Be sure when purchasing your thermometer that it is designed for meat and poultry. An oven-proof thermometer can be inserted into the food at the beginning of the cooking time and remain there throughout cooking. Instant-read thermometers should be inserted after cooking has occured. The thermometer should be inserted about 2 inches into the thickest part of the food without touching the bone. Allow about 15 seconds for the temperature to register.
Many cooks use the "touch test," which checks the relative firmness of the cooked meat as a gauge of doneness. To use the "touch test," make a fist with your thumb in the center of your palm.
Clenching your fist as hard as you can, use the index finger of your other hand to touch the muscle at the base of your thumb; this is what overcooked pork feels like.
- Keeping a fist, relax just a little; this is what perfectly cooked pork should feel like.
- Still keeping a fist, relax completely; this is what raw or undercooked pork feels like.
There are numerous tips for getting great ribs. However, there are a few key tips. Cook your ribs slowly over low heat, for at least an hour and a half to two hours, to produce the best flavor and tenderness. Ribs are considered done when you can just wiggle the bone from the meat. As far as using sauces to marinate your ribs, you should wait until the last 30 minutes of cooking to bathe ribs in sauce to prevent the sauce from burning. Also, avoid a tomato-based marinade or high-sugar marinade as these will also burn while the ribs are cooking.