A different foil question
- Thread starter Jeff R
- Start date
Eric Michaud
TVWBB Super Fan
You can foil ribs and still not have them FOB, just don't leave them in too long. I use Kevin Kruger's high heat method.
http://tvwbb.com/eve/forums/a/...570078774#8570078774
If you tent them it will do as you said, protect the color.
http://tvwbb.com/eve/forums/a/...570078774#8570078774
If you tent them it will do as you said, protect the color.
Dave Russell
TVWBB Honor Circle
Jeff, I wouldn't, but that's just my take.
If foiling, try meat side up and very little or no liquid in the foil, tightly sealed with no air pockets to avoid steaming. Check often, especially if cooking HH. No water in the pan if bark is your thing.
If you don't want to foil, try using water in the pan, targeting 250* with fast come up in temp for better texture and steaming. I've been having great results with IBP spares like this with Chris Lilly's rib rub recipes that include decent amounts of brown sugar, but little or no chili powder. I start with boiling water in the pan so I get steam from the get-go, and for some reason or another, the bonus is that it's harder to oversmoke.
Although I rarely foil ribs, I've done it many times. It'll give the most consistent results, and is the only way to go if cooking in dry heat, in my experience, but even with a water smoker you'll get a slab of ribs that isn't marbled enough to stay moist til tenderness. Guess it helps to be observant and flexible, and the thing to know is that serious bbq competitors foil, whether using dry heat or a water smoker.
If foiling, try meat side up and very little or no liquid in the foil, tightly sealed with no air pockets to avoid steaming. Check often, especially if cooking HH. No water in the pan if bark is your thing.
If you don't want to foil, try using water in the pan, targeting 250* with fast come up in temp for better texture and steaming. I've been having great results with IBP spares like this with Chris Lilly's rib rub recipes that include decent amounts of brown sugar, but little or no chili powder. I start with boiling water in the pan so I get steam from the get-go, and for some reason or another, the bonus is that it's harder to oversmoke.
Although I rarely foil ribs, I've done it many times. It'll give the most consistent results, and is the only way to go if cooking in dry heat, in my experience, but even with a water smoker you'll get a slab of ribs that isn't marbled enough to stay moist til tenderness. Guess it helps to be observant and flexible, and the thing to know is that serious bbq competitors foil, whether using dry heat or a water smoker.
Jeff R
TVWBB Pro
Thanks Dave, Have been at this for quite a few years now using various smokers an last year made the switch to Weber. OTS, and now my WSM. Never made a bad rib, just some that were not as good as others.
Competition is where I would like to take this next and looking to refine my methods to step it up from "Backyard" cooking.
Between the two I now have around 7 cooks with no water and temps around 270. For my next cook I am going to try to run around 240 to see how that changes things, and then give water a try, although I hate the thought of that.
Competition is where I would like to take this next and looking to refine my methods to step it up from "Backyard" cooking.
Between the two I now have around 7 cooks with no water and temps around 270. For my next cook I am going to try to run around 240 to see how that changes things, and then give water a try, although I hate the thought of that.
Dave Russell
TVWBB Honor Circle
Jeff, cooking dry OR with moist heat at 240 will indeed help keep the bark from being as crusty as cooking faster, but I'd still insist you need to foil the rib if you're gonna foil the pan for best results...especially if you want to take it to the next level.
Honestly, I really don't understand the aversion to using the water pan as intended. Don't think for a second that all these guys at comps cook in dry heat in their Backwoods and similar cabinet WATER smokers. Folks win big contests on these cookers with water pans, and like I said, they foil as well.
Sure, there are folks that like "crusty" ribs, which you probably need dry heat for. However, "bark" means different things to different people. I've seen some pics of supposedly contest-winning slabs that would make lots of folks say, "Where's the bark?", and my son once told me he didn't like ribs to have bark.
Anyways, sorry for rambling, but from what you've told me so far, I have a feeling you're not in the crusty rib bark camp, anyway. Right?
Honestly, I really don't understand the aversion to using the water pan as intended. Don't think for a second that all these guys at comps cook in dry heat in their Backwoods and similar cabinet WATER smokers. Folks win big contests on these cookers with water pans, and like I said, they foil as well.
Sure, there are folks that like "crusty" ribs, which you probably need dry heat for. However, "bark" means different things to different people. I've seen some pics of supposedly contest-winning slabs that would make lots of folks say, "Where's the bark?", and my son once told me he didn't like ribs to have bark.
Anyways, sorry for rambling, but from what you've told me so far, I have a feeling you're not in the crusty rib bark camp, anyway. Right?
Jeff R
TVWBB Pro
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Honestly, I really don't understand the aversion to using the water pan as intended. Don't think for a second that all these guys at comps cook in dry heat in their Backwoods and similar cabinet WATER smokers. Folks win big contests on these cookers with water pans, and like I said, they foil as well.
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>
The mess of disposing of it and the hassle of refilling it. Can you run overnight on a pan of water? I figured if I could produce just as good without it, then why deal with it. Now I am thinking dry heat is not what I'm after.
Since I now have multiple dry cooks behind me for a consistent bench mark, I am ready to branch out and dry other things to find my "mark".
Next cook without water
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>
The mess of disposing of it and the hassle of refilling it. Can you run overnight on a pan of water? I figured if I could produce just as good without it, then why deal with it. Now I am thinking dry heat is not what I'm after.
Since I now have multiple dry cooks behind me for a consistent bench mark, I am ready to branch out and dry other things to find my "mark".
Next cook without water