Hi guys,
I need some help improving my bbq skill.
I have been trying to make fall of the bone baby back ribs.
I am new to this and not having great success using the 321 methode.
To me the look oke but but the meat isn't getting Tender. Nor do I see any pullback.
I bbq at 110c-120c (230-248f) dome temperature.
My gut tels me the temperature gauge is way of.
I also use very very little briquettes, I put in a snake half of a circle but only use like 1/4 of it.
So I ordered a INKBIRD IBT-4XC hoping to improve my cook.
What should I be focusing on?
I guess I ignore the dome gauge now?
Do I still use use the same temperatures for grade level temperatures?
Things I already doing:
First 3 hours
-Not opening the lid every 5 minutes.
-Spraying The spirits with apple cider vinegar every hour, first 3 hours.
Hour 4-5.
-Tinfoil rap with apple juice, butter and brown sugar.
-Not opening the lit for the hole 2 hours.
Final hour.
-Glazing the rib every 20 minutes.
– leaving the ribs in a foil boat.
Do I need to leave the ribs in the boat or shield I take them out? In my foto it looks like the grill is cover to much with all those boats.
by jknl
12 Comments
The temp gauge is generally placed above your heatsource. So it’ll read higher than where your meat is placed. Get a 30 dollar Inkbird that you can clamp on your grill. That way you can tell the temps where it matters.
I’m not a rib expert but it seems you should place your ribs away from the snake for proper indirect slow cooking.
Also heard the 321 wasn’t the best..it depends on the size of the meat, etc…
You said that after six hours you’re only burning through a quarter of the coals, and by the end your ribs aren’t tender? You’re not getting enough heat. When I do a snake like in your picture I’ll burn through almost the whole thing in 6 hours.
My advice first off- put a water pan in the middle of the coals. Get a foil pan with some water, this helps regulate the temp to keep it from burning.
Your pic looks like you’re starting with plenty of coals- that’s the first thing to check. I usually start with 8-10 white hot coals
The thermometer is definitely a smart move- it should be on the grate near your ribs but not directly above the flame. A lot of times there isn’t a ton of room for it.
The way I do it personally- leave the top damper (in the lid) completely open. Close the bottom dampers about 2/3 shut and open them if you need more heat, close them down a little if you’re running hot. The SLIGHTEST adjustments to those bottom dampers make a surprising impact.
Personally I don’t like the 3-2-1 method, I don’t wrap at all. As the snake burns, move the ribs around so they’re on the opposite side of the hottest coals and they won’t get burnt. Good luck bro
https://preview.redd.it/u7xy8fg5akif1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=908e122b3904ea167aef9cdbeebbc72963669eae
One of the biggest cues for me to go to the wrap is when the meat shrinks and I can see about an inch of the bones sticking out. After that i wrap. At this point I toss it in the oven since i don’t boat, it’s a full wrap so no more smoke flavor is being added. i do this until it’s probe tender which is usually around 200-205 degrees F. Then i’ll put bbq sauce on and let it tack up for 10min
and yeah don’t use that temp gauge on the kettle, just get one like someone else mentioned on here that clamps to the grill grate.
Thx for the response.
Appreciate it.
Will try with a grate probe this weekend.
Will be ignoring the dome temp.
My final hour is usually more like 35 minutes. I feel like any longer all I’ll do is dry them out.
Fall off the bone ribs are over cooked. Use a temp prob. Take to 203 degrees and pull to rest for 30 minutes.
I’ve always found 3-2-1 to be horrible overcooked, it’s pulled pork at that point.
If you have the money to piss away, I HIGHLY recommend the “thermoworks smoke”.
It will tell you your grate temp, and the internal food temp.
My BBQ quality went up tenfold once I bought one. There are many people who make temp meters. However, Thermoworks sells stuff to testing labs all over the world. If it’s good enough for BASF or 3M, it’s good enough for you. Their stuff is made to last a lifetime. Literally.
Sign up for their emails as they have sales all the time.
Chances are high that your grate temperature is actually under 200degF, so that’s your main issue here. Get a thermometer at grate level and make sure that you are cooking your ribs between 250 and 275degF.
If you have your heart set on the 3-2-1 method (or something close to it), then wait to wrap until the bark is set and you like the color. Then unwrap once the ribs become flexible – probe readings in ribs can be unreliable due to the amount/size of bone, so just go with feel instead.
Since I haven’t seen it yet; stop spritzing. It doesn’t really accomplish anything except slowing your cook. Keep the lid on as much as possible. If you’re lookin you aint cookin.
The spritzing won’t penetrate the meat, it just cools it down via direct heat transfer and evaporation. It also prevents a nice bark formation, though if you’re saucing them during the cook, you already don’t care about that, which is fine. Personal taste.
I would cut down on how frequently you’re saucing them in the final stretch. Same deal, you’re losing heat every time you open the lid and slowing down your cook
Just leave them alone and let the smoke do it’s thing. It’s not often in BBQ that you can cook to time..that’s one of my beefs with 3-2-1. Let them cook for as long as they need to, which means pull apart and a good amount of bone showing.
If I had to guess, I’d say you are cooking them at a much lower temperature than you think you are. Dome thermometers aren’t very accurate and the temperature at the dome is usually much higher than the temperature at the grate. Get a good grill thermometer and place the probe somewhere that isn’t too close to the meat and not directly above the burning coals.