Ribs: Fail page

[ikaika]

help.

I have done a very bad thing.

I've bought a gorgeous, lovingly raised, grass-fed rack of ribs from a farmer just ten minutes north of me, and I've totally and utterly destroyed it.

The first time I tried ribs, I put liquid in a crock pot and cooked them slow overnight, awaking to find a sad pot of strange meat-peices. That was before the grass-fed stuff.

Tonight, I got the grass-fed ribs out and rubbed them with dry spices, put them in a roasting pan over a little rack, and wrapped it with aluminum foil for 300 degrees for about two hours, then uncovered them and left them in for another thirty minutes. They were the chewiest, dryest, fattiest (and not in 'the good way') morsels of unchewable meat I've ever had. I can't believe I've destroyed such a beautiful thing!

So now, figuring i may have simply undercooked them, I wrapped them in foil and dropped them into the crockpot on low. I'm leaving them overnight in hopes that they'll be saved.. but I'm discouraged and have a stomachache from one of the heavy bricks of beef that I managed to choke down!

How do you cook your ribs? I don't have a smoker and my grill is basically just a thin grate with a gas burner under it, so its not something that I can slow cook on or anything.

What is your sauce or your rub? Teach me the art of ribs, fine primals...

-写

[TigerJ]

I did oven BBQ pork ribs today like this:

Rub - paprika, chipotle powder, mustard powder, salt, black pepper; covered both sides, overnight in fridge.
200 degree or so oven in roasting pan & rack for 6 hours, getting internal temperature up to 180+.

Came out pretty good! If you had beef ribs process might be different, not sure. If you have tougher cuts of meat then the internal temperature needs to get higher than other cuts to break down the fibers, but not too high that it is completely dried out and overdone.

[ikaika]

Thanks! I hope the crockpot will salvage them!

My rub was black pepper, fenugreek, cinnamon, and cumin.

MMM...

-写

[mizski]

From a BBQ beef ribs article I saved: "Some people claim beef ribs are tough and fatty when barbecued. If your beef ribs are coming out tough you aren't cooking them long enough. Beef ribs need to be cooked at a low temperature for a long enough time to render the fat and tenderize the meat. Keep the smoker at around 225 degrees and cook them for about 6 - 7 hours and they will be melt in your mouth tender and not at all fatty or greasy."

Maybe cooking them at that temp in the oven (on a rack with a pan underneath) for that long would work. Here's the web article with step by step pictures & instructions on each page. The part about removing that membrane is very helpful...I didn't know to do that the first time I made ribs.

You might get some ideas from Steven Raichlen's Primal Grill show. You can print the recipes out in PDF docs which is very helpful.

[blank_faceplate]

Nowhere near enough time. Drop the temp to 250 and cook in foil for at least 4 hours, possibly more. Google for "barbecue recipes" and you'll find tons and tons of information. "Crockpot overnight" is really only acceptable for stews, not ribs, assuming you want to be able to eat the meat off of the bones.

[john_e_turner_ii]

I do ribs regularly in the oven. They usually come out perfect. I season them on both sides, put them in a pan covered with aluminum foil, and let them cook overnight at 180 degrees. They will be in there for almost 12 hours. They are juicy, tender, fall off the bone every time.

[Ali]

You can put a rack of ribs in the slow cooker on low for about 10 hours (not very much liquid either) and then just broil them in the oven with a fresh layer of spices, herbs and lemon squeezed on top to get that crispy outside.

[FLKirkland]

I do ribs regularly in the oven. They usually come out perfect. I season them on both sides, put them in a pan covered with aluminum foil, and let them cook overnight at 180 degrees. They will be in there for almost 12 hours. They are juicy, tender, fall off the bone every time.

Yep - John_e_turner has the right idea. I cook up some pretty mean ribs myself, but mine get indirect heat hickory smoked for 3 hours before finishing for 5-6 hours in the oven at 200. The key to good ribs is slow cooking with low heat. (low & slow). Put your spice rub on them, and put them in a tray with a 1/2 cup of stock - any kind is fine. Wrap the tray with aluminum foil to hold in the moisture. This moisture helps the ribs keep from drying out. You can go with the above cooking time & temp (180/12 hrs) or go to 225 for 5-6 hours. The ribs should pull away from the bone with minimal to no effort. If they are nut pulling away - then they aren't done - put them back in. Ribs also keep well, so you can start them earlier in the day to make sure you have plenty of cooking time. Once done, wrap them up and just keep them warm till you're ready to eat. If you have the time - I'd go with the 180 for 12 hours though.

[john_e_turner_ii]

This rib talk is making me hungry.

[Daemonized]

I've not tried grass fed beef ribs yet, but I hear that you need to cook them at a lower temp than non grass fed ribs. I cook pork ribs tough in my smoker for four or five hours at just around 250 (maybe just a little higher). Low and slow is way to cook ribs. Two hours isn't enough time to get nice juicy tasty ribs.