Tough outer skin on ribs when I slow cook them (HELP)

[tezell]

When I slow cook country style ribs I end up with a tougher (hard but then, tough may not be the correct word) outer skin but the meat overall is tender. I keep the meat moist. What am I doing wrong? Is there a way to prevent this?

 

[CMTiger]

Idk mean to be to mundane, but did you peel off the membrane? Sorry I don’t know how experienced you are so that may be a dumb question for you.

 

[Slimpicker]

When I slow cook country style ribs I end up with a tougher (hard but then, tough may not be the correct word) outer skin but the meat overall is tender. I keep the meat moist. What am I doing wrong? Is there a way to prevent this?

Explain "slow cook"... what temp for how long??
Are you FOIL wrapping for 2 hours during the cook?? that will take care of tough skin!
Look up the 3-2-1 method on the Net... use it as a guide not a mandate.

 

[JPSBBQ]

Based on info, I think the surface is getting dried out. Says country style ribs which are commonly braised. I would say a wrap or braise near the end would loosen the bark up a bit. 1/2 hour to an hour. It’s really all about what you want the final product to be.

Good luck. Love me some ribs. Country, spare, baby backs. Give me any of them. Don’t get me started on beef plate ribs.

 

[tezell]

Idk mean to be to mundane, but did you peel off the membrane? Sorry I don’t know how experienced you are so that may be a dumb question for you.

No worries. Totally reasonable question. These are country style so the membrane is already removed.

 

[tezell]

Explain "slow cook"... what temp for how long??
Are you FOIL wrapping for 2 hours during the cook?? that will take care of tough skin!
Look up the 3-2-1 method on the Net... use it as a guide not a mandate.

Thanks for the tip. I've heard the 3-2-1 method mentioned but I'll read more about it.

 

[tezell]

Based on info, I think the surface is getting dried out. Says country style ribs which are commonly braised. I would say a wrap or braise near the end would loosen the bark up a bit. 1/2 hour to an hour. It’s really all about what you want the final product to be.

Good luck. Love me some ribs. Country, spare, baby backs. Give me any of the. Don’t get me started on beef plate ribs.

Yes, that's what's happening. Now that you describe it I realize you're correct. The surface is getting dried out. So you're saying I should wrap them at the end of the cook? I'm starting to think there may be no value in slow cooking these. They really only get tough if you overcook them. I think I'm just trying to use slow cooking because I have it lol! Thanks.

 

[Shedd]

I haven’t cooked any country style ribs on my Traeger but I have cooked them on my egg several times. I lightly coat them with mustard then rub (like doing a butt) put them on at 225 for a couple hours to get smoke (could go longer at lower temps I’m sure) then put them in a pan with foil, put some bbq sauce on them and seal it tightly. Then return to grill at 275-300 for about 1 1/2 hours. I usually cook until about 165-170. In all honesty I really think they are just about as good to just cook wrapped the entire time either in the oven or I’m sure Traeger at 275 for a couple hours. Just add the sauce about an hour into the cook.
Now you got me wanting to cook some. Like JPSBBQ said, “I love some good ribs”.

 

[Slimpicker]

OH Sorry Country style??
We call those pork steaks!!
and YES, I cook them all the way on the grill, then mine go into my turkey roaster or foil pan covered for about 3 hours soaked in BBQ sauce until they fall apart when you pick them up...

Sorry, I got distracted by the membrane question... Pork steaks are nothing more than SLICED pork Butt, they can be cooked almost the same way but mine always end with either foil wrapped or in a roaster at 250° for 2-3 hours. it will be the best pork you may ever have.

 

[CMTiger]

My bad…..completely looked over the fact you said country style.

 

[RayClem]

When you cook any protein, the moisture evaporates from the outside of the meat. I like to spritz pork and beef with a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water periodically to keep the outside from getting too dry. If I want a little extra sweetness, I will add a little apple juice to the mixture.

Some people tend to wrap rib; others do not. It is a matter of preference. With pork chops, I do not wrap them, but I would spritz or baste them frequently to make sure they do not dry out. With pork chops, I would normally sear them after smoking. If I did country style ribs, I would skip the sear. Since country style ribs are cut from the shoulder of the pig between the ribs and neck, they can be classified as either ribs or chops, or perhaps neither. They are closely related to a Boston butt, cut from the pork shoulder.

 

[Clint62]

Yes, that's what's happening. Now that you describe it I realize you're correct. The surface is getting dried out. So you're saying I should wrap them at the end of the cook? I'm starting to think there may be no value in slow cooking these. They really only get tough if you overcook them. I think I'm just trying to use slow cooking because I have it lol! Thanks.

Slow smoke uncovered for 3 hours at 190...then remove and foil wrap them. I usually dump in some apple juice in the foil too. Then cook for 2 hrs at 225, then remove wrap, slop sauce on both sides, and leave in for another hour to tack up the sauce. The initial 3 hrs at low temp is to get em smoky more than anything.

 

[Russells]

I followed this recipe and they came out great:

Meat Church Country Ribs