OP
OP
patrick corry
solo canoeist
Thanks for all your constructive comments.
I usually have no trouble with ribs. In this case, as I mentioned, I think haste was the problem. I had a limited time window to make these ribs. I did not pre-soak, rather I just liberally doused them with warm water a couple of times prior to putting them in the bag. I have pre-soaked ribs for days, or a single day, or not at all and have seen no difference in the behavior of the ribs assuming the grain was acceptable and the time steamed was sufficient. I've had great success with steaming just a couple of ribs using the bag/tube method. My logic is that the volume of the steam box is so much bigger than the four ribs I was steaming and the interior volume of the bag was much less. It's quick, and my automotive heater hose delivers lots of steam (and pressure) to firmly inflate the bag. I don't think there was a lack of steam- just haste and impatience for the limited time I had to work... and maybe the relatively cold air temperatures in the barn- mid-40's.
For clarity, the spring clamps on the side are to close the seam blowouts I mentioned earlier.
I usually have no trouble with ribs. In this case, as I mentioned, I think haste was the problem. I had a limited time window to make these ribs. I did not pre-soak, rather I just liberally doused them with warm water a couple of times prior to putting them in the bag. I have pre-soaked ribs for days, or a single day, or not at all and have seen no difference in the behavior of the ribs assuming the grain was acceptable and the time steamed was sufficient. I've had great success with steaming just a couple of ribs using the bag/tube method. My logic is that the volume of the steam box is so much bigger than the four ribs I was steaming and the interior volume of the bag was much less. It's quick, and my automotive heater hose delivers lots of steam (and pressure) to firmly inflate the bag. I don't think there was a lack of steam- just haste and impatience for the limited time I had to work... and maybe the relatively cold air temperatures in the barn- mid-40's.
For clarity, the spring clamps on the side are to close the seam blowouts I mentioned earlier.
