.

 

[PGarSD]

You are correct, no way BB ribs are done in 90min at 225. Temp will usually only get you in the ballpark and can be completely wrong if the thermometer is placed wrong (too shallow, too far through, against bone...).

Cook them 3+ hours and start probing them every 20min until your probe goes through the meat "like butter." Keep notes on your cooks so you have a reference for future cooks and, once you find what works for you and your cooker to get the perfect result, you'll have something to reference/remind you when you cook that meat again. For example; referencing my FEC100 notebook, I know I'll need ~4 hours at 275 for St Louis cut ribs, uncovered, with a diluted apple spritz every ~20min the last hour to get them the way I and my family likes them (just a bit of pull to get the meat off the bone, not falling off). I probe when I spritz that last hour...

Plus, play around/experiment a bit. Based on recommendations here years ago, I tried cooking at 275 (instead of 225) and I found I get as good (or better) results in less time so, I go 275 on all my cooks now.

 

[STCL01]

Yeah, I guess I am a heretic, but I smoke everything at around 300. Babybacks I do for around two hours uncovered and then I'll wrap them for at least an hour, and then another 30 minutes open to set the bark. But, that being said, every piece of meat is different, and you cook them till they are done.

 

[Negolien]

I have a Pitt Boss Pellet Smoker and have been using it for 2 years . I'm not happy with my ribs. I use a temp spike thermometer and smoke the ribs at 225. My problem is the ribs reach 200 degrees internal within 1.5 hrs. They are not tender. I usually wrap at 156 but the recipes I read say it should take 4 hours. I need some advice.

sounds like the probe is way off

 

[butmanj2000]

sounds like the probe is way off

I have thought about my probe, so have used an instant read to double check. They read the same. Should I disregard or not use the probe and smoke 2 hrs,wrap 2 hrs, and then probe check for tenderness? Maybe grocery store ribs aren't meaty enough,?

 

[n2dabluebbq]

personally i don't do ribs by temperature. like my profile picture indicates, i look for them to loosen up . when they lay over about 45 degrees, i rest them and when I'm ready to cut, the normally bend like the on in the pic. also, I don't foil/wrap. i never found much success in the 321 method myself. I understand that many people are very successful with it, just not myself. I also cook them at 240-250(analog old thermometer). as far as time goes, i usually end up about 4.5-5 hours. time seems to vary on that though. oh and I hold in a cambro. hope this helps

 

[ModelMaker]

You are correct, no way BB ribs are done in 90min at 225. Temp will usually only get you in the ballpark and can be completely wrong if the thermometer is placed wrong (too shallow, too far through, against bone...).

Cook them 3+ hours and start probing them every 20min until your probe goes through the meat "like butter." Keep notes on your cooks so you have a reference for future cooks and, once you find what works for you and your cooker to get the perfect result, you'll have something to reference/remind you when you cook that meat again. For example; referencing my FEC100 notebook, I know I'll need ~4 hours at 275 for St Louis cut ribs, uncovered, with a diluted apple spritz every ~20min the last hour to get them the way I and my family likes them (just a bit of pull to get the meat off the bone, not falling off). I probe when I spritz that last hour...

Plus, play around/experiment a bit. Based on recommendations here years ago, I tried cooking at 275 (instead of 225) and I found I get as good (or better) results in less time so, I go 275 on all my cooks now.

Some of the best advise I've seen in a long time! Especially in keeping notes.
Ed

 

[BBQ_Bama]

When it comes to ribs ditch the probe and go with the bend test. It never has wrong readings.

 

[freshmex18]

For baby backs, I cook at 225-250 and follow the 3-1.5-1 method. I started with the 3-2-1 but the ribs came out too fall apart that it was almost pulled pork at that point. I tried 3-1-1 and the meat had more bite and didn't fall off of the bone immediately, but I found myself missing the fall-apartness. Ended up at 3-1.5-1 and it's the best of both worlds. I can slice the ribs and they will stay together but once you bite they fall apart just enough in your mouth to be pleasant. I highly recommend.

3 hours bone side down on the grill uncovered.
1 1/2 hours wrapped in foil with a splash of apple juice inside (1/4 cup or so).
1 hour uncovered bone side down, brushed with sauce 10 minutes before pulling off

 

[Eric In STL]

When it comes to ribs ditch the probe and go with the bend test. It never has wrong readings.

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Never fails!