barbeque problems

It seems as though no matter how long I cook pork ribs in my oklahoma joe the ribs are not edible until they are finished on a grill.The temp is right around 200-225.I have tried mopping,spraying apple juice etc..They are not raw,but do not have any crust on them.What am I doing wrong?Thank you.

Do you use a rub? How long are you cooking them? How often do you open the smoker up? (That lets all the heat out everytime you do) All these (and some more) factors could be responsible. Stogie, a frequent poster, has a good recipe. But I usually slather the ribs w/ yellow mustard, apply a rub, and smoke for 5-6 hours at 225, then wrap in foil w/ or w/o sauce and keep warm until serving. I open the smoker maybe once during that time.

quote:

Originally posted by oneiron339

Do you use a rub? How long are you cooking them? How often do you open the smoker up? (That lets all the heat out everytime you do) All these (and some more) factors could be responsible. Stogie, a frequent poster, has a good recipe. But I usually slather the ribs w/ yellow mustard, apply a rub, and smoke for 5-6 hours at 225, then wrap in foil w/ or w/o sauce and keep warm until serving. I open the smoker maybe once during that time.

As the folks at Holland Grill say, "If you're looking, you ain't cooking"

blanning, there's some good info on this thread:

http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=555

Thank you for the info.I amusually going for 8 hours or so.I am not opening it up .I will try the mustard and rub then foil idea,thanks again,Brian

The Holland grill is a wonderful thing isnt it? We have one and we wouldnt give it up for anything!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Whats wrong with finishing them on the grill?????
with the final carmalization on a grill would not hurt any rib.
in fact that would make a great crust or bark
Chefd60

Chefd....

Nothing wrong with finishing on the grill! Just not needed and no sense in using more equipment. Also, one of the problems of using the grill is that many get it too hot and either burn them or the bark is so hard as to be annoying. Ribs are very thin and it doesn't take much to burn them.

I cook mine for the last 30 minutes unfoiled. The addition of some sweet sauce and some time on the smoker crisps the outside and re-forms the crust that was built earlier in the cooking process.

Stogie

if you are cooking them ribs for 8 hrs, they should be beyond done. sounds like you have a thermometer rot reading right. i suggest you go get a new one (el cheapo) to compare temps. also, using wood pellets will give you a burst of higher heat to help crisp them up. a little brown sugar or honey will give ya some bark. good luck, keep trying/////

quote:

Originally posted by Montecarlolsus

The Holland grill is a wonderful thing isnt it? We have one and we wouldnt give it up for anything!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I, too, have a Holland Grill and love it (for grilling, steaming and smoking).

quote:

Originally posted by blanning

It seems as though no matter how long I cook pork ribs in my oklahoma joe the ribs are not edible until they are finished on a grill.The temp is right around 200-225.I have tried mopping,spraying apple juice etc..They are not raw,but do not have any crust on them.What am I doing wrong?Thank you.

Biggest problem is your cooker. Indirect smoke just doesn't work. A direct fire is the proper way to cook ribs. The ribs should be far enough above the fire not to burn. The grease must drip on the fire and burn for the best flavor.

Before I opened my restaurants I BBQ'd in a pit that consists of two open top 55 gal drums welded end to end to make a vertical stack about 6 ft tall. Cut a suitable hole in the side at the bottom to fire the thing. Put in an inch or so of sand or cement as a fire base. Save the cut out part to make a door. Cut out about a third of the side of the top drum and weld or bolt on hinges to make a large door. Weber grill replacement grill fit perfectly inside a 55 gal drum and can be suspended on 3 or 4 bolts stuck through the side. Stack 'em as close together as you wish, closer for ribs, farther apart for shoulders. Cut about a 2" hole in the top to let some smoke out. The access door should seal rather well. I tack-welded strips of 1"X11 gauge steel on the edges of the opening so that the door edges would rest against them.

Two keys to good ribs. The fire and the temperature. The fire must produce blue smoke. IF you smother it too much and produce white smoke it will make bitter meat. Use hickory (much preferred) or fruit wood. Don't wet it or soak it, simply build the appropriately sized fire and let it burn. IF you find the fire smothered and emitting white smoke, open the pit and wash the meat with water to get the bitter off. I use a water hose on my big pit but for a drum pit a squirt bottle will do.

I start off with the temperature at the top of the pit about 275 deg. I keep it there for a couple of hours, then let the fire burn down to the 180-200 deg range. I run this for a minimum of 8 hours. When the ribs are ready the meat will pull back, exposing the ends of the ribs. The bones will come loose from the meat with just a little wiggle. The meat should be very intensely red from the smoke all the way through. (at least an inch in for boston butts)

Don't apply goops, rubs or other adulterants. God designed the pig to put everything needed for good flavor in the ribs!! Cook 'em just like they come out of the package and sauce 'em when you eat 'em. I know some folks will argue with this advice and I'll listen when they get up over about a thousand pounds a week in sales :-)

My favorite store-bought sauce is Sweet Baby Ray's. I make my own rib sauce, of course, that is tomato, pineapple and apricot based but you have to come to my place to get that :-)

If you're ever near Cleveland (I-75 just north of Chattanooga, TN), come on over and try my place, John G's BBQ. I have two locations, one on each side of town. The downtown one, 220 S. Ocoee St is the best for atmosphere.

