If you like bite off the bone ribs:
If you like fall off the bone ribs:
- After smoking, cook the ribs wrapped until the internal temperature is 212-213F internal.
I also think Time, Temperature, and “Pull-back” from the bone are bad guides most of the time.
Grab Some Tongs and Grab Your Ribs at About the 5th Rib
Allow the ribs to bend at this rib.
If they bend at a 45 degree angle, they’ll likely be bite off the bone tender.
Below are the same ribs at 174F internal.
They don’t bend at all BUT the rub has set and they have taken on enough smoke, telling me it’s time to wrap.
Combine this Test with Other Tests: Probe Tenderness & Tear Test
Take your probe or a toothpick and poke between the bones.
If it glides in and out with no resistance, they’re done.
You can equate it to taking a probe and pushing it through a jar of peanut butter or softened butter.
ACTUALLY do this at Home! This sensation is what it feels like.
You can also flip the ribs over to the bone side, grab a bone and tear the bone slightly.
If no meat is attached to the tear, it means they’re bite off the bone tender.
Pull-back from the Bone Means Diddly Squat
The pull-back occurs because meat shrinks when cooked.
BUT bones pulling back or not depends more on the rib rack than anything – some will pull back more than others – some won’t at all.
For example, these are done:
So are these:
So are these:
That’s 3 different types of ribs that are all tender and are ready to rest.
Some have more bone pull-back than others.
This is All good for Pork Ribs but What About Beef Ribs?
Use probe tenderness.
Just take you probe and probe into the meat. If it glides through with ZERO effort and no resistance, they’re done.
Do the same for beef back ribs too.
Beef ribs will have so much fat and collagen that they won’t dry out like a pork rib can.
Typical finishing temperatures are around 200F+.
Same deal here too – bone pullback means little to nothing.
What About 321, 221, Time and Temperature?
Methods like 321 and 221 are OK but:
- The ribs are often not smoky enough.
- I don’t like fall off the bone ribs or mushy meat.
- I prefer simple ribs (salt, pepper, garlic) as apposed to sugar-heavy wraps.
I’m not you though, if you like ribs done this way, do it.
If I know someone likes fall off the bone ribs then 321 with an internal temperature of 212-213F ensures the bones will fall off.
What Does Dylan Like Then?
Usually I like around 4-5 hours of smoke @ 225F – 250F and then 45-60+ minutes wrapped in foil or paper to soften the bark and speed the cook time.
Then checking for tenderness I’ll bend the ribs and tear near a bone – if both of these pass, I know they’re done how I like.
Generally, ribs will finish at around ~195-205F internal.
