Poll: Foil vs. No foil

[SmokinAl]

I have found that most of the folks here prefer some pull to their ribs. However, many of the people that you smoke for prefer fall off the bone ribs, my wife & friends included. So my questions are: Do you foil your ribs? Do you stick to the 3-2-1, 2-2-1 or do you modify it? If you modify it, do you do it to please your family & friends, or for your own taste?

 

[rbranstner]

I stick true to the 2-2-1 and that's how we like them. With my spares I still do pretty close to a 2-2-1 because I always St. Louis style them so they are much smaller then if you leave the rack hole. I like them with just a little bit of tug but still nice and tender and almost fall off the bone. But when I do a rack of ribs I have to cut the rack in half so that I can do one My way and one the Wife's way. I foil both set of ribs but to my foil I add brown sugar, butter, honey and some times tiger sauce but in my wife's foil I just add some liquid like apple juice or any soda I have on hand because she doesn't like how sweet they get with the Johnny Trigg method.

 

[fpnmf]

I stick with the 3-2-1 & 2-2-1.

 Works perfect for us.

 Have a great day!

  Craig

 

[jirodriguez]

I used to foil, but now I don't. I just cook at a lower temp. and let it ride.

 

[les3176]

For myself and the wife on bb's i do a modified 2-2-1,i go 2-1.5 foil-1.5 but we like a heavier smoke,with more bark rib.I do mop and add liquid to the foil,then for the final 1.5 i may only mop once.Seems to work out good for me.When i cook for other people i do usually stick with the 3-2-1 or the 2-2-1.That is a tried and true formula. Of course as of late i have been changing up  some of the liquid i add to the foil,trying honey,butter,soda..the last ribs i did a 2-1.5-55min that made for a very tender juicy rib that had a small tug when bit,very good rib.I also do a eye check of pull back of the bones and the bend test.

 

[rdknb]

I stick to the 221 or 321 and foil ribs, I do not foil pp though

 

[caveman]

I used to foil but not anymore.  For my spares I go just under 5 hours as we don't like them to fall off of the bone.  For my BB's I go just under 4 hours.  There was a debate around here one day about foiling being another method of steaming your ribs but I did not get involved.  It is true that foiling will soften up your meat but we like a little tug opposed to falling off of the bone.  

 

[hbark]

For babybacks, I put the rub on the night before, and smoke 'em for about 6 hours, no foil.  Keep the temp around 220.  Spray 'em with apple juice just a few times.

 

[boykjo]

For babybacks, I put the rub on the night before, and smoke 'em for about 6 hours, no foil.  Keep the temp around 220.  Spray 'em with apple juice just a few times.

ditto........................................................................ I do add a water pan for moisture.         John henrys pecan rub from texas and finish up with curley's famous hickory bbq sauce from kansas.... = competition ribs

 

[westby]

I used to foil but not anymore.  For my spares I go just under 5 hours as we don't like them to fall off of the bone.  For my BB's I go just under 4 hours.  There was a debate around here one day about foiling being another method of steaming your ribs but I did not get involved.  It is true that foiling will soften up your meat but we like a little tug opposed to falling off of the bone.  

I prefer a tug to them also and do the same.  4 hours, no foil, temp between 215 and 225 - may take the heat up the last half hour if I think they need it.  I've never had a problem with them being dry.

 

[Dutch]

I'm in the same camp as Caveman and westby-No foil here. I used to do the 3-2-1 and 2-2-1 for spares and babybacks but I haven't since I got the Lang. Family says they like the texture better of the rib I now vs when I did the foil thing.

YMMV.

 

[smokermark]

Foil at two hours with juice mixture for 1-1.5 hrs. Cooked an additional 2-3 hours. Sauced twice in last 40-45 minutes then foiled again before resting. 225-235 deg. range throughout most of cook, slightly lower heat while foiled.

Baby backs usually taking about five hours total, spares upward toward six and longer time first foil or depending on size of ribs. This is about what's worked best for me thus far and I continue to play with it a little. I like to foil but find that I probably cook foiled less time than most otherwise they get more done than I  prefer. And I like to foil again for resting or for storage.

 

[TulsaJeff]

It really depends on my mood.. some days I will just pop them in the smoker and let'em ride while other days, I'm doing a 2-2-1 or 3-21 or some modification of that. Of course I'm the same with with music.. some days it's oldies rock, then I have country days and then there's the days I just want some nice classical piano..

If nothing else.. it keeps my wife guessing

 

[nwdave]

It really depends on my mood.. some days I will just pop them in the smoker and let'em ride while other days, I'm doing a 2-2-1 or 3-21 or some modification of that. Of course I'm the same with with music.. some days it's oldies rock, then I have country days and then there's the days I just want some nice classical piano..

If nothing else.. it keeps my wife guessing

A true eclectic.  Toss in some Celtic music and she'll really be confused.  Tried all those fancy timing methods but if you're juggling several meats, gettin' the rest of the fixin's ready for the company coming, well, it's hard to keep track.  Nobodies complained yet, except for saying there wasn't enough for taking home.  I'm sure that it's important that there's just the right "tug", looseness, fall-off-bones, just the right kick, whatever, but I shoot for the down-home mouthful of good tasting food.  My problem is sorting through all the fine recipes and techniques found on this site to decide what the next family gathering menu will consist of.  And then of course, there's all those in-between meals.   And then the practicing and working out all the steps and worst yet, there's only the two of us, now the kids are grown and out there making their own way in life.  The only time I foil is when I'm holding some meat over in the "towel lined cooler trick". 

 

[rp ribking]

I never foil anything on the smoker or finish anything in the oven.

 

[njsmoker83]

Sorry to bring up an old post but I'm going to do another experiment on Sunday half 2-2-1 and half no foil.  Ill post pics and my taste review.

 

[oldschoolbbq]

Nope,no foil. Only thig I get from wrapping is Braised meat with no bark. I cook for me, and if you don't like it,go do your own

. I have no complaints and lots of return request. I didn't before I started this forum and thought,"They might have something there",but the bark, color, and consistency was off for me and I went back to no foil; I don't compete, so I don't need a special way,if it ain't broke,don't fix it

.

That is right after lift test

.

 

[raymo76]

I have never foiled anything, although I think the next time I do some ribs I will foil, my wife wants the fall off the bone.

 

[michael ark]

Don't foil never had the need to

and the battle rages on.

 

[solaryellow]

Foil was helpful when I didn't know any better. Now, I only use foil when I am tossing a cooked piece of meat in the cooler to wait for whichever meal we are about to have or if things are going too slow.