John

quote:

Originally posted by bassrocker4u2

if you are cooking them ribs for 8 hrs, they should be beyond done. sounds like you have a thermometer rot reading right. i suggest you go get a new one (el cheapo) to compare temps. also, using wood pellets will give you a burst of higher heat to help crisp them up. a little brown sugar or honey will give ya some bark. good luck, keep trying/////

This brief article in the March 2004 Cook's Illustrated newsletter may be of interest:

How Accurate Are Grill Thermometers?

For slow-cooking foods like ribs, it's important to know the temperature inside your grill. Many charcoal grills come with thermometers built into the top of the lid. Our testing revealed, however, that thermometer readings at the top center of the domed lid can vary 25 degrees from temperatures right above the grill grate. Pair this with often inaccurate thermometers, and your ribs can be toast. Check the calibration of your grill thermometer by placing it in boiling water and making sure it reads 212 degrees. Weber grill thermometers are not adjustable, but they are replaceable; contact the company at www.weber.com to order.

Take a Polder type probe thermometer and stick the probe through a potato. Place potato next to the meat on the grill and check temp there.

For slow cooked BBQ temp should be about 225.

Neonjohn's contribution above will, I hope, give pause to those among us who want a total ban on "ads" for a restaurant. His thoughtful informative and generous advice, and his open and graceful invitation to visit his restaurants seems perfectly fitting to our forums. If a professional wants to be generous and open with us, I think we should allow him to pitch his business on our forums .

quote:

Originally posted by seafarer john

Neonjohn's contribution above will, I hope, give pause to those among us who want a total ban on "ads" for a restaurant. His thoughtful informative and generous advice, and his open and graceful invitation to visit his restaurants seems perfectly fitting to our forums. If a professional wants to be generous and open with us, I think we should allow him to pitch his business on our forums .

I couldn't agree with you more.

quote:

Originally posted by neonjohn

quote:

Originally posted by blanning

It seems as though no matter how long I cook pork ribs in my oklahoma joe the ribs are not edible until they are finished on a grill.The temp is right around 200-225.I have tried mopping,spraying apple juice etc..They are not raw,but do not have any crust on them.What am I doing wrong?Thank you.

Biggest problem is your cooker. Indirect smoke just doesn't work. A direct fire is the proper way to cook ribs. The ribs should be far enough above the fire not to burn. The grease must drip on the fire and burn for the best flavor.

Before I opened my restaurants I BBQ'd in a pit that consists of two open top 55 gal drums welded end to end to make a vertical stack about 6 ft tall. Cut a suitable hole in the side at the bottom to fire the thing. Put in an inch or so of sand or cement as a fire base. Save the cut out part to make a door. Cut out about a third of the side of the top drum and weld or bolt on hinges to make a large door. Weber grill replacement grill fit perfectly inside a 55 gal drum and can be suspended on 3 or 4 bolts stuck through the side. Stack 'em as close together as you wish, closer for ribs, farther apart for shoulders. Cut about a 2" hole in the top to let some smoke out. The access door should seal rather well. I tack-welded strips of 1"X11 gauge steel on the edges of the opening so that the door edges would rest against them.

Two keys to good ribs. The fire and the temperature. The fire must produce blue smoke. IF you smother it too much and produce white smoke it will make bitter meat. Use hickory (much preferred) or fruit wood. Don't wet it or soak it, simply build the appropriately sized fire and let it burn. IF you find the fire smothered and emitting white smoke, open the pit and wash the meat with water to get the bitter off. I use a water hose on my big pit but for a drum pit a squirt bottle will do.

I start off with the temperature at the top of the pit about 275 deg. I keep it there for a couple of hours, then let the fire burn down to the 180-200 deg range. I run this for a minimum of 8 hours. When the ribs are ready the meat will pull back, exposing the ends of the ribs. The bones will come loose from the meat with just a little wiggle. The meat should be very intensely red from the smoke all the way through. (at least an inch in for boston butts)

Don't apply goops, rubs or other adulterants. God designed the pig to put everything needed for good flavor in the ribs!! Cook 'em just like they come out of the package and sauce 'em when you eat 'em. I know some folks will argue with this advice and I'll listen when they get up over about a thousand pounds a week in sales :-)

My favorite store-bought sauce is Sweet Baby Ray's. I make my own rib sauce, of course, that is tomato, pineapple and apricot based but you have to come to my place to get that :-)

If you're ever near Cleveland (I-75 just north of Chattanooga, TN), come on over and try my place, John G's BBQ. I have two locations, one on each side of town. The downtown one, 220 S. Ocoee St is the best for atmosphere.

