Pork Spareribs

[rsandler]

Last week I tried roasting a rack of spareribs in my WFO, basically following a oven-roasted sparerib recipe from Cooks Illustrated. 5.5lb rack was rubebed with a dry bbq rub the night before. Placed them in the oven on a wire rack over a sheet pan with the whole thing wrapped in foil and the oven running about 225. After 5 hours, I lit up some chunks of hickory in a quick-start chimney, tossed them in the oven and took off the foil. Then cooked for another ~1.75 hours, took the ribs out, and wrapped them in foil to rest for 45 minutes before eating.

Result was very flavorful, and had a nice smoky flavor, but wasn't quite as tender and juicy as I've had it in the conventional oven (though still very good). I can't decide if I cooked them took long (and so dried them out) or too short (and so the collagen hadn't broken down enough to make them tender). Anyone have any ideas?

[Faith In Virginia]

Re: Pork Spareribs

Thinking cooked to long. Not long enough it would not have been so dry. One more thing ....it could have been one tough pig.

I think I would have smoked early then wrapped in foil. I think the last 1.75 opened did the drying out.

[rsandler]

Re: Pork Spareribs

Thing was, I couldn't decide if they were a little dryer than usual, or a little tougher (but only a little). But you may have something there with blaming the pig, actually--the layer of meat on those bones was certainly thinner than usual.

FWIW the recipe we've used in the conventional oven calls for a 300 degree oven, with 1 hour wrapped in foil, 1 hour unwrapped dry, 1.5 hours with BBQ sauce on, then 1 hour out of the oven wrapped in foil.

I think you're right on the timing of smoking though, I've been having the same thought. 'Course, I couldn't have done it this time because I picked up the hickory chunks and the chimney at HD while the ribs were already in the oven.

[Laurentius]

Re: Pork Spareribs

You can drop your temp down to about 170-180 and slow cook for about 6 hrs and they're drop off the bone fantastic.

[rsandler]

Re: Pork Spareribs

You can drop your temp down to about 170-180 and slow cook for about 6 hrs and they're drop off the bone fantastic.

That description make my mouth water just thinking about it. I already had a big dinner, but it almost makes me tempted to pull a couple leftover ribs out of the fridge...

Hmm, if 6 hours is about right for 170-180 degrees, then Faith is definitely right that I overcooked them doing ~7 hours at 225. Good to know. They were still quite tasty though. Kinda makes sense that if my Cooks Illustrated recipe had me doing 3.5 hours at 300, lowering the temp by 75 degrees shouldn't double the time.

[V-wiz]

Re: Pork Spareribs

Do this and you will love your ribs.
Set the oven at 250-275. Smoke for 2-3 hours, if the smoke dies out its okay just let it ride, Then Foil the ribs for 1-2 hours, when foiling sprinkle some brown sugar, adding honey is optional, then pour some apple juice into the foil, wrap it tightly in heavy duty alum foil, make sure nothing drips out, double wrap if you have to. After the 1-2 hours in the foil remove them from the foil and let it ride for another 30-60 min to get a nice bark on the outside. If you do this you will have soft, moist, smoky, juicy and fall off the bone ribs. Good luck and have fun.

[sslandry]

Re: Pork Spareribs

I cook mine for about 2 hours when the oven is around 250-300. I agree that you overlooked them. Better luck next time.

[mrchipster]

Re: Pork Spareribs

Smoke penetrates better into raw meat at low temps 185-250 for 1-3 hours depending on how smoky you like it, After the smoking increase the heat and wrap in foil as others have indicated to tenderize and moisten another 2-4 hours at 250-300.

Slice them into the shape of the photo to really impress your finger food guests.

[Gulf]

Re: Pork Spareribs

You ain't another Brethren are ya' ...........

[mrchipster]

Re: Pork Spareribs

You ain't another Brethren are ya' ...........

Gulf,
No but thanks for the link it looks interesting.

[sslandry]

Re: Pork Spareribs

I will have to try the low heat approach and then crank it up with them foil covered with apple juice and brown sugar. Sounds delicious.

Until now, I have been having good luck with them being tender and moist cooking them uncovered using higher heat than you guys describe(less than 300)for a shorter time by brining them while firing the oven in a 5% salt and brown sugar solution. They were turning out dry and tough until I started brining recently. I am impatient and usually decide to do ribs too late in the day to cook so low and slow, but I will definately try it when I have more forsight.

[Brad English]

Re: Pork Spareribs

Thinking cooked to long. Not long enough it would not have been so dry. One more thing ....it could have been one tough pig.

I think I would have smoked early then wrapped in foil. I think the last 1.75 opened did the drying out.

I agree with you on this Faith. I smoke a decent amount of ribs in a Smokey Mountain Bullet smoker. The best results I have is getting the smoke on them early and then wrapping them in foil for the last 3 hours or so in a 4-5 hour smoke.

I haven't tried this in my WFO, but hope to soon.

[GrahamG]

Re: Pork Spareribs

You ain't another Brethren are ya' ...........

Gulf, I am though...tried different things but being in the UK is a drawback

[applor]

Re: Pork Spareribs

Doing pork spare ribs myself right now.

Had them in the oven for a few hours and are now wrapped.

My problem: How do you light the hickory wood for smoking?

I have some which I soaked in water for 25m as per instructions. I drained and put them on the coals/ash but they didn't started smoking.
I tried lighting them with my butane torch but that didn't work either.
Oven was around 130c (265f) when I put them in. It's now at 115c or so I think.

How do you guys get your hickory wood to smoke in a WFO after it's been out for 16 hours?
Do I need to buy some coals and fire them under the wood wrapped in alfoil with holes?

ps. ribs will still be awesome coz they are marinated and slow cooked, just wont be smokey.

[Laurentius]

Re: Pork Spareribs

Hi Applor,

Smoking is not an afterthought! Normally you start by smoking, the foiling of the meat is to retain juiciness, if you want to sauce and add a glaze, then you unwrap coat with sauce and cook uncovered for a few minutes not allowing it to dry out.