Baby backs in packages of three ?


 

Lynn Dollar

TVWBB Emerald Member
I'm wanting to smoke one rack of baby backs on my Master Touch Kettle. And use this new air intake feature that allows for cutting back air flow. I wanna put about 20 coals in each basket on both sides of the Kettle, and lay the rib rack down the middle. Then use the reduced air flow setting.

But the problem with baby backs is they come in a package of three. I can find singles at the local grocer, but they're enhanced. And I've found the best baby backs in those three paks.

So what to do with the other two racks ?

Cutting them in half and food saving them seems the logical choice, but I'm not sure how they will cook when thawed. I can't logically see it making a diff, but when it comes to barbecue, ya never know.

Or how bout food saving the entire rack ?
 
I've foodsavered beef ribs before and they came out just fine. I guess another option would be to cook all three, but pull the ones you don't plan to eat in the next few days a little early. Then food saver them and freeze. When you're ready to eat, just thaw and reheat on the grill.
 
It's not uncommon for ribs to be frozen in transport, so while maybe not ideal it's not the end of the world to freeze. Yes, vacuum seal them whole or halved. Sharp bones can puncture bags, place a folded paper towel or plastic wrap over bone ends before sealing to prevent this.

Give Sprouts Farmers Market in OKC a call, they may have individual racks of ribs that aren't enhance.
 
Since it’s only the wife and me, I usually smoke up all 3 racks, have one rack for dinner, cut the other two in half and put in foodsaver bags (with Chris’s paper towel advice). When ready to eat, pull out of the freezer and drop in a pan of simmering water for 15 min.
 
I buy the 3 packs, cutting 2 in half and freezing in freezer bags as I have no vac sealer. If there's a difference I can't tell, not that it sits in the freezer long.
 
It's not uncommon for ribs to be frozen in transport, so while maybe not ideal it's not the end of the world to freeze. Yes, vacuum