Help with ribs

[bbqbubba]

I would like a few comments from those who smoke ribs. The problem I have is that they come out to smokey and bitter tasting. Do I need to wrap in foil after some cooking time. I know people who dont and theirs seem to taste just fine. I normally cook with pecan wood and start off burning a large pile of wood in my fire box down to coals before I began cooking. I normally do add some wood as time goes, creating alot of smoke inside the pit. I do the same when cooking briskets but usually wrap them in foil after 5-6 hours. They come out great without all that smokey bitter flavor. Should I try another type of wood? Please pass along some of your techniques or suggestions that you think may help.

Thank You,
BBQBubba

 

[Raine]

Too smokey and bitter usually means you applied too much smoke. Pecan is a fairly mild wood, so nothing wrong with it, just not too much of it.

How big of pieces of wood are you adding and how often?

 

[bbqbubba]

I have to add wood about every 1-1.5 hrs to keep my temp. around 225. I usually add two pieces about 12-16" long and as big around as softball or so. I've read where people have to fires burning and transfer cool out of one to their firebox. Maybe I need to think about trying that.

 

[Raine]

try cutting the wood down to about fist size.

 

[Psiguyy]

I'm with Rainee. Too much smoke.

An alternative is to mix the pecan wood with charcoal. In other words, use charcoal for the heat and pecan wood for the flavor.

You could also think about using a different kind of wood. Fruitwoods might work better for you. Mesquite is on the other end of the spectrum. Good for short hot smoke cooking, but the worst for long cold smoking. Never used pecan wood, so I'm guessing it's closer to mesquite than it is to apple wood.

 

[Raine]

Nope pecan is no where like mesquite. Pecan is mild and would be closer to hickory than mesquite.

We use hickory and pecan.

 

[bbqbubba]

Rainee and Psiguyy...Thank you for your replies and suggestions. I will try the charcoal idea soon and let you know how it turns out.I'm going to be cooking again in about 2 weeks from now for some friends of mine and that will give me a chance to try it out. I'm satified with all the other meats I cook other than the rib issue. I want to try and finish the ribs with a bbq sauce next time. I normally just use a dry rub. I prefer a sweet sauce. If you or any others have a suggestion or favorite sauce or rub, please feel free to respond. I usually use "Tony Chachere's" in the green package for my briskets, chicken, and pork loins. I have found that you have to use rather sparingly with ribs though as you will over season with it quickly. Also just a quick note, I make jerky from time to time and us a dry rub by "Hi Mountain" that is really good, imho.

Keep those grills grilling and smokers smoking,
BBQBubba

 

[mudbug]

bbqbubba, I mostly help drink the beer when ribs are being smoked, but here's a link to my favorite bbq restaurant in Memphis. Love their sauce.

www.corkysbbq.com