Foiling--The Texas Crutch

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It's your meat play with it anyway you want ! It's all  good !
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My two cents for what its worth. I prefer my ribs smoked without any foil. Always have always will. With that said I think that beef ribs benefit from the braising phase so I will foil those. I usually have time to kill when smoking so I don't use foil to get me past the stall. Once again just my preference. I think it really comes down to how you like your smoke and using a method that works for you.

If I had my way all my meals would be cooked like this:

What a great setup you have! Of course this is different from using an electric smoker, which is what I own. But I'm definitely going to try smoking ribs both foiled and not foiled because I love conducting those kind of set-by-side tests.
 
 
3 hours at 225. 2 hours in foil at 225. Final hour out of foil at 275.  Tender but with a good bite and pull off the bone. 


Typically I'll glaze the rack during the final hour. These I left dry because I was trying out a new sauce. 

This is what I love about smoking. You cook foiled at 225° and then unfoiled at 275. Another guy likes to cook in the 240s; me, I go for around 235--foiled and unfoiled--and keep it there. Everyone has their own preferences and their own style. I plan to start experimenting a bit around 250 and without foiling at all. If it doesn't work out I'll try the lower temp and foiling again. But to me the fun is in getting smoking tips from others, and in the experimenting to find out what works and what doesn't for me.
 
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I have never foiled ribs! I don't plan on doing it either. The only thing I've ever foiled is my chuckies. I think the braising helps with beef.
 
I, like SQWIB, foil my butts and briskets at 165 to completion.  A thick bark is not desired by me or the family.  I also foil my ribs, beef and pork using the 3-2-1 or 2-2-1 method.  My family enjoys them fixed this way and after all we cook to please our families.
 
 
I, like SQWIB, foil my butts and briskets at 165 to completion.  A thick bark is not desired by me or the family.  I also foil my ribs, beef and pork using the 3-2-1 or 2-2-1 method.  My family enjoys them fixed this way and after all we cook to please our families.
I agree. I do an adjusted 3-2-1, but same principle.

I do find it funny when you get someone set on cooking the entire way without foiling, then wrap and place into a cooler to allow to rest. What do you think is going to happen to the bark when you wrap and hold in a closed environment...
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I like picking the bits and pieces off my bark before wrapping. Then mixing everything together soft bark and all when I pull my PP. Don't do brisket much, but wrap it as well, but will do as mentioned earlier. I will place it back on smoker to dry the bark a little while I make a dipping sauce from the foil drippings.
 
I prefer baby back to full ribs and I also prefer them not wrapped. I cook mine at 225° until done without every wrapping them. I don't like the fall off the bone mushy type, I like a more steak like bite it from the bone rib. I do foil my brisket's though, I think it makes them more tender. I don't really foil anything else, I prefer my butt's done without foil also.
 
 
The last ribs I did on the smoker were baby backs.  I gave them about five hours with no foil and got a nice bark on them.  They were still tender, moist and delicious.

Is it just me or does "moist" sound slightly dirty?


LOL...It all depends on how it is used in context

My ribs are moist

my chicken is moist

my steak is moist

..... here's where it gets a bit hairy

My loins are moist

My butt is moist.

My thighs are moist
 
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LOL...It all depends on how it is used in context

My ribs are moist

my chicken is moist

my steak is moist

..... here's where it gets a bit hairy

My loins are moist

My butt is moist.

My thighs are moist
Somehow you just turned me into a vegetarian...
 
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