Second cook with mixed results

[Freeeire1916]

Good afternoon everyone,

First I want to thank everyone on here for all the great info. I have only posted a couple times because I have found answers to most everything I needed. I appreciate the help!

It's been pretty cold in the PA area the past month. Since we just got a warm spell I busted out my pitboss 850 pro for only the second time since getting for Xmas. I cooked ribs and was hoping to get others suggestions.

I didn't want to get too creative for the first time so I went with a 3 -1.5- 30min process as I was afraid of making them too mushy. I used 2 kinds of rubs (same brand) and in doing so I place the KC style rub to the left side and the Memphis style to the right. What I found was that my KC style were done just about perfect on time but my Memphis ended up taking over an hour longer in the foil wrap phase of the cook. My cook temps were S for 3 hrs, 220 for 2 and 220 for the 1. Obviously my cook times weren't actually this but that was my game plan lol

All in all I was very happy with the smoke flavor and they weren't dry (at least I didn't think so). In hind sight I prob could have gone for the full 3-2-1 cook time on the KC style and still been happy with the texture.

Is my longer than expected cook time on the Memphis style a simple matter of hot spots to left and cooler spots to the right so it took longer? Should I rotate them around throughout the process? I wanted to limit the amout of opening and closing of grill to retain temp. What do you all think?

 

[Steve In Pa]

I have a different model than yours but I think it's a good idea to get several oven thermometers and use them during your cooks. That way you'll know what's really going on inside the cooking area .
For example in my Pit Boss, I've learned there is a significant temperature difference from front to back and top to bottom. So in part because of that I do rotate whatever I'm cooking around like ribs for example and so on.

 

[Steelheader1974]

I like to rotate ribs around also I find that I have a gradual increase from left to right on my grates

 

[Cowboy1955]

I just go with 225 and I also use a smoke tube
I place my ribs in foil then halfway through the cook I pour in Dr Pepper or sprite then close up the foil.
Pull them from the foil when I’ve approximately 30 - 40 minutes left and start brushing on my sauce.
Hopefully this helps you

 

[1MoreFord]

Do the thermometer test or do a biscuit test to see how evenly the cooker cooks. As strange as it sounds it could have been the ribs. I've had racks that just seemed to be unwilling to cook tender.

 

[Freeeire1916]

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the insight. I had a singe grate probe but foolishly had it set in the middle of thr smoker between the ribs (3 halvesleft and 3 right). With 6 half racks on the grill, i think its prob unlikely that it was the ribs themselves but I can def see that being a possibility under different circumstances. I will have to set up two grate probes and see how each area compares. I ended up salvaging the 3 less than desirable ribs by wrapping them the next day in foil and cooking them in the oven for about 45 min. They were delicious after that but it's cheating lol.

Thanks again!
1

 

[Dan-H]

I've been doing ribs on a raised rack with a griddle as a heat shield over the fire box.

I have an 820 pro, about the size of yours.

I smoke the slabs three across and move them every 40 mins and spritz them.

I put a water pan in last time to add moisture.

Here is a Pic of St. Louis slabs cut in half so they were easier to move about.

I used two weber genesis flavorizer bars and two cooking grates from my genesis silver B. Between the bars is a griddle, and a water pan on the left.

These were some of the best I have cooked on the pellet.