Red's Ribs! A Simple, Single Rack of Baby Backs

[seenred]

also like you, we gotta make the ladies happy and Tracy prefers FOTB.

Yes Sir...that's what's most important to me!

I lose that one every time

Yeah I don't even try to win that argument...ya gotta pick your battles LOL!

That's quite an honor and much deserved sir.

Robert

I'm not sure how deserved it is...but thank you for that Robert!

Red

 

[Buckeyedude]

Happy wife, happy life! Great looking meal! Id smash the whole rack and a big ol plate of that corn salad!

 

[seenred]

Happy wife, happy life! Great looking meal! Id smash the whole rack and a big ol plate of that corn salad!

You’re right about a happy wife…Thanks man!

Red

 

[civilsmoker]

Happy wife happy life, if I can echo that......and those look very tasty for FOTB!

If I have FOTB peps for dinner I do sections vs whole and then put "mine" on later and then it's a Zen world....LOL

 

[Retired Spook]

Those ribs look great! I totally destroyed a rack of baby back's yesterday - I have just never had any luck with baby backs... Next time, I going to wrap them in foil according to this recipe.

 

[pc farmer]

Yup. They look awesome,Red. I actually like ribs both ways, rib meat is rib meat.

 

[seenred]

If I have FOTB peps for dinner I do sections vs whole and then put "mine" on later and then it's a Zen world....LOL

Say now…that’s not a bad idea right there! Good thinkin’!!

Those ribs look great! I totally destroyed a rack of baby back's yesterday - I have just never had any luck with baby backs... Next time, I going to wrap them in foil according to this recipe.

Give it a try, and let us know if your results are better!

Yup. They look awesome,Red. I actually like ribs both ways, rib meat is rib meat.

Thanks Adam! While I prefer firmer ribs, I really don’t mind FOTB…as long as the flavor’s there and they haven’t been cooked to absolute mush.

Red

 

[DRKsmoking]

great looking ribs red. I would have no problem with that for sure.

Any ribs, any way, any time. But that's just me , lol

David

 

[seenred]

great looking ribs red. I would have no problem with that for sure.

Any ribs, any way, any time. But that's just me , lol

David

Thanks David...agreed!

Red

 

[Retired Spook]

Hate to veer off topic a bit but I've never been able to get baby backs to come out good - there was a restaurant in AZ called Charleston's - no idea how they cooked their baby backs but they were fricken awesome and yep, they were fall off the bone but not nasty fall off the bone.

Last rack I smoked 225-250 for 6-hours and they were getting to the point where they were over-smoked, but never got tender. This after reading elsewhere that I should not wrap in foil...

When I tasted them the mead did, in fact, come off the bone, but they were not tender like they needed to cook even longer - that would have been far too much smoke for me.

I guess I am going to try the 3-(wrap & check with a toothpick)-1 method and see what happens.

Frustrating.

Here they are when I pulled them off - they just looked like they were starting to char up to my eyes...

I welcome any expert advice!

 

[seenred]

Hate to veer off topic a bit but I've never been able to get baby backs to come out good - there was a restaurant in AZ called Charleston's - no idea how they cooked their baby backs but they were fricken awesome and yep, they were fall off the bone but not nasty fall off the bone.

Last rack I smoked 225-250 for 6-hours and they were getting to the point where they were over-smoked, but never got tender. This after reading elsewhere that I should not wrap in foil...

When I tasted them the mead did, in fact, come off the bone, but they were not tender like they needed to cook even longer - that would have been far too much smoke for me.

I guess I am going to try the 3-(wrap & check with a toothpick)-1 method and see what happens.

Frustrating.

Here they are when I pulled them off - they just looked like they were starting to char up to my eyes...
View attachment 660458

I welcome any expert advice!

This definitely sounds to me like you'll be happier with foiled baby backs. If I'm understanding everything you don't like about your BBs, they just aren't as tender as you'd like without over smoking them?

If that's the case, the foil for the last hour or hour and a half should produce a rack that's more to your liking. My only caution would be to make sure you don't leave 'em in the foil too long...overdo it and they'll get mushy.

Red

 

[Retired Spook]

This definitely sounds to me like you'll be happier with foiled baby backs. If I'm understanding everything you don't like about your BBs, they just aren't as tender as you'd like without over smoking them?

If that's the case, the foil for the last hour or hour and a half should produce a rack that's more to your liking. My only caution would be to make sure you don't leave 'em in the foil too long...overdo it and they'll get mushy.

Red

Thank you Red - I do not like mushy, for sure - I just been following advise that says no need to foil wrap, but the only ribs I am successful at with no foil are either St Louis or regular old spare ribs with all the extra delicious meat left on.

I keep trying baby backs because of the memory of them in the restaurant I mentioned - they were very good - I have never even come close!

I will give a try with your advice and see what happens.

 

[seenred]

I just been following advise that says no need to foil wrap

Everyone has their own taste. What works for one guy might not produce acceptable results for the next guy. I always recommend trying multiple recipes and methods until a person finds what suits them best. My bet is, the guys who advise no-foil methods are guys who don't like FOTB ribs. They probably prefer a heavier bark, more tug, and a smokier, firmer rib. Once you find the method that produces a result you like, you'll be able to replicate it every time!

And half the fun is experimenting!
Red

 

[civilsmoker]

Everyone has their own taste. What works for one guy might not produce acceptable results for the next guy. I always recommend trying multiple recipes and methods until a person finds what suits them best. My bet is, the guys who advise no-foil methods are guys who don't like FOTB ribs. They probably prefer a heavier bark, more tug, and a smokier, firmer rib. Once you find the method that produces a result you like, you'll be able to replicate it every time!

And half the fun is experimenting!
Red

This why we are all addicted to smoking meat.... We get to experiment to what we like and get to have what we like!

My new favorite way to do BB is.....trim all the loin meat off, cut in 4 bone sections (I trim the "pinky" ones) then - 3 hours @ 235, (INT about 195) then glaze, 30 more minutes to set the glaze (a rub based mop - chicken broth, butter, rub), then glaze/mop again, and then wrap and hold in the house oven for 30-40 minutes @ 170... This give a "bit through" like comp chicken but it stays on the bone....If FOTB is desired then I keep them at 235 for an additional 30-40 min wrapped (ie INT of 203-205), then in the oven to rest at 170 as above.