My Ribs Turn real Dark....

[tookie623]

I need some HELP : :!: I cook my ribs reeeaaal slow on a smoker and I smoke em too. Last hour, I wrap them in foil. They always come out reaaaal tender BUT they are dark!!

All the pictures I've seen on this website of ribs have been a pretty reddish color lookin ribs.

What am I doing wrong :( [/u]

[Pigs by the Moon BBQ]

I could be the amout of sugar you are using in your rub. It also could be if you are cooking in the 275 range. If it was me Id say if they taste good I would not worry about it.

Chris

[PhotoKirk]

How smoky is your fire? Also, what rub and how heavy are you rubbing them? Please post a photo if you have one.

[TexLaw]

It could also be the wood you use and how you run your fire. Different woods have different results. For instance, cherry wood will make a darker product.

If you run a smokey fire, that also will make for darker ribs. By the same token, if you cook them longer in the smoke, that will darken them.

Give us some more details about how you cook, and we might be able to help you out.


TL

[ozzie]

Could just be the rub you're using, some smoke up darker or redder than others depending on what's in them. But as Chris stated, if the finished product tastes good, where's the problem??

[TB]

Welcome to the board tookie.

[Zeeman]

I find the different wood gives my ribs a darker kolor also.
I like a mixture of 2 peices pecan/1 peice of hickory with a good flame that produces very little smoke for first 2-3 hours. Then finish with some real seasoned Red or White Oak with good flame.
z

[tookie623]

So maybe it's the type of wood I'm using? Zeeman's combination of wookd sounds good....And I'm using the TexasBBQrub...What about some advice on when I should start smokin' and for how long.... and temperature too? Thaks folks....

[Zeeman]

If you like them real fall off da bone tender Id cook mine as soon as pit is hot and at about 210-220 for 3 hours, then foil for about 2 hours, open foil up and cook for about 1 more, glazing at the last 20 minutes. This is for WHOLE spares.

I cook mine for about 6-7 hours at 210-220 with no foil and mist with apple juice about every 1.5 hours througout cook, glazing at bout last 20 minutes.
z

[1044]

You have spare *****s? I gotta gitta Gator ! Now I know why you are always "smoking ribs".

[Bad Santa]

Dang it Z, I let you borrow the elves for some down time and what do you go and have them doing?..........Working for you? :shock: :x and ya got spare ones too???

[Zeeman]

:shock: I guess I am having a good time over here, must be da "ZZ" Gator :lol: :lol: How in da world can you guys edit my message like dat :?:
z

[Bad Santa]

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[1044]

Yeah, right... He forgot, Santa, and let his guard down. Now, we know what goes on out there at the wood rack.

[Buckeye]

Spare Hos!!! :shock: :shock: Don't tell JS. :P

[cleglue]

Zeeman's first method is called the 3-2-1 method for spare ribs. I know another fellow who does 4-1-1. Four hours in the smokek, one hour in the foil, and 1 hour firming them up. The 3-2-1 method is how I've smoked ribs the last few months with my new Bar-b-Chef.

The last ribs which were baby backs and I didn't foil. They came out better than I thought they would. I personally prefers spare ribs. My wife prefers baby backs.

[Woodman]

Don't put black paint on them. You aren't putting black paint on them are you. Cause, that'll..........make...........em................ .......dark :oops: :oops: Welcome to the forum Took!

[bigwheel]

Too low..too slow..turns em to shoe leather and blacker than the ace of spades. Hawg ribs is made to be cooked at 260..bone side up and unmoved till they done. Then you wrap em up and throw em in the hotbox for an hour or two. Drag em back out to glaze if you want. Now I speaking eating ribs here of course. They cannot compete with the coconut chocolate nouget I have seen on some comp ribs.

bigwheel

[Bad Santa]

Gotta watch them pelican people like hawks......they'll eat all your ribs and try to lead the wemmen folks astray.....single handedly. :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Zeeman]

8)

[M38A1]

I'm on the same page as ZZ Pop aka: Zeeman on this one. I quit foiling and like them better, just a bit more bark, and a tad bit darker in color.

Was the exterior/bark tough and dark?

[TB]

Gotta watch them pelican people like hawks......they'll eat all your ribs and try to lead the wemmen folks astray.....single handedly. :lol: :lol: :lol:
well.....yeah. But ole Zee be more consplicated than your normal pelican person. He's layered. You know with yankee tones and notes of rainbow trout and basic aroma of crab boil permiatin there...around all that smoke....and jambalaya......some. It's complex, you know?

[TexLaw]

Took, most folks who start with 3-2-1 back off on the foil a bit, if not altogether (like the 4-1-1 that Cleglue mentioned). I also don't use any foil when I cook ribs. I just go about 240-260 for 6-7 hours (or until they're done). I don't often glaze, but if I do, I do it when I think they have about 20-30 minutes left to go.

One of these days, I'll try cooking the ribs bone side up like Bigwheel mentioned. That always sounds interesting.


TL

[david brace]

If you like them real fall off da bone tender Id cook mine as soon as pit is hot and at about 210-220 for 3 hours, then foil for about 2 hours, open foil up and cook for about 1 more, glazing at the last 20 minutes. This is for WHOLE spares.

I cook mine for about 6-7 hours at 210-220 with no foil and mist with apple juice about every 1.5 hours througout cook, glazing at bout last 20 minutes.
I agree with Zee. Either way is a winner.

AS to why yours are dark..you still have not told us how long you smoked them before you foil for the last hour. I mean, if you smoke them too long and then foil them, they've already gotten their smoke color depth before the foiling. Gotta tell us more than 'reeeaaal slow'.

DB