St Louis 3 2 1

[jcboxlot]

St Louis 3 - 2 - 1

I had time so I tried this today.    I think it held in the moisture more than letting it rip for 5 hours on their own.  Plus the bone pulled back a bit more.  Leftovers will be wonderful !

Odd,  one 1/2 pulled the bone back the other barely did?  I did use 2 racks on the #2, they were a tad wide for one rack.



225 degrees, cherry wood, one small chunk

Meaty St Louis Smithfield rack (big boned!)

3 hours on rack

2 in foil with a tad bit of juice

1 on rack with sauce



http://spiceologist.com/  Cowboy dust on one, nice coffee flavor with a hint of heat!

https://www.oakridgebbq.com/?product=dominator-sweet-rib-rub on another.


Both I would use again.  The one with coffee did get a darker bark.

FYI, insane in the membrane, I hate pulling those off! 

 

[DivotMaker]

Well, they look great, John!  Pull back or not!

 

[Grampy]

John, whenever I do baby backs I always use the 5 hour no peek rule. However, I have been experimenting with St. Louis cut spare ribs and have come to the same conclusion as you. I find the spare ribs a little too dry for my taste with the no peek method so I have started cooking my St. Louis cut spare ribs more of a 3-1-1 or even a 3-1-1/2. For me, 2 hours wrapped in foil is too much in the 3-2-1 method. I think it changes the texture and makes the meat too mushy for my taste so I have adapted to the 3-1-1 for St. Louis cut spare ribs only. I know others will argue that it isn't necessary blah, blah, blah but that is what is so great about bbq. Everyone has their own way that they like and works for them so there really is no right or wrong way if that's what you like.

 

[jcboxlot]

This was my 1st go at foil, I think 3 - 2 - 2 and they still would have been moist!  Each cut is different, I know these wally world smithfields were infected too.  Butcher shop cuts will be quicker guaranteed as not water fed. 



I did 225 deg

 

[elkins20]

I was getting mine at Sam's but the last ones I purchased at Restaurant Depot. All of mine come out really moist. The 1st ones I did in the #1 I did not pull the membrane off and they were oily. Now I pull the membrane off, let them go for about 4 1/2 to 5 hrs. Pull and rest in the cooler for about an hour or how ever long can hold the family off.

 

[DivotMaker]

Everyone has their own way that they like and works for them so there really is no right or wrong way if that's what you like.

+1!  I don't really do enough spares to have a good opinion on this, but you're absolutely right, Jimmy!

 

[SuperDave]

Another great example of how everyone's tastes are different.  I always wrap my baby backs but like a little more tug on my spares so I'll leave them no peek more often. 

 

[allmann]

Im doing spares now and was struggling with whether to do 321 or just no peak.  I think I am sticking with the no peak for my first go around.

 

[Grampy]

Allmann, do it no peek this time and try the 3-2-1 next time and decide what you like better. It's all about experimenting until you find what you like the best.

 

[allmann]

I will thank you.  The smoke stopped coming out of the top at the 2:15 mark. Is this normal?

 

[SuperDave]

I will thank you.  The smoke stopped coming out of the top at the 2:15 mark. Is this normal?

No, you got a very long smoke period at 2:15.  I don't think I've ever gotten close to 2:00. 

 

[CUTiger80]

The original subject of this post was a comment about St Louis style, but there have been several other comments about baby back, so I'll jump in here with my BB question.
I have not done BB in my SI#2 before, just St Louis, but will be doing some this weekend.  I was going to do the wrap method (2-2-1) since I have determined that my family seems to like this best for the St Louis style (3-2-1).  (I probably should throw in here that we like juicy, fall-off-the-bone ribs.)  I have seen several say that they like the BB better using the "no-peek" & St Louis better 3-2-1, so now I'm not sure what I'm going to try.
So, my first (maybe dumb) question is if the BB is more meaty, why is the cook time for the first step 1 hour less?  Is it possibly due to the extra "non-meat" stuff that is in the spares that take longer to break down?
Second, I have seen various opinions on removing the membrane or not.  (I always have.)  What is you guys opinion on this?  Both "camps" seem to make somewhat logical pitches.

 

[SuperDave]

Ravel, regarding your first question, I always go 3 hours on the front end regardless to give the amount of smoke I want and take my hour off the middle or back end.  The hour less is as you describe, the meat is tougher on a spare and takes longer to breakdown.

Regarding membrane, some people say that they either like the taste or think it holds in some moisture.  That's a BS flag for me as us non membrane guys get plenty moist ribs without it and don't have to bother spitting out the cellophane skin.

 

[CUTiger80]

Thanks Dave for the comments.
I think I will stick with removing the membrane.
Since I'm not going to eat these right away, I may take your suggestion and do 3 hours up front & then 2 hours wrapped.  Capture the juices when I unwrap them and then cut them, let them cool and vacuum seal them.  Then when I go to eat them, I'll re-heat in the oven with the juices under them in a pan and let that be the last step.

 

[Grampy]

Ravel, first if you like juicy fall off the bone ribs then 2-2-1 or some variation like a 3-1-1 as Dave suggested is definitely the way to go. Second, remove the membrane.

 

[DivotMaker]

Ravel,

Dave's definitely right about the membrane!  I believe anyone who advocates keeping it on has either a) never had ribs without it, or b) doesn't know how to remove it, so they say it's better to keep it on.  lol!

As for foil - I am firmly in Pork Belly's camp on this question - foil is for the bottom of the smoker, and wrapping smoked meat in to rest.  All that opening, foiling, blah, blah, blah, just doesn't fit my Lazy Q lifestyle, and I NEVER have dry meat!

 

[jcboxlot]

FYI, much better grilled and lightly darkened day after on the gasser. 

Must be something with the fat and gelling overnight and releasing again.

 

[allmann]

so you guys smoke the ribs let them cool and vacuum seal them for another date?  How do you heat them back up and do you sauce in the original cooking?

 

[jcboxlot]

Slow low heat grill, or water in pan in an oven.

 

[DivotMaker]

so you guys smoke the ribs let them cool and vacuum seal them for another date?  How do you heat them back up and do you sauce in the original cooking?

I put about 1/4" of apple juice in the bottom of a big crock pot, stand the thawed 1/2 racks on edge to fill the inside, and heat them on low for a few hours.  Juicy and moist, and taste like the day you smoked them!