Ribs - what am I doing wrong?

[Kathy's Smokin']

The way I smoke ribs is unorthodox to some. I mostly steer clear of gadgets and ritual in smoking meat so my process is simpler than what you've been doing, zzubnik. I buy back ribs as they are called in Canada, just found out recently in the US they are called baby back ribs. I don't like side ribs much because they are less meaty. I used to be a big sauce and condiment slathering person before I started smoking meat, now that I've learned to cook meats better and I'm eating mostly pastured meat from local farms, I find slathering sauce etc. overpowers the delicious meat flavours I'm creating.

My rib method is sauceless and simple. I make a rub from dried, ground spices like ginger, onion, coriander, cumin, garlic, S&P and in ribs I really love celery seed, about 2-3 seeds per bone. It's strong stuff so much more will overpower the taste of the meat. I season generously with this but no so much that it creates a pasty surface.



I do not remove the membrane, if you smoke ribs uncovered until they are fully done the membrane dissolves away, and while it is dissolving it protects the meat from burning. I smoke ribs on the grill with an empty cookie sheet below the grill to catch dripping fat at 120°C or 250°F for a few hours. I don't pay a lot of attention to the total time, I pay more attention to when I've checked them last and when I think I should check them again. I start checking about 2 hours into the smoke and probe them for tenderness, for what my US friends say "probes like buttah" (butter). I might check my ribs every half hour or so, just a quick pop the lid and probe a few spots. When it looks like they are close to done, my last checks may be 10 or 15 minutes apart. In a kamado the heat loss for a quick check and probe is negligible. When the meat everywhere probes like buttah the ribs are done. Sometimes I get busy and I let them go a little too long and the bottom gets nicely caramelized and crunchy, the flavour and texture are to die for! Sometimes they cook in 2.5 hours, sometimes in 3.5 hours. I do notice the texture and flavour is nicer when cooked at 120°C/250°F than at 135°C/275°F. I use a natural lump charcoal and throw in a few pieces of apple tree branch.

The ribs below are the fully cooked shot of those above. I rest my ribs on a cookie sheet (or in a roasting pan with the lid on if they are slightly overdone) in a cold oven for half an hour or so until they are ready to eat. Smoked meat can be even more delicious without pomp and ceremony, its natural good flavours will take the spotlight. The last two photos are from a different rib cook, the very last photo shows ribs that got a little overcooked that created a delightful, crunchy bottom crust. They were really, really delicious.

[PylesBBQ]

If you want your ribs "barkier", I would try smoking at a higher temp for the whole cook or raise the temp at the end of the cook. Just like doing a reverse sear on a steak. I cook my BB ribs at 270°F. The take only about 3 hours but they have the bark you are looking for. Spares may take less time at that temp, I have not done them on pellet smoker.