Beef short rib fail x 2

DAK · Post by **DAK** » Fri Jul 10, 2015 5:01 pm

Hi Guys and Girls

I don't often get in here and ask for a hand, I enjoy the challenge of trying to work stuff out for myself. Unfortunately beef ribs have got me beat !!!!

I've cooked them twice now and failed on both occasions

Round 1

Cooked individual shorty' for about 5 hours. They were falling apart like I've had them in restaurants and I put it down to the cook time. I needed them in longer than 5 hours as the fat hadn't rendered.

Round 2

I've got pork ribs with a 3-2-1 type method down pat so I thought to keep this method but just cook them longer to ensure the more dense fat of the beef ribs rendered. So I did a 4-2-1 at around 107c. Spritzed every hour while smoking and when in foil I added a touch of red wine and beef stock. When in foil I placed the meat side down (as per my approach to porkys) and increased temps. The outcome.... The shortys I bought had two layers of meat separated by a layer of fat. The top layer of the rib was overlooked and dry, the lower layer between the bone and the top layer was perfectly cooked and "pulling".

I think I know where I went wrong but want to confirm with a few of you veterans before giving it a shot again. I think my initial smoking stage went well, I kept it at 100-110c and kept spritzing with an apple, stock and red wine blend. When I foiled them I was worried they weren't going to be ready in time so I foiled them up, added stock, juice and red wine put them back in the weber meat side down and "may" have increased the temp to 130c.... I think what happened was that that the rib sat in the fluid with the top layer of the meat submerged in the liquid and they just boiled out all the fat and became dry etc.

Thanks in advance for reading, any tips from anyone would be brilliant.

Regards

Dylan

urbangriller · Post by **urbangriller** » Fri Jul 10, 2015 8:08 pm

Ok, for a start never put yourself in a situation where you are worried they won't be ready in time....cook them the day before, or at least with 3 hours to spare!

I just rub them up and put them in for 7 hours before I have a look, then I might go a bit longer, no foil, no 321 or 432 or anything like that, no sugar, no spice, nothing but salt and pepper!

Go again, give yourself time and keep it dead simple. Don't over-think it!

When I'm doing beef ribs for Management, I cook them at BBQ School, while I'm doing other stuff. When they are done, I wrap in paper, then foil and take them home. Then two or three days later I gently heat them for service.....they are like curry...much better a few days later!

Cheers
Chris

Muppet · Post by **Muppet** » Fri Jul 10, 2015 8:30 pm

When I buy un prepped shorties I remove that top layer of meat. It's very lean and tough and I've not ever been able to make it shine. It just cooks polar opposite to the shortie meat. Took me a few try's to work it out but after seeing cape Grimm ribs they are trimmed of that muscle.

Muppet · Post by **Muppet** » Fri Jul 10, 2015 8:43 pm

These are not my pics but show the difference

DAK · Post by **DAK** » Fri Jul 10, 2015 9:26 pm

Hi all

Ok got it. No foil just Salt and Pepper then 107c for 7 hours and trim the top layer off (or just buy Cape Grim).

Thanks Guys.

Dylan

beachbums · Post by **beachbums** » Fri Jul 10, 2015 10:09 pm

DAK wrote:Hi all

Ok got it. No foil just Salt and Pepper then 107c for 7 hours and trim the top layer off (or just buy Cape Grim).

Thanks Guys.

Dylan

Hi Dylan, Like you and Muppet I have very little luck with that top layer of meat when doing beef shorts. Always seems to be dry and tough.

Cheers, Wayne

Jars · Post by **Jars** » Fri Jul 10, 2015 10:23 pm

I am in no way a beef rib expert, only cooked them a few times, but maybe try giving it a little more heat to help render that fat away. And adjust the time to suit.

Commander Cody · Post by **Commander Cody** » Sat Jul 11, 2015 6:05 am

Chris.....................

what no crutch..??..

that is fantastic.......i thought i was the only one to shun the texas.

if you ride with Chris on this..... it is a no fail.
however along with the dalmatian. i use a splash of L&P sauce, hey......it's beef.....it can take it.

kevin

JOCKs · Post by **JOCKs** » Sat Jul 11, 2015 12:35 pm

Cook hotter. 250-275 and no spritzing, no peeking. Just dial in your pit and ride it out. Beef ribs cook similar to brisket (americans call them "brisket on a stick"). Their is a layer of connective tissue between the rib bone and the meat, if you buy a whole rack of 4 and cook till that tissue goes tender. Your on the money. Remember don't cook to time or temp. Cook to feel.

That is probably the biggest mistake when ppl start smoking. Too anal about time, temp, pit temp etc. Just remember, ppl use to do this without all the fancy gadgets we have now. Just go off look, feel and smell.

KamadoPaul · Post by **KamadoPaul** » Sat Aug 01, 2015 8:12 pm

First crack at beef ribs and were great, just used a bit of bush spice as a rub cooked them for about 6 hours (ate 1 at 5 hours because they looked great but just needed longer) and put a bbq sauce glaze on in the last half hour.

Still have 2 racks left in the fridge as there was so much meat. Super Butcher had the beef ribs on special for 8.99 kg, at that price we will be having them again

StoneX · Post by **StoneX** » Wed Aug 05, 2015 10:06 am

I've only tried these once and noticed the difference in texture of the two pieces of meat. I ended up eating my ribs with a knife and fork as they were tough and I didn't know why.

So several of you remove the top layer of meat from the ribs? What do you do with it? It seems like a large bit of meat to throw away.

dionysus32 · Post by **dionysus32** » Wed Aug 05, 2015 3:41 pm

I agree that you're over thinking..
Grill temp approx 250F
With ribs there is no set time frame or procedure, personally with beef I wait till they pull back but the bark isn't dark and I wrap them for an hour or so depending on size and unwrap and poke them after an hour and then a bit more frequently as they get closer to ready.
You want the skewer to go through as if it were butter.

For pork I wait till they pull back a touch then wrap for an hour and after that I cook to how the bones move, I'm not fussed if they turn too tender.

i still get caught out thinking about it too much when I buy cuts that differ in size to what I've cooked previously, no big deal.

Muppet · Post by **Muppet** » Wed Aug 05, 2015 10:05 pm

StoneX wrote:I've only tried these once and noticed the difference in texture of the two pieces of meat. I ended up eating my ribs with a knife and fork as they were tough and I didn't know why.

So several of you remove the top layer of meat from the ribs? What do you do with it? It seems like a large bit of meat to throw away.

I mince it, or get it removed as I buy it, most butchers are alright with that as they will still mince and sell it. It just seems like it's too lean for low and slow and Id rather my ribs tender with rub on the right places.

StoneX · Post by **StoneX** » Wed Aug 05, 2015 10:25 pm

Muppet wrote:
StoneX wrote:I've only tried these once and noticed the difference in texture of the two pieces of meat. I ended up eating my ribs with a knife and fork as they were tough and I didn't know why.

So several of you remove the top layer of meat from the ribs? What do you do with it? It seems like a large bit of meat to throw away.
I mince it, or get it removed as I buy it, most butchers are alright with that as they will still mince and sell it. It just seems like it's too lean for low and slow and Id rather my ribs tender with rub on the right places.

Thanks Muppet.

Muppet · Post by **Muppet** » Wed Aug 05, 2015 10:43 pm

For other ideas you could braise it, stew it. Never tried it as steak but for me it's a good excuse for stuffed burgers

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