Hi all.

I just finished a batch of baby back ribs in my horizontal smoker.
The recipe(from Brinkman) calls for a temperature of 175 - 225. The top
thermometer stayed at 260 the entire time. The temp on the rack was
around 200. The recipe stated 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 hours cooking time. I
cooked mine for 4 hours. The result was very tough meat that stuck to
the bone. The meat had some slight gray towards the center(like done
pork) with a red smoke coloring throughout. In the center of the rib
racks, the meat was pretty much redish and tough and stringy.

After trying a tough center piece, I nuked the racks and the meat was
more tender. Obviously, they weren't smoked long enough.

How long should I cook baby back ribs in my smoker?

Also, I am somewhat concerned about eating the underdone meat. Am I
going to die from eating raw pork? Can you still get trichinosis<SP?>
from eating underdone pork?

Thanks for any tips

El Chico Gordo

On 26 Jul 2005 16:09:18 -0700, wrote:

>Hi all.
>
>I just finished a batch of baby back ribs in my horizontal smoker.
>The recipe(from Brinkman) calls for a temperature of 175 - 225. The top
>thermometer stayed at 260 the entire time. The temp on the rack was
>around 200. The recipe stated 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 hours cooking time. I
>cooked mine for 4 hours. The result was very tough meat that stuck to
>the bone. The meat had some slight gray towards the center(like done
>pork) with a red smoke coloring throughout. In the center of the rib
>racks, the meat was pretty much redish and tough and stringy.
>
>After trying a tough center piece, I nuked the racks and the meat was
>more tender. Obviously, they weren't smoked long enough.
>
>How long should I cook baby back ribs in my smoker?
>
>Also, I am somewhat concerned about eating the underdone meat. Am I
>going to die from eating raw pork? Can you still get trichinosis<SP?>
>from eating underdone pork?
>
>Thanks for any tips
>
>El Chico Gordo

Ribs done for four hours at 200 degrees won't be raw. They will
definitely be cooked, just not tender perhaps. Trichinosis (I can't
spell the damn thing either) is not much of a threat anymore. I
wouldn't eat raw pork, but I wouldn't start making out my will if I
did eat some underdone pork, either.

TNW

The Naked Whiz wrote:
> On 26 Jul 2005 16:09:18 -0700, wrote:
>
>> Hi all.
>>
>> I just finished a batch of baby back ribs in my horizontal smoker.
>> The recipe(from Brinkman) calls for a temperature of 175 - 225. The
>> top thermometer stayed at 260 the entire time. The temp on the rack
>> was around 200. The recipe stated 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 hours cooking time. I
>> cooked mine for 4 hours. The result was very tough meat that stuck to
>> the bone. The meat had some slight gray towards the center(like done
>> pork) with a red smoke coloring throughout. In the center of the rib
>> racks, the meat was pretty much redish and tough and stringy.
>>
>> After trying a tough center piece, I nuked the racks and the meat was
>> more tender. Obviously, they weren't smoked long enough.
>>
>> How long should I cook baby back ribs in my smoker?
>>
>> Also, I am somewhat concerned about eating the underdone meat. Am I
>> going to die from eating raw pork? Can you still get trichinosis<SP?>
>> from eating underdone pork?
>>
>> Thanks for any tips
>>
>> El Chico Gordo
>
> Ribs done for four hours at 200 degrees won't be raw. They will
> definitely be cooked, just not tender perhaps. Trichinosis (I can't
> spell the damn thing either) is not much of a threat anymore. I
> wouldn't eat raw pork, but I wouldn't start making out my will if I
> did eat some underdone pork, either.
>
> TNW

Have to agree with you on both counts TNW.
I saw a buddy of mine eat a raw pork steak (on a bet) back in high school
12yrs ago and he's still kicking.

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hi all.
>
> I just finished a batch of baby back ribs in my horizontal smoker.
> The recipe(from Brinkman) calls for a temperature of 175 - 225. The top
> thermometer stayed at 260 the entire time. The temp on the rack was
> around 200. The recipe stated 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 hours cooking time. I
> cooked mine for 4 hours.

