Why Did Should i boil ribs before grilling Ribs Come Out Tough? Ribs need to cook slowly at low temperatures.
If they cook too quickly, especially over high heat, the meat will be tough and dry. Should you encounter this issue, try wrapping the ribs in foil and putting them back on the smoker over low heat. Rib meat is located close to the bone, and it contains a great deal of connective tissue and fat. As such, it needs to cook for a long time, preferably over low heat.
When ribs are done right, the meat will be tender and moist. There are a few different types of pork ribs, and which one you choose will affect the cooking technique. Understanding the difference between the various types will help you get the results you want. These large, impressive-looking ribs come from the underbelly of the hog, where the meat is rich and fatty. This gives them a ton of pork flavor, but the high fat content—coupled with their size—means they take a long time to cook.
Louis-style ribs is just a rack of spare ribs that’s been trimmed to remove the sternum and lower cartilage. Butchers and pitmasters take this step to make the rack look more presentation-worthy, and the uniform shape makes for easier handling. That’s because they’re cut from the top portion of the rib cage, near the loin. Despite the misleading name, baby backs aren’t taken from younger animals.
The meat is also leaner, meaning the racks cook through in less time. When you take that first bite, you’re expecting the rib meat to melt in your mouth. Instead, it’s overly chewy or downright tough. Let’s take a look at some of the most common culprits behind this issue. As we mentioned, ribs require low-and-slow cooking in order for the meat to reach the correct consistency.
That’s the main reason why they’re such a popular choice for the grill or smoker. When rib meat is undercooked, the connective tissue hasn’t had a chance to break down. As a result, it will be tough and sinewy, and it won’t slide off the bone easily. This issue is directly related to undercooking, even though grilling the ribs over high heat would seem to have the opposite effect. When the fire is too hot, the ribs will cook to a safe internal temperature in a hurry. But when it comes to naturally tough cuts like these, time is just as important as temperature.
The meat will still be safe to eat, but that doesn’t mean it will be tender to the bite. When the internal temperature of the ribs reaches 195-205 degrees, they’re tender enough to come right off the bone. If you leave them on the heat too long, though, they’ll move past this texture and become unpleasantly dry. This will toughen the meat, giving each bite a straw-like consistency. Pork ribs come with a membrane attached to the bone side of the rack. This membrane is known as the peritoneum, and it’s there to protect the internal organs while the animal is still alive and breathing.
Sometimes, the butcher will remove this membrane prior to processing. If they don’t, you’ll want to remove it yourself. In addition to preventing the smoke from permeating that section of the rib rack, it will have a tough, leathery texture when it’s cooked. Tough ribs are a disappointing phenomenon, but fortunately, they’re also avoidable.
Here are a few pointers to help you out the next time ribs are on the menu. If undercooked ribs are the culprit, it’s an easy fix. Whenever possible, set the smoker temperature to 225 degrees Fahrenheit. If you need to speed things along, you can ramp it up to 250 or even 275, but make sure you adjust the cooking times accordingly. The ribs are done when they reach an internal temperature of 195 degrees Fahrenheit. As they rest, they should cook to 200-205 degrees, which should give them the consistency you want.