Is there a way to tell when pork ribs are adequately cooked?

Question

i usually use a meat thermometer, but pork ribs are usually cooked so long (250F @ 3 hours), so can you pretty much assume they're done? thanks.

Answer 1

Chances are they are done after the 3 hours if they were fully thawed (and only a few slabs) when you put them in the oven.  I can normally see that the meat is starting to pull away from the bones or even that the meat is fork tender.

Enjoy your ribs!

Answer 2

they should be!!! near the bone should be a nice pink color... doesn't mean they're underdone ... but ribs are pink near the bone when they are done!

Answer 3

If the ribs are on a baking sheet, I would test the middle rib. Usually if the meat is firm and dark does it indicate complete cook time. But skepticism is our best friend in these cases. Cut into the rib with a sharp steak knife. If the meat isn't pink in the middle, then it is done.

All of these rules can generally be used for all cuts of beef and most cuts of pork. Enjoy!

Answer 4

Yep, at that temp & 3 hrs. cooking time they should pretty much be done & fall off the bone when you take a bite.  As long as you have the ribs cooking off to one side of the pit & the coals at the other side & add a hand full of coals every 1/2-3/4 hour or so to keep that slow fire, that would be perfect for me. Take a bite & see.  To me that's the perfect temp & time for ribs if you can keep the temp that low.  I have some baby back ribs in the frig but unless I can keep the temp that low, they will be done alot sooner, alot.  I think the country style pork ribs or those big beef ribs do real good @ 250F for 3 hrs. That's just my opinion & I like to keep basting them after the first hour or so.  It's not a BBQ down here unless you also have some sausage cooking & after it cooks for just a little while, put it on top of your ribs to keep them moist.  That's what my daddy always did!  He also had a small pot of BBQ sauce cooking on the pit with sliced sausage for us to snack on while the ribs were cooking.  OK, so I'm going on & on but it brings back such good memories.

Answer 5

sounds like they are done.

Answer 6

usually i just open the inside to see if all the redness is gone.

=]

Answer 7

Yes they are done,,But another way you can check them is to take the rib bone and turn it, if the bone moves from the meat on the bone then it's done..

Answer 8

Adequately cooked as in surely safe to eat? 170 deg. But good to eat is different. I like mine in the smoker, about 220-250 deg. for 6 hours. You should be able to twist the bone easily but not just pull it out.