John

Hey neonjohn, that was very generous of you. I'll tell you this, the next time I'm on I-75 heading through Chattanooga I'll be stopping by.

quote:

Originally posted by seafarer john

Neonjohn's contribution above will, I hope, give pause to those among us who want a total ban on "ads" for a restaurant. His thoughtful informative and generous advice, and his open and graceful invitation to visit his restaurants seems perfectly fitting to our forums. If a professional wants to be generous and open with us, I think we should allow him to pitch his business on our forums .

I'm sorry, but I couldn't disagree more with you and Michael regarding the subject of self-promotion here in the message boards. If NeonJohn wants promotion of his business, then some unbiased person should go and try his restaurant. Then write a review and see if the Sterns will post it. These boards are for the sharing of information rather the self-promotion of your business.

IMHO

John

quote:

Originally posted by neonjohn

quote:

Originally posted by blanning

It seems as though no matter how long I cook pork ribs in my oklahoma joe the ribs are not edible until they are finished on a grill.The temp is right around 200-225.I have tried mopping,spraying apple juice etc..They are not raw,but do not have any crust on them.What am I doing wrong?Thank you.

Biggest problem is your cooker. Indirect smoke just doesn't work. A direct fire is the proper way to cook ribs. The ribs should be far enough above the fire not to burn. The grease must drip on the fire and burn for the best flavor.

Before I opened my restaurants I BBQ'd in a pit that consists of two open top 55 gal drums welded end to end to make a vertical stack about 6 ft tall. Cut a suitable hole in the side at the bottom to fire the thing. Put in an inch or so of sand or cement as a fire base. Save the cut out part to make a door. Cut out about a third of the side of the top drum and weld or bolt on hinges to make a large door. Weber grill replacement grill fit perfectly inside a 55 gal drum and can be suspended on 3 or 4 bolts stuck through the side. Stack 'em as close together as you wish, closer for ribs, farther apart for shoulders. Cut about a 2" hole in the top to let some smoke out. The access door should seal rather well. I tack-welded strips of 1"X11 gauge steel on the edges of the opening so that the door edges would rest against them.

Two keys to good ribs. The fire and the temperature. The fire must produce blue smoke. IF you smother it too much and produce white smoke it will make bitter meat. Use hickory (much preferred) or fruit wood. Don't wet it or soak it, simply build the appropriately sized fire and let it burn. IF you find the fire smothered and emitting white smoke, open the pit and wash the meat with water to get the bitter off. I use a water hose on my big pit but for a drum pit a squirt bottle will do.

I start off with the temperature at the top of the pit about 275 deg. I keep it there for a couple of hours, then let the fire burn down to the 180-200 deg range. I run this for a minimum of 8 hours. When the ribs are ready the meat will pull back, exposing the ends of the ribs. The bones will come loose from the meat with just a little wiggle. The meat should be very intensely red from the smoke all the way through. (at least an inch in for boston butts)

Don't apply goops, rubs or other adulterants. God designed the pig to put everything needed for good flavor in the ribs!! Cook 'em just like they come out of the package and sauce 'em when you eat 'em. I know some folks will argue with this advice and I'll listen when they get up over about a thousand pounds a week in sales :-)

My favorite store-bought sauce is Sweet Baby Ray's. I make my own rib sauce, of course, that is tomato, pineapple and apricot based but you have to come to my place to get that :-)

If you're ever near Cleveland (I-75 just north of Chattanooga, TN), come on over and try my place, John G's BBQ. I have two locations, one on each side of town. The downtown one, 220 S. Ocoee St is the best for atmosphere.

John

While it is perfectly fine to have an opinion about your food preparation, it is just asking for trouble to say that a method of cooking is wrong when it is the predominant method of cooking used on the barbeque competition circuit here in the US. If you feel so strongly about your method of cooking, come on out on the competition circuit and show us what you got.

John

Ribdog: Guys like you and Stogie have been more than generous with your experience and knowledge - all of us who like to try to BBQ in the backyard have benefited from your advice. Also, I think your challange to neonjohn is fully in order, although it might be tough for a guy just starting out in the BBQ business to afford the time to go on the competition circuit. I think if a professional shares with us , we can afford to share a little space for him to promote his business - it just might turn out to be a diamond in the rough. Like you, I look forward to the first "Roadfooder" review of his BBQ joint.

hello all,
if I was you, id get a new thermometer and jack up the heat to 250. if your temps drop below 225, the fat in the muscle will not tenderize.

i cook my ribs on my WSM for 3.5 hrs @ 250degrees and my ribs always come out tender.