Q phail

[Hyperion]

Today I made some bbq baby back ribs. I did it on a webber kettle. I started with a small amount of charcoal briquets and add a few more each hour. I bought hickory chunks. I wrapped up 2 large chunks separately in foil to prevent catching on fire. I added one chunk to the charcoal each hour.

The kettle's internal temperature started at about 270 and dropped down slowly as time goes on (at the end of 5 hours it was about 200 degrees), I kept the top vent wide open. I followed the 2-2-1 rule for babybacks, 2 hours exposed to smoke, 2 hours wrapped in foil (I added some beer to the foil pouch), and 1 hour exposed and brushed with sauce.

The end product was not fall-off-the-bone tender and was extremely salty (on the edge of inedibility) since I wasn't sure how much of my rub to add. The smoke flavor was very strong and overwhelming. I only let the rubbed rib rest for 2 hours before putting on the grill.

I feel defeated

 

[pacanis]

Just some very general comments.

I have never had salty ribs, but then, none of my rubs contain salt. Did yours? If not I have no idea why they tasted salty.

Without a pic it is hard to comment on their texture. Did they bend over limply when you picked them up with the tongs, bone side up? How much bone was exposed after the meat started to pull back? Could you tear them apart easily? They were done anyway, right?

Hickory is a strong smoke. I am not familiar with using chunks so can't comment on your method.

I'm not very sure on your adding charcoal method either. For a short burn for ribs you should have been able to load and go.

BUT, it's a starting point. It was not a failure if you can adjust what you want for next time. Learning temp control is key and will come with practice.

IMO.

 

[Hyperion]

Just some very general comments.

I have never had salty ribs, but then, none of my rubs contain salt. Did yours? If not I have no idea why they tasted salty.

Without a pic it is hard to comment on their texture. Did they bend over limply when you picked them up with the tongs, bone side up? How much bone was exposed after the meat started to pull back? Could you tear them apart easily? They were done anyway, right?

Hickory is a strong smoke. I am not familiar with using chunks so can't comment on your method.

I'm not very sure on your adding charcoal method either. For a short burn for ribs you should have been able to load and go.

BUT, it's a starting point. It was not a failure if you can adjust what you want for next time. Learning temp control is key and will come with practice.

IMO.

the meat was done, and wasn't rubbery or anything. it was just not tender like how braised meat should be. after I eat the meat, there's still leftover tissue on the bone. There was NO bone exposed, the rack looks the same way it was before cooking.

 

[roadfix]

Several variables to deal with here. It looks to me like your ribs were undercooked. How and where did you monitor your temperature?

 

[Hyperion]

Several variables to deal with here. It looks to me like your ribs were undercooked. How and where did you monitor your temperature?

I stick a probe thermometer into the grill through the top vent. it should monitor the temperature of the middle section of the dome

 

[Uncle Bob]

You will need to monitor the temperature of your cooker at grate level...where the meat is ~ Not in the "middle section of the dome"

Luck!

 

[Rocklobster]

Don't feel bad. Chalk it all up to experience. You probably learned some valuable lessons. This technique isn't easy and requires lots of practice. There are also many variables that you need to take into consideration. If you like the texture of braised meats, then you won't achieve it with this method. I have already inquired and experimented numerous times. And not every technique is for everybody. Personally, I don't find the time it takes to be worth it. But, that's just me.

 

[roadfix]

If doing ribs on the kettle is new to you I strongly suggest doing them at high heat.....around 350°F. Tightly bank a full chimney worth of charcoal on just one side of the kettle (not all fully lit at once) and let the temp settle in at 350. After the white charcoal smoke clears (perhaps 15 min), place a chunk of smoke wood on the coals.
Then place your ribs on the indirect side, lid vent holes (completely open) directly above the ribs opposite the coals. Your ribs should be done in way under 3 hours.

You will not have to replenish charcoal at all if you start out with a full chimney load. Also, it's so much easier to maintain 350F on the kettle for 3 hours than trying to maintain 275F for 5 hours, for instance.

 

[Hyperion]

Don't feel bad. Chalk it all up to experience. You probably learned some valuable lessons. This technique isn't easy and requires lots of practice. There are also many variables that you need to take into consideration. If you like the texture of braised meats, then you won't achieve it with this method. I have already inquired and experimented numerous times. And not every technique is for everybody. Personally, I don't find the time it takes to be worth it. But, that's just me.

in most bbq restaurants I ate at, the ribs there are braised meat-tender. I guess they probably didn't even cook them on the smoker since they didn't taste very smokey at all. I think they probably cooked the ribs in the oven.

