The worst cook of my life to date

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Cliff H.

Master Chef
Joined
Mar 18, 2006
Messages
6,143
Location
Jonesboro, Arkansas
My FIL and my BIL wanted a rack of ribs so I picked up a three pack of spares and some chickens.

At this point the cook was going pretty good only because I hadn't started
yet.

img_159329_0_f91f371551a81825736e2c6e9ed62f3a.jpg

img_159329_1_42a22479e65deeb69ee793dbc115bfbb.jpg


Ribs on the top rack and two spatchcocked chickens on the bottom rack. The temps came up very nicely. The uds ran at a solid 235 at the dome for the first three hours without a hitch.

After three hours it was time to foil the ribs.

Notice the pull back on the bones

img_159329_2_c75d802986a26634570048b17be8dba9.jpg



I began to suspect that I was cooking at higher temps than my maverick was reading at the dome but I trusted my maverick. Knowing that the chicken would take at least 4 hours at these low temps I held back from probing the internal temp for another 30 min.

When I did stick a probe in, I went ahead and took them off because I thought the internal temp of the breast meat might be a little high.

What do ya'll think ?

img_159329_3_de0224156079b34216456b7ca4320dc1.jpg

img_159329_4_ea147d96cac62923060e3a1452e7c5c8.jpg


The chikcen was all but burned to a crisp. The drak meat was inedible. The breast meat was still somewhat tender.

After I took the chickens off I had trouble getting my uds to drop below 270. I changed lids to something that fit better. For the next hour the pit ran above 260. After 1-1/2 hours I uncovered the ribs from the pan and found the racks to be so falling off the bone that I had to take great care in getting them back on the pit to firm up.

After 30 more min I pulled them off. They looked ok but

img_159329_5_5f48077ce47434643d7c5f14f499fdf6.jpg

img_159329_6_0057158027b481f5d61abcba766dc488.jpg


But when I went to cut into them I realized that I couldn't cut them without the meat turning to mush under my knife blade.


img_159329_7_a9718788ca20db0efe2c761bcfb27a05.jpg


the pictures may not do justice as to just how bad these ribs and chicken turned out.

I am so ashamed. :oops:

Reading the temps from the dome with both grates full of meat must have given me a false reading. I was probably smoking at 275-285 for the entire cook.
 
They look a heck of a lot better than your description.
The ribs looked really lovely. Nice pull back and good coloring. I would still eat them. "-)

Ugh. Temp probes can just do you in sometimes.

Better luck next time with your cook.
 
Cliff that happens to all of us from time to time! Still looked pretty good from here and I guarantee it was still better than any BBQ Joint around!
 
The ribs look super dry... Maybe do the apple juice/ wolfe rub remedy to them.. works every time for me down here.... BTW wolferube citrus rocks!!!.. the chicken is cheap and can be redone for less than them ribs.. Sorry that happened Cliff. :(
 
I could have lived with falling off the bone. These ribs looked like a flat tire. There was not much meat left. Spare ribs no less.

I have learned that two grates on a drum will block a lot of air movement. I am going to take temps from the grates from now on.
 
Yep the pics looked better that what you described. Don't that mad you mad when that happens. Like Larry said it happens to all of us.
 
Nice to have a new member in the "I screwed that cook" club. (I'm a charter member myself). I'll join the others in saying they didn't look bad in the photos.
 
I have a catering gig on friday that will be a 150 pound pig in my offset. It's going to be full which can screw up temps. I'm a little nervous.
Your stuffed cooker results just made me more nervous. :shock:
 
Cliff, you're being too tough on yourself. I'd have eaten
every damn bit of that while you sat in the corner moping.

I also have a love/hate relationship with my mavericks....I
really believe they have some issues.
 
Griff said:
Nice to have a new member in the "I screwed that cook" club. (I'm a charter member myself). I'll join the others in saying they didn't look bad in the photos.

I'll take membership #003 to the ISTC. :shock: :LOL:
 
:LOL: :LOL: :LOL: Welcome to the club! :D Been there done that!

But those ribs look good to me!
Burned is when they are black and crumble in your hand. :D

img_159395_0_b60e565b6289736b4a16580ae4d67fad.jpg

Notice the burned ends on the ribs that hung over the sides of the plate setter.

I have had things happen like that on my BGE. I can only guess that the infrared radiating from the charcoal itself makes the meat that is directly exposed to the coals a lot hotter than the air temps in the chamber.
 
Cliff one thing I've learned about the UDS (I'm sure you know this) is how much faster they cook everything :shock: I've had spares done in 4 hrs. before. :shock: A few weeks ago I totally hosed a picnic shoulder. Way over cooked.
Your stuff doesn't look bad at all. I'da ate it. ;)
 
I am sure they tasted fantastic. They looked good enough for in laws anway!
If they are like mine, I always put up the Crown Royal before they come over...same with the eats!
 
Back
Top Bottom