Baby Backs - To Foil or Not To Foil

[anesdoc]

I smoked my first set of baby back ribs in the SI3.  I am trying to convert to the Lazy Q way but I couldn't resist experimenting.  The ribs on top (3:2:1) were wrapped in foil with 6 oz apple juice after 3 hrs and sauced 2 hrs later/rewrapped for the final hour.  The ribs on the bottom (5:1) were sauced at 5hrs and left another hour.  235 degrees, both 6 hrs, 3.5 oz cherry. 

The results:  Lazy Q ribs - the bark and its flavor was excellent, meat came off the bone with a good tug, not dry but not as juicy as I would have liked.  Wrapped ribs - the meat was tender, juicy, and fall off the bone, but the bark got watered down and lost a lot of its flavor.

How can I get the ribs as juicy as the wrapped ribs without losing the crisp bark and flavor of the Lazy Q?

 

[SuperDave]

Pull the juiced ribs sooner.  Sprinkle with some more rub and do a hot sear on the grill to finish.

 

[elkins20]

Hey TJ, I smoke my ribs at 235, do the prep. the night before or morning of the smoke. By, pulling the membrane off, coating with yellow mustard and then my rub on both sides. Then wrap in plastic wrap and into the fridge. I will use a mixture of oak and maple wood about 2 oz of each. I put in the smoker and let them go for 4.5 hrs. I then pull them and add sauce and back in the smoker for 30min. I check for doneness using a tooth pick between the bones. If it goes in like a knife in warm butter and you can pull the meat up and down without breaking then they are done. If not do additional 30min. until the ribs are done. Mine come out very juicy and with a good bark. You can also fire up the charcoil grill and do a reverse sear if you want a crisp bark.

 

[anesdoc]

Pull the juiced ribs sooner.  Sprinkle with some more rub and do a hot sear on the grill to finish.

I put in the smoker and let them go for 4.5 hrs. I then pull them and add sauce and back in the smoker for 30min.

So I will continue the experimenting by pulling both racks sooner at 4.5 hrs, sauce the Lazy Q ribs and back for 30min, meanwhile apply more rub and sear the wrapped ribs on the grill.  Sounds like a plan!

 

[gregbooras]

You might also wrap them in butcher paper, it will allow the ribs to continue to breath.

Greg

 

[jcboxlot]

The grill idea would work, but its an extra step.

Try 4 - 1 - 1.  Only wrap for an hour.

Try adding coffee to your rub for a darker bark, which might hold up better in the foil.

lots of options, but those ribs look delish!

 

[DivotMaker]

TJ, did you have a water/juice pan on the floor of the smoker?  Also, next time (if you do them side-by-side again), put the unwrapped ribs up top, with the foiled ribs below.  Personally, I never have dry ribs using the no-peeky method, but I keep them high in the smoker, and always use a water pan.

 

[anesdoc]

TJ, did you have a water/juice pan on the floor of the smoker?  Also, next time (if you do them side-by-side again), put the unwrapped ribs up top, with the foiled ribs below.  Personally, I never have dry ribs using the no-peeky method, but I keep them high in the smoker, and always use a water pan.

Tony, I had a loaf pan filled 3/4 with water on the bottom and both racks of ribs were on the top shelf.  The Lazy Q wasn't dry, but it clearly was not as juicy as the wrapped ribs.  Some people like the tug to get the meat off the bones, but I like it when it comes off the bone cleanly (when I want it to and not before).

I have planned to pull the next set earlier (just in case the Lazy Q  was overcooked) but then again, the meat did not pull back from the bones as much on the Lazy Q compared to the wrapped.

 

[elkins20]

Good luck TJ with your experimenting on the ribs, looking forward to more pictures.

 

[gregbooras]

TJ,

If you are up to the challenge (three tests at once) don't wrap a set of ribs, wrap on in foil and one in butcher paper (non coated).

Greg

 

[Bebe]

i did try butcher paper, it came out pretty good! The bark was actually dry and did not lose any smoke flavor, not soft/mushy how foil does, but the ribs were not fall of the bone and not as juicy.
For me, paper is the way to go, quite happy with the results.
For butts i always use paper...

 

[DivotMaker]

Sounds like you have a handle on what you're trying to accomplish, T.J.!  Good luck with the experimentations!

 

[anesdoc]

Got to work on the next set.  2 baby backs with mustard as binder and Myron Mixon's basic rub recipe.

I planned to decrease cooking time for both racks to 5 hours total.  The Lazy Q ribs for 4.5 hrs at 235, then sauce and 30 more min.  The foil rack was going to follow a 3.5-1-0.5 application (wrapped time decreased to one hour).

 

[anesdoc]

I didn't have butcher paper, but I was tempted to try the reverse sear technique on the wrapped ribs.  After 235 for 3.5 hrs, I wrapped in foil with apple juice and returned to the smoker.  After 1 hr back in the smoker, I cut half of the rack to be seared on the grill after applying some additional rub, and sauced the other half/rewrapped and returned it to the smoker for the last 30 min.

 

[anesdoc]

The results:
Top Left:  wrapped in foil following 3.5-1-0.5.  Again, tender, juicy, fall off the bone.  More flavor to bark than compared to the previous 2 hr wrapped in foil, but flavor still seemed watered down.
Top Right:  wrapped in foil following 3.5-1, but seared on grill after reapplying some rub, sauce applied while on grill.  Tons of flavor, bark crisp, but lost some of the juiciness of the wrapped only method.
Bottom:  Lazy Q (4.5-0.5) 4.5 hr at 235, sauced then 30 more min.  Great bark, lots of flavor, and this time a lot juicier than 5-1 from last trial.

Given that the Lazy Q turned out juicier than before, I believe the no-peek method outshined the foiling method this round.  The reverse seared/foiled method was a pleasant surprise - and I suppose I could cut down on the cooking time before wrapping so the ribs stay juicier during the searing, but I don't see the value of all the extra steps when the family was so pleased with the Lazy Q. 

I feel ready to cook baby backs for company.  Thanks guys for all the suggestions; this forum rocks!

 

[elkins20]

The ribs look really good.

 

[DivotMaker]

Ha!  Glad the Lazy Q worked for you, TJ!  I still love it best.  All that foiling/unfoiling/spritzing/grilling/wrapping/etc....  WAY too much work for me, and my results are loved by all! ;D ;D

 

[SconnieQ]

If you want to do all that fussing, I have an old smoker I could sell you...

 

[anesdoc]

The ribs look really good.

Thanks, Bill. I ended up liking your method for the baby backs the most and the family was quite pleased with the results.

I have DM's Brined Pork Butt in my sights for the next project!

 

[DivotMaker]

Good luck with the brined butt, TJ!  I think you'll be pleased.