However, I have another doubt. Braised meat becomes super tender not only because of the low and slow method, but also the structure of the meat. The meat that's best for braising is those with lots of connective tissue and collagen, which melts and resulting in a product with tissues not "connected" to each other. On the other hand, if you try to low-and-slow a piece of tender meat such as ribeye and tenderloin, the end product will be very tough since there's not much connective tissue to breakdown. Is baby back ribs considered good for braising? Or maybe spare ribs are better for it?

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Several variables to deal with here. It looks to me like your ribs were undercooked. How and where did you monitor your temperature?

You will need to monitor the temperature of your cooker at grate level...where the meat is ~ Not in the "middle section of the dome"

Luck!

If doing ribs on the kettle is new to you I strongly suggest doing them at high heat.....around 350°F. Tightly bank a full chimney worth of charcoal on just one side of the kettle (not all fully lit at once) and let the temp settle in at 350. After the white charcoal smoke clears (perhaps 15 min), place a chunk of smoke wood on the coals.

I've seen pictures of grilling/smoking and most pics show a thermometer stuck in a potato...Why?

Will someone explain this to me?

 

[Andy M.]

The potato holds the tip of the probe off the grill grate. It the probe touches a too hot surface, it destroys the probe. Using the potato allows you to get the temp reading right where the food is. Some probe thermometers come with a clip you can fasten to the rim of the grill and arrange the probe in the same area.

 

[roadfix]

I've seen pictures of grilling/smoking and most pics show a thermometer stuck in a potato...Why?

Will someone explain this to me?

Using a small potato is simply a convenient way to hold and position the probe right at grate level.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Using a small potato is simply a convenient way to hold and position the probe right at grate level.

Doesn't the potato itself reach the same temperature? Is it inedible when the grilling is done?

 

[Andy M.]

Doesn't the potato itself reach the same temperature? Is it inedible when the grilling is done?

It depends on how long it's in there. Temp measurements are around the tip of the probe. You would push the probe through the potato so it sticks out beyond the potato by several inches so it's reading the air temp. The potato can be eaten.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

It depends on how long it's in there. Temp measurements are around the tip of the probe. You would push the probe through the potato so it sticks out beyond the potato by several inches so it's reading the air temp. The potato can be eaten.

No potato sacrifice...all's good

Thanks for the explanation.

 

[roadfix]

Another way to measure temp at grate level is to use a long stemmed fryer thermometer through the vent hole. Problem with this is sometimes the food can get in the way of the long stem.

It's important to measure temp at grate level because the temp can greatly vary within the kettle. I've seen temp variances of 50F or more between grate level and lid top.

 

[Hyperion]

heres a pic of my Q

do you think spare ribs can give me the braising effect/.

 

[pacanis]

Aww c'mon guys... we could have had some fun with the potato thing

Good looking pic, Hyper.
Next time, regardless of the guideline time frame you are following, use a few of the tips mentioned in the other thread to check for doneness.
Once you do it a few times you'll get a feel for things. And there would be nothing wrong with finishing those in the oven if you shut things down on your kettle and just wanted to eat in thirty minutes. Assuming they were waaaay underdone, it looks like they picked up some smoke anyway.

You never mentioned your rub. Was there anything with salt in it?

 

[Hyperion]

Aww c'mon guys... we could have had some fun with the potato thing

Good looking pic, Hyper.
Next time, regardless of the guideline time frame you are following, use a few of the tips mentioned in the other thread to check for doneness.
Once you do it a few times you'll get a feel for things. And there would be nothing wrong with finishing those in the oven if you shut things down on your kettle and just wanted to eat in thirty minutes. Assuming they were waaaay underdone, it looks like they picked up some smoke anyway.

You never mentioned your rub. Was there anything with salt in it?

weird thing is , though it was very salty yesterday, when I ate it today for lunch, it wasn't too salty at all and was almost perfect??? how did it lose its saltiness lol.

yea I see the pink part of the meat that looks like smokerings. if it was just a little blander then it would be perfect for me as baby back ribs (I guess I had the wrong expectation yesterday. i looked up some baby back ribs pictures and they all look like mine).

my rub contains a small amount of salt, and I tasted the rub and thought it wasn't salty enough so I sprinkled more salt on the rib. I did that because I remember Ann from FN put lots of salt on her rib.

 

[justplainbill]

Best tasting ribs to me are the ones you can get at many NYC Chinese restaurants. My experience at an Army picnic left me with a lasting impression; the troops got barbecued ribs & chicken and the post commander got a steak. Most all of the beef available at that post came from Yugoslavia and was far from USDA Prime.