Smoked Baby Back Ribs

[trundle888]

Hey guys Im looking for some guidance.
I want to smoke a couple of racks of ribs on my propane BBQ using a little wood chip smoke box i was given as gift.
I want to do dry style rib as I much prefer dry to sauce slathered! 
My basic plan right now is cook them for 2 hours at 225 unwrapped, take them off and wrap them for another 2 hours at 225, after this point I'm not sure what to do. Unwrap and put back on the grill for an hour? On the grill for just a few minutes? What do you guys think?

Also should I be basting them for the first 2 hours? if so what should I use to baste? Should I do anything to them as I wrap them? Do anything to them once unwrapped?

Also am i best using wood chunks or smoke pellets in my smoke box? its about 9" long, 3 1/2" wide and 1 1/2'"deep.

Thank you very much for any help you guys can give
Dave

 

[ashley lynn]

You don't really need to baste them, just let him smoke.. when you foil them add a bit of moisture, beer, apple juice, whatever and that'll keep them moist. Tossing them back on the grill after the first two steps just firms them back up a bit.. ribs are pretty easy and almost always turn out awesome even when you just kinda wing it..

 

[trundle888]

Also I am unsure the best way to set up my BBQ/smoker.
Should I put my smoke box and water pan straight on the burners or on the grill rack above the burner? The back of the burner is the hottest part, am I right to have my smoke box there? Is a single water pan enough, I have space for two if needed. I'm going to have my ribs on the rack on the right hand side, with no heat underneath.

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• trundle888
• Nov 25, 2016

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• trundle888
• Nov 25, 2016

 

[grillmonkey]

You'd probably need your smoker box on the burner to get it to burn, since wood basically has to reach  451 degrees to combust.Some people use a water pan, some don't, but one pan is fine, placed on the grate. If you do 2 hours uncovered, and 2 hours wrapped, then one hour uncovered will firm them up and dry them the way you want them. They say "if you're lookin, you ain't cookin", but during the last hour uncovered, poke them with a toothpick occasionally until they reach the tenderness you desire then remove them. Some people like fall-off-the-bone tender, some like a little tug. Fall off the bone is when your toothpick slides in easily, like poking warm butter.

 

[bluebombersfan]

Sounds like your on the right track,  Once I unfoil ribs I normally just grill them until the are cooked to my liking,  I just like to tighten them back up plus add a bit of a char to them.  As for your set up it looks good as well, but also you are going to have to tinker with until is works as you like.  With the smoker box just make sure you don't get too much smoke,  once it starts smoking a bit you may want to move it away from the direct heat.  The key is thin blue smoke, not big white clouds.  Hope this helps.  Good luck!!

Brian

 

[trundle888]

Thanks guys.
Should I baste or spritz, apply any more rub as they are cooking? Add spritz juice to the foil and more rub? Once unfoiled kept the heat about 225 but grill them above direct heat, would an hour like this not be too long?
Thanks again

 

[grillmonkey]

Thanks guys.
Should I baste or spritz, apply any more rub as they are cooking? Add spritz juice to the foil and more rub? Once unfoiled kept the heat about 225 but grill them above direct heat, would an hour like this not be too long?
Thanks again

I'd spritz w/apple cider vinegar when foiling. No direct heat. Keep checking the last hour until they are the texture you want.

 

[trundle888]

No spritz or additional rub during the first 2 hours? I read somewhere spritz, after the first hour every 15 minutes when turning. Use apple cider vinegar with some rub whisked into it.
There are so many things to read but most contradict each other and I have no idea what to do! Lol

 

[wild west]

Yes it's confusing because everyone has a little different method. There is no right or wrong way only what works best for you. For instance I cook ribs at 275 and don't wrap just brush on a glaze when they are getting close to finished

 

[trundle888]

It's time!!
Let's get these ribs going!

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• trundle888
• Nov 26, 2016

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• trundle888
• Nov 26, 2016

 

[trundle888]

225 for 2 hours, let's wrap these bad boys!

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• trundle888
• Nov 26, 2016

 

[mike5051]

lookin good!

 

[trundle888]

Out of the foil and firming up

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• trundle888
• Nov 26, 2016

 

[wild west]

Ok I'm guessing they were great

 

[trundle888]

Yes they were!
Had them on for another 45 minutes once out of the foil.
Very happy with how they turned out and wasn't actually that much work, just quite long.

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• trundle888
• Nov 26, 2016

Even had a nice little smoke ring.

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• trundle888
• Nov 26, 2016

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• trundle888
• Nov 26, 2016

Thanks to everyone who helped out with advice!!

 

[mike5051]

Ribs look great!  

My babybacks smoke for 4-5 hrs without wrapping.  They are worth the wait.

Mike

 

[trundle888]

So just 4-5 hours at 225 turning every 30 minutes?

 

[mike5051]

I rub them and put them on the smoker keeping it between 225 and 250.  I don't open the smoker for 4 hrs.  Then I check them and add sauce if desired.  Another 30 minutes to an hour and off they come.  My lady likes sauce and fall off the bone so hers go the full 5 hours.  I usually pull my rack off at 4.5 hrs no sauce.  Super easy to smoke some amazing ribs.

Mike

 

[bluebombersfan]

Hey looks like they turned out pretty good!!!!

 

[redheelerdog]

Ribs look good - Looks like you did a 2-2-1  Nice