The time is about right, but you need a 50 degree temperature increase.




> Also, I am somewhat concerned about eating the underdone meat. Am I
> going to die from eating raw pork? Can you still get trichinosis<SP?>
> from eating underdone pork?

Trichinosis has been gone from commercial pork for about 40 years or so. It
still exists in a lot of wild game, especially bear. It can be killed be
cooking the meat to 160 degrees or by freezing it at 0 degrees for at least
30 days. Eating commercial pork on the pink side is just fine

> I just finished a batch of baby back ribs in my horizontal smoker.
> The recipe(from Brinkman) calls for a temperature of 175 - 225. The top
> thermometer stayed at 260 the entire time. The temp on the rack was
> around 200. The recipe stated 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 hours cooking time. I
> cooked mine for 4 hours.

Try again, and go a little hotter. When I do 'em, the rack thermo is at
about 230-250. How did they taste?


-John O

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hi all.
>
> I just finished a batch of baby back ribs in my horizontal smoker.
> The recipe(from Brinkman) calls for a temperature of 175 - 225. The top
> thermometer stayed at 260 the entire time. The temp on the rack was
> around 200. The recipe stated 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 hours cooking time. I
> cooked mine for 4 hours. The result was very tough meat that stuck to
> the bone. The meat had some slight gray towards the center(like done
> pork) with a red smoke coloring throughout. In the center of the rib
> racks, the meat was pretty much redish and tough and stringy.
>
> After trying a tough center piece, I nuked the racks and the meat was
> more tender. Obviously, they weren't smoked long enough.
>
> How long should I cook baby back ribs in my smoker?
>
> Also, I am somewhat concerned about eating the underdone meat. Am I
> going to die from eating raw pork? Can you still get trichinosis<SP?>
> from eating underdone pork?
>
> Thanks for any tips
>
> El Chico Gordo
>
I'd go for undercooked over overcooked any day. Sunday I cooked babybacks
for 4 hours. I always go 3.5 to 4. What didn't realize was that my thermoter
was not set right. Came out too dry, but that didn't stop my mother in law
from chow'n down.

wrote:
> Am I
> going to die from eating raw pork?

Ya still alive, ain't ya? <g>


--
-frohe
Life is too short to be in a hurry

John O wrote:
> > I just finished a batch of baby back ribs in my horizontal smoker.
> > The recipe(from Brinkman) calls for a temperature of 175 - 225. The top
> > thermometer stayed at 260 the entire time. The temp on the rack was
> > around 200. The recipe stated 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 hours cooking time. I
> > cooked mine for 4 hours.
>
> Try again, and go a little hotter. When I do 'em, the rack thermo is at
> about 230-250. How did they taste?

They tasted very good. The balance was just about right, albeit I may
have added too much chipotle to the rub :-)

The meat was somewhat tough though. The meat was firmly stuck to the
bones. After nuking them for a minute, the meat became tender, however,
this took away some of the flavor and they started to taste like that
fatty chunk of pork in a can of pork-n-beans.

I've seen on the cooking shows where they cook ribs at 175 for 10 hours
or more. If I cook them for 8 hours at the lower temp with a pan of
water in the smoker, will they attain proper doneness?

Is it true you can gauge the doneness of ribs by how the meat shrinks
from the bone?

Thanks





>
>
> -John O

> I've seen on the cooking shows where they cook ribs at 175 for 10 hours
> or more. If I cook them for 8 hours at the lower temp with a pan of
> water in the smoker, will they attain proper doneness?

I dunno, seems to me you're likely to end up with rib jerky. I couldn't wait
that long anyway.

>
> Is it true you can gauge the doneness of ribs by how the meat shrinks
> from the bone?

I just stab 'em with a fork and twist. If I get a nice small piece and it
pulls off easily, they're done. Gives me a taste before anyone else, too.
:-)

-John O

I'm no expert but 200*F seems too low. I generally keep the grill temp
~225*F with alarms set at 210*F and 240*F. But since I bought my
Kamado the alarm has never gone off.. I do notice the dome is 50*F
hotter at the start of the cook so I always moniter the temp at the
grill. For reassurance, I keep a temperature probe in the meat as well
(be very careful you're hitting meat and not bone) . ~4HRs and the
meat is almost always between 185-195*F. I don't mop (don't know if it
makes a difference... but I'm lazy). In fact I don't ever open the
grill during the cook.

