Let's Talk BBQ
FORUM SPONSORS => Pit Barrel Cooker Co. => Topic started by: PongGod on August 19, 2014, 12:23:18 AM
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Well, up until this weekend, I have good results doing pork ribs in the PBC. This time, however, not one, but both of my racks of ribs ended up falling into the coal basket. The first one got pretty well charred and the second one, not so much since I managed to rescue it not long after it happened. Just like I always have, I hung them with the thicker side up and the hooks running between the 2nd and 3rd bones. The only thing I think that was different this time was that I probably left them in the cooker a bit longer. Several times in the past I had pulled them after 3 to 3.5 hours and then, after determining that they weren't quite tender enough, foil-wrapping and tossing them into the oven on a low temperature to finish. So I figured they probably needed somewhere between 4 and 4.5 hours in the PBC to achieve the right degree of tenderness.
I think it was at about the 4-hour mark that I first checked on them and the first rack had already fallen. (By the looks of it, it had been down there for awhile). I rescued it and brought it inside to see how much edible meat I could salvage from it while intending to leave the other rack in the cooker for about another half hour. When I returned to get the second rack, it too had fallen into the coals.
So has anyone else had similar experiences when leaving ribs in the PBC 4+ hours? I'm trying to think of measures I can take to avoid this in the future. I've seen others split their racks into two half-sized racks, which could be one solution, although if I'm wanting to cook a lot of meat at one time, this wouldn't be the best option. Would leaving the membrane on the backside of the ribs intact help hold it together? I'm not sure that peeling it off (as is typically recommended) adds all that much value.
Just looking for some advice from the seasoned PBC vets around here. Thanks in advance.
- Robert -
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I cut ribs in half or use two hooks, brisket style.
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they should have cooked in 2.5 - 3.5 hours. more than likely 3 hour mark. everything cooks a lot quicker on a PBC.
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Leaving the membrane will help them from falling but no guarantee. I myself don't care for the texture and chewiness of the membrane. You can burn it off searing them on a grill when they are close to done.
2 hooks will help to distribute the weight a bit.
Cutting the racks in half would help for sure.
Just remember the more tender the ribs get the more of a chance the ribs will fall from the hooks. I suggest if you want them really tender to pull them at the 3 hour mark and then foil/finish stacked on the PBC rack or in your home oven.
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Sounds like you like fallin' off the bone cooked ribs. Just cook for 3-3.5 hours and do a bone pull test to see if they are done to your liking. If not, just finish on the grill rack. 4.5 hours is getting close to Beef rib cooking time.
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I check them pretty often after 3hrs, and look at the hooks position. The start to pull up from the bone, when that happens, they come off. I sauce them and put on the rack to finish. Most of my ribs go 3.5 to 4 hrs. I have had them fall off when I went to lift them out before. So look for the pulling of the hook, its the tell tale sign that its going down.
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Two things: One, if you want "falling off the bone" ribs a PBC is only good to start them -- you'll need to finish in the oven. Two, gravity is a harsh mistress. Cutting the racks in half will help by cutting down the weight hanging on the hooks (and keep the bottom of the racks from getting burned). I had a spectacular "fail" about a year ago cooking chicken thigh/leg quarters. Most fell into the fire and the neighbors, who usually enjoy the aroma of my labors, called to ask what had died in my cookshack :'(
Hub
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they should have cooked in 2.5 - 3.5 hours. more than likely 3 hour mark. everything cooks a lot quicker on a PBC.
Hi, Sparky
From my several prior experiences thus far, 3 hours is definitely not long enough to produce ready-to-eat tender ribs. I think the suggestions of either cutting the racks in half or finishing on the grate are the most realistic options.
- Robert -
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Leaving the membrane will help them from falling but no guarantee. I myself don't care for the texture and chewiness of the membrane. You can burn it off searing them on a grill when they are close to done.
2 hooks will help to distribute the weight a bit.
Cutting the racks in half would help for sure.
Just remember the more tender the ribs get the more of a chance the ribs will fall from the hooks. I suggest if you want them really tender to pull them at the 3 hour mark and then foil/finish stacked on the PBC rack or in your home oven.
Foil-wrapping and finishing in the oven is something I've done several times with great results, but I was hoping I could just finish them in the PBC this time. I guess that's only realistic if I'm going to split the racks, double-hook them, or utilize the grate during the last hour. Thanks for confirming my suspicions.
- Robert -
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Can you pop-rivet some brackets for the grate at a lower position? Then the grate would catch anything that falls and you might be able to salvage more meat.
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I have not had any fall into the coals, but I have had some stretch so that the bottom couple of ribs are almost sitting on the coals. They generally get too well done when that happens. Unless I'm cooking a whole mess of ribs, I generally cut them in half now and hang each half. I can still get three full racks, just with the hooks that came with the PBC.
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I have not had any fall into the coals, but I have had some stretch so that the bottom couple of ribs are almost sitting on the coals. They generally get too well done when that happens. Unless I'm cooking a whole mess of ribs, I generally cut them in half now and hang each half. I can still get three full racks, just with the hooks that came with the PBC.
I think I'll probably try doing it this way next time.
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I cooked two racks of BB's a couple of weeks ago and they were on the cooker for about 5 hours and didn't fall off. Mine were definitely not tender but did taste good. I kept doing the toothpick test between the bones for doneness and the toothpick never slid in like butter like they usually do when I cook them on the WSM. I did start the cook with both chicken and ribs in together so that may have slowed the ribs down some. Anyway, everything tasted good.
Wayne
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I cooked two racks of BB's a couple of weeks ago and they were on the cooker for about 5 hours and didn't fall off. Mine were definitely not tender but did taste good. I kept doing the toothpick test between the bones for doneness and the toothpick never slid in like butter like they usually do when I cook them on the WSM. I did start the cook with both chicken and ribs in together so that may have slowed the ribs down some. Anyway, everything tasted good.
Wayne
Chicken has tons of moisture and will drip onto the coals lowering the temperature. That might explain why your ribs were not done after so long.
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Can you pop-rivet some brackets for the grate at a lower position? Then the grate would catch anything that falls and you might be able to salvage more meat.
Or placing some fire bricks around the charcoal basket and setting the grate on top of them.
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Two things: One, if you want "falling off the bone" ribs a PBC is only good to start them -- you'll need to finish in the oven.
Hub
Hub, can you elaborate on this comment for me just a bit? I've only done ribs a few times in my PBC but they don't come out as well for me as other techniques. Chicken, butt, tri tip...can't beat the PBC. But ribs are my weak spot on this cooker and I'm trying to understand why.
Tuck
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Two things: One, if you want "falling off the bone" ribs a PBC is only good to start them -- you'll need to finish in the oven.
Hub
Hub, can you elaborate on this comment for me just a bit? I've only done ribs a few times in my PBC but they don't come out as well for me as other techniques. Chicken, butt, tri tip...can't beat the PBC. But ribs are my weak spot on this cooker and I'm trying to understand why.
Tuck
Or you can also wrap them in foil for the second half of the cook. That will soften them up and make them more fall off the bone. Just be aware they will finish a bit quicker. Practice will help you get the timing down to the way you like your ribs to turn out.
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Thanks Muebe. That is indeed my plan. I've smoked quite a few racks on my Weber kettle with fantastic results. Maybe not quite fall off the bone tender but more so that in the PBC.
And as I've already said, this is nothing against the PBC. I've NEVER had a better chicken in my life than this cooker can produce. Truly. But the ribs are something I need to adapt and learn in order to get what I want.
I will foil them, put them on the grate or move them into the oven to finish.
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Tuckaloe, there are many people here with tons more experience than me, but I'm learning as I go too and can share what has worked well for so far. We just had PBC ribs for dinner, in fact and they were excellent. This was my third go with ribs.
I cooked them in the barrel until the end of the bones were showing a little but I couldn't really move the bones as I've seen described here, and a toothpick pressed between the bones went in fairly easily. To be honest, I lost track of time, but this was at about 3-3.25 hours in the PBC I think. I then gave each rack a thin coat of BBQ sauce, wrapped them in foil and put them in the oven at 300deg for 90 minutes. At this point they were so tender you could easily pull the meat off the bones with a fork. No, I don't eat my ribs with a fork - just did that to test them! Oh, these were St. Louis style ribs, by the way.
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Thanks Bacala, very appreciated.
I had my ribs on the PBC for 2.75 hrs, bones beginning to show pretty clearly. I wrapped, a splash of Bud Light Lime(only *pop* I had on hand) and they went into a 230 oven for 45 minutes.
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After this time, I removed, sauced with Sweet Baby Ray's and hung them with double hooks for another 45 minutes to tighten the sauce.
They were excellent and pretty tender. Zero complaints.
That said, I *think* I still prefer the Weber when it comes to ribs. I'll do another rack on the Weber in the very near future for comparison sake