Anyone NOT wrap their ribs?

[Bearcarver]

I get briskets from Walmart, but always get my ribs from Sam's. Never had a bad batch. As for foiling, I used to foil all the time then found that if you smoke them at 210-215 for a little longer they come out better than foiled, IMHO. The trick is to coat the ribs with brown sugar about a half hour before you smoke them. Leave them on the counter so the sugar melts all over the ribs. This is after you have your regular rub on. The brown sugar seems to keep the ribs nice & moist. Learned this from Johnny R. Plus I think I'm just getting lazy in my old age, too much trouble foiling & unfoiling.

Al,
Can you still get "fall off the bone" with that method? 

That's what everybody around here seems to like, and would be the only reason I wouldn't try this.

Bear

 

[duggy]

Hey I have a quesiton that is related to this topic but a bit of a tangent. In many of the 3-2-1 methods that I've read, during the foiling part, it was mentioned that I should put apple juice in it. But I tried that and I always get too much of the apple juice flavor in the meat. Is that normal?? 

 

[Bearcarver]

Hey I have a quesiton that is related to this topic but a bit of a tangent. In many of the 3-2-1 methods that I've read, during the foiling part, it was mentioned that I should put apple juice in it. But I tried that and I always get too much of the apple juice flavor in the meat. Is that normal?? 

Maybe you put too much in?---It only takes a couple ounces---The steam will do the rest.

I like to mix a little BBQ sauce with a little apple juice.

Bear

 

[gotarace]

Bear your a foiler ...after i foiled ribs for the first time yesterday is it common for the ribs to be so tender that one of my racks broke in half when taking out of the foil? They were in the foil for 2 hours with a splash of apple juice. It kind of surprised me for them to be this tender. I have done hundreds of racks with no foil and never seen ribs this tender. I was afraid to handle them as they could have broke apart. If i back it off to 1.5 hours and no juice would that firm them up a bit? You guys here are the best and i could use a little help with this foil game.

 

[SmokinAl]

Al,
Can you still get "fall off the bone" with that method? 

That's what everybody around here seems to like, and would be the only reason I wouldn't try this.

Bear

When they are done, they are very close to fall off the bone. I check them by grabbing 2 bones & pulling them apart. If they tear like a newspaper then they are done. If the bone pulls out clean then they are overcooked. Everyone here likes fall off the bone ribs too. I just think foiling them makes them a little mushy. Since I have been doing them this way I have had no complaints. Even Judy who is my biggest critic says they are the best ribs I have ever made. Give it a try and if they don't like them it's more for you to eat. Just be warned they do take longer to smoke. The last BB's I did took 6 1/2 hours, although they were very meaty. So if your doing spares it may take 7 hours to finish them. If they are not mushy enough you can always foil them at the end.  

 

[SmokinAl]

Hey I have a quesiton that is related to this topic but a bit of a tangent. In many of the 3-2-1 methods that I've read, during the foiling part, it was mentioned that I should put apple juice in it. But I tried that and I always get too much of the apple juice flavor in the meat. Is that normal?? 

Use beer!

 

[Bearcarver]

Bear your a foiler ...after i foiled ribs for the first time yesterday is it common for the ribs to be so tender that one of my racks broke in half when taking out of the foil? They were in the foil for 2 hours with a splash of apple juice. It kind of surprised me for them to be this tender. I have done hundreds of racks with no foil and never seen ribs this tender. I was afraid to handle them as they could have broke apart. If i back it off to 1.5 hours and no juice would that firm them up a bit? You guys here are the best and i could use a little help with this foil game.

That's fairly common. You have to be very careful going from the foil to back in the smoker for the last hour without foil, or you could be bouncing them off the floor!

That's why I like my spares this way.  Soooooooo tender & I never noticed any being mushy. I hardly ever make Baby Backs.