Here's a perfect summertime Saturday... I've got this routine down to
a science... so easy!

Friday Night:
put rub on 2~3 racks of ribs, bag and refridgerate, throw some hickory
chunks in a bucket of water

Saturday:
Get up, take the babybacks out of the fridge
coffee, breakfast and newspaper
go fire up the K and let it come to temp (225*F)
throw in the smoke wood
put the meat on the grill set up the remote thermometers (grill + meat)
go play with the kids, cut the grass, clean the pool, wash the car,
weed the garden...
ribs are at 185-195*F
tell my wife to get the sides ready (coleslaw, potato salad, baked
beans)
turn up the grill temperature
open the grill and brush on the finishing sauce, cook ~5-10min.
let it sit for another 10min
chow down
food save (vacuum pack) the leftovers
go for a swim/nap

John O wrote:

>>I've seen on the cooking shows where they cook ribs at 175 for 10 hours
>>or more. If I cook them for 8 hours at the lower temp with a pan of
>>water in the smoker, will they attain proper doneness?
>
>
> I dunno, seems to me you're likely to end up with rib jerky. I couldn't wait
> that long anyway.
>
>
>>Is it true you can gauge the doneness of ribs by how the meat shrinks
>>from the bone?
>
>
> I just stab 'em with a fork and twist. If I get a nice small piece and it
> pulls off easily, they're done. Gives me a taste before anyone else, too.
> :-)
>
> -John O
>
>
Yup, I do mine at 250dF until they "break" when you gently try to bend
'em. Also, avoid the temptation to keep lifting the lid to look how
you're doing, leave the dang things alone for at least 3-3 1/2 hours

--
Steve
Ever notice that putting the and IRS together makes "theirs"?

On 28-Jul-2005, Steve Calvin > wrote:

> John O wrote:
>
> >>I've seen on the cooking shows where they cook ribs at 175 for 10 hours
> >>or more. If I cook them for 8 hours at the lower temp with a pan of
> >>water in the smoker, will they attain proper doneness?
> >
> >
> > I dunno, seems to me you're likely to end up with rib jerky. I couldn't
> > wait
> > that long anyway.
> >
> >
> >>Is it true you can gauge the doneness of ribs by how the meat shrinks
> >>from the bone?
> >
> >
> > I just stab 'em with a fork and twist. If I get a nice small piece and
> > it
> > pulls off easily, they're done. Gives me a taste before anyone else,
> > too.
> > :-)
> >
> > -John O
> >
> >
> Yup, I do mine at 250dF until they "break" when you gently try to bend
> 'em. Also, avoid the temptation to keep lifting the lid to look how
> you're doing, leave the dang things alone for at least 3-3 1/2 hours
>
> --
> Steve
> Ever notice that putting the and IRS together makes "theirs"?

What Steve said. Cooked my last batch of ribs, (three racks of spares) on
July 10th of this year. It was pretty windy due to Hurricane Dennis passing
through, so the pit hung around 225° at the dome. I had to move them
around one time to get them to come out even, but they finished to breaking
texture in 3-1/2 hours. That was 18 days ago. They're long gone as is the
chuck roast that I cooked at the same time. I wouldn't care to brag on my
ribs, but three racks don't last the two of us for more then a couple of
weeks.

Some folks want to mess with their food. They want to turn it over, turn it
around, move it around in the pit or whatever. The only time I disturb the
position of meat in my pit is when something is obviously getting done
ahead of something else. Then I move the most raw meat closer to the
firebox. That never happens under the two hour mark, because I never
check ealier then that. And then, only if ribs are in the pit.
--
The Brick said that (Don't bother to agree with me, I have already changed
my mind.)

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Thanks all for all of the tips and pointers. As you can see, I'm still
alive and have not died from any pork-related disease.

Getting ready to prepare a couple of racks of beef ribs for tomorrow
:-)

Thanks again