I tried No foiling this afternoon....

[old poi dog]

After reading all the threads on foiling/no foiling I decided to give no foiling a try.
Here's the ribs all rubbed and ready for the smoker:

Here's the GOSM unit that got me started and eventually led me to SMF:

Ribs in the smoker:

I hope you can see the bit of pullback on the ribs. At this point I started spritzing with apple juice every hour until it was time to pull from the smoker:

Here's the end product.


I'm going to try it a few more times before I decide which is my preference: foil or no foil.

Thanks for looking :>)

 

[gnubee]

Very Nice looking ribs. I am still torn between smoke them all the way or foil part way.

What was the temp throughout?

I usually mix 1/3 dark or spiced rum and 2/3 apple juice and spritz twice. I tried Jack Danials and apple juice but didn't like it. Not a burbon fan I guess.

Do you rub the meat with mustard then apply rub or just the rub alone?

My favorite method so far, I'm still trying things out, is to spritz the raw ribs with worchestershire sauce and then apply rub. Then when the pull back occurs Spritz with the rum and juice.

I find I like a bit of mesquite at first then after 2 hours I switched to apple wood. Mesquite all the way seems a bit too strong to me.

Thanks for the nice qview.

 

[old poi dog]

GnuBee, The temps were always between 230 and 240. I just rubbed it with the rub that I usually use. I spritzed it with apple juice. For pork ribs I kinda like hickory over mesquite. We have a lot of Mesquite here (Kiawe) and I'm still working on how to use it to smoke meats. For grilling though, Kiawe is my preferred wood.

 

[jamesb]

Ribs look good enough to eat! I never foil ribs... until they come off the pit if they need to be held for a bit.

 

[cman95]

Looks good enough to eat!!!

 

[bassman]

Just my two cents worth, but I found it a bit of a pain to foil every time. You can get them just as done as you want without, you're just not braising them. May take a little longer to cook.

 

[noobsmoke]

For those of you who do foil your ribs, do you do it meat down or meat up? I didn't have any spritz this weekend and did the 2-2-1 method on some baby backs and they came out a bit tough on the meaty side. I did them meat up for 2 hrs, then meat down in foil for 2, then 1 uncovered. I am beginning to think that meat up is the way to go, and only do meat down if you have a spritz so they can braise.

 

[killbuck]

I do mine meat up all the way through. I use 3-1.5-1 time at as close to 240 as I keep it. Never had any complaints. Yesterday I thought I had a can of apple juice to spritz with but it turned out to ba a can of Pineapple juice....so I cheated and used it. Turned out pretty darn good infact. Dogs were mad at me tho, all that was left were the bones.

 

[noobsmoke]

How often do you guys spritz? I know you shouldn't spritz too early to avoid spraying off the rub, and not too often because peeking isn't good. I usually do about once per hour.

As for meat up/down, I usually do meat down during the foiling portion and add some apple juice so that the meat can braise in the liquid. I figure if you do meat up at this point, it wouldn't be the same. Thoughts?

 

[chisoxjim]

I don't start spritzing until I am an hour and a half - 2 hours in(like you mentioned dont want to wash the rub off). Then every hour after that.

I have done the foil method a couple times, and I find those ribs a little less smokey, a little more tender(less tug, and closer to falling off the bone). I put my ribs meat up in the foil.

2 weekends ago I did 2 slabs, one foiled, and one not for the same cook time 5 hours(2-2-1 for the foiled). And the wrapped ribs were the pick for the better rib.

So now I am undecided on what I want to do for the 5 slabs I am doing this weekend. May 3 unwrapped and 2 wrapped for comparison again.

 

[the dude abides]

You know, I have to be honest here. I think you're doing an awful job with these and a real disservice to the entire smoking meat community. To rectify the situation and help you to save what you can of your culinary future I will propose the following.

You fly me to Maui, put me up in a posh hotel right on the beach, and smoke various meats for me every day. I in turn will do my best to give you credit for your work and all the emotional support you may need.

Just messing with you. Great looking smoke! Congratulations.

 

[gnubee]

Ribs I always do Meat up if I am not using a rack. Reason is because meat down they are cup shaped and the fat collects in the depression and just lays there instead of dripping off.

 

[noobsmoke]

Good point Gnubee.

 

[rivet]

Beautiful looking ribs, Old Poi. Very nicely done and I'm sure they tasted great!

 

[jaye220]

Welcome to the world on no-foil. Those ribs look really great. I know you want to keep us in suspense but what's the early opinion: did you like them like that?

 

[suprfast]

I used to do my ribs with no foil until one day i decided to foil. The ribs without foil always came out a tad more dry and tougher. The ribs foiled tend to FALL APART(which isnt always a good thing, as im a savage and like to rip the meat off the bone). I smoke them for a little less time when foiled and then sauce them for the last hour. I guess i use something like a 2.5-1-1 method. I truely love the ribs now. beef, pork, you know it. Ill eat human ribs if they taste this good.

 

[pignit]

I've done mine both ways and like it both ways. I seem to always foil too long and the meat is just falling apart so I tend to just do the no foil thing. I only spritz when I have to open the smoker anyway. Try cherry juice for a change. It's really good.

 

[pinkmeat]

Personally I want to see a pig cooking in the sand on the beach, but nice ribs ;)

 

[rvrivalkc]

Has anyone use the cooking(roasting bags) like for turkeys to put ribs in with liquid instead of foil?

Seems that everytime I foil, I end up with a leak.

 

[jamesb]

Some would consider the juice collection a benefit. I know that some preach meat side down just because of this...

I normally do mine bone side down though.