Bear

 

[Bearcarver]

When they are done, they are very close to fall off the bone. I check them by grabbing 2 bones & pulling them apart. If they tear like a newspaper then they are done. If the bone pulls out clean then they are overcooked. Everyone here likes fall off the bone ribs too. I just think foiling them makes them a little mushy. Since I have been doing them this way I have had no complaints. Even Judy who is my biggest critic says they are the best ribs I have ever made. Give it a try and if they don't like them it's more for you to eat. Just be warned they do take longer to smoke. The last BB's I did took 6 1/2 hours, although they were very meaty. So if your doing spares it may take 7 hours to finish them. If they are not mushy enough you can always foil them at the end.  

I don't know Al---I like the problem gotarace had in Post # 24. Nice & tender, and so far I never had a mushy one.

My Ribs, my Bacon, and my Boneless smoked Pork Chops are the only smoked items Mrs. Bear really likes.

That makes it hard for me to switch.

Bear

 

[chefrob]

I've done no foil ribs for two weekends in a row now and I'm sold on this method.  It's true that it leaves a little more chew to the meat, but then again I'm in the camp where I don't like mushy ribs. 

i'm with dude..................

 

[chefrob]

I never foil and have never had a complaint...

about yer ribs or in general............

 

[beer-b-q]

Ribs...

 

[sqwib]

Foiled or not, I strongly suggest catching your drippings and add to your finishing sauce.

 

[alelover]

I did some yesterday without foil. They were awesome. Will post the pix later. I foiled before and it's kind of a pain to be wrapping them up when they are hot. Plus the smoker loses heat when I open and close it to do it. Being lazy and all it's less work and I save foil.

 

[sqwib]

I did some yesterday without foil. They were awesome. Will post the pix later. I foiled before and it's kind of a pain to be wrapping them up when they are hot. Plus the smoker loses heat when I open and close it to do it. Being lazy and all it's less work and I save foil.

It is a pain wrapping individually.

I will place a pan under the ribs, catch all the good stuff during the "3" then place the ribs bone side down in the pan and foil the pan for the "2" then uncover for the "1"

One piece of foil needed to cover the pan

 

[notsbbq]

I used to not foil, and I liked them more without the foil.  But my whole family loves the fall off the bone style, so now if I'm cooking for them I'll foil, but if I know I'm gonna be the only one eating them its definitely no foil for the ribs.

 

[i is a moose]

I agree that it's the user's preference, everybody's got their own tastes. I used to foil all my ribs, but I've grown tired of the meat being mushy, or falling off the bones before I'd get a chance to binte in.

I think what clinched it for me was the first bite into crisp bark of the unfoiled ribs: it tasted just like spicy bacon! I was sold right then.

As to the mushy ribs, it's very likely the injection that Wallyworld added to the ribs, or perhaps they'd sat in the cryovac for too long and the wet-aging enzymes broke them down, or they'd been frozen and defrosted multile times. I don't think there was any error on the part of your cooking method.

 

[biaviian]

The trick is to coat the ribs with brown sugar about a half hour before you smoke them. Leave them on the counter so the sugar melts all over the ribs. This is after you have your regular rub on. The brown sugar seems to keep the ribs nice & moist. Learned this from Johnny R. Plus I think I'm just getting lazy in my old age, too much trouble foiling & unfoiling.

That is what I do too.
 

 

[oldschoolbbq]

Yep, as they so eloquently stated,the non-foil method is best (for me and my bunch anyhow).

I feel that foiling has a tendency to over 'soften'  them and make them mushy as you stated.A good Rib, to me is one that a gentle bite and tug to get it off the bone.I also want a Rib that needs NO sauce or condiment('cept maybe a little more of my rub).

I don't make a big thing of saucing anything,it's there for those having no idea of good BBQ!

Now that I've said that... adding something like Chipolte , or smoked salt to enhance the smokeyness, I love the smoke

O.K., hope I have enlightened you somewhat and hope you...            

 

[smokin relaxin steve]

I go both ways (hey now!)...

Many people are sying they become "mushy," but I still get a slight tug when i foil... maybe thats just me... IDK... But either way i do like them prepared either way... just my 2 cents

 

[Bearcarver]

I go both ways (hey now!)...

Many people are sying they become "mushy," but I still get a slight tug when i foil... maybe thats just me... IDK... But either way i do like them prepared either way... just my 2 cents

Me Too!  (not the going both ways----The slight tug with 3-2-1, and never mushy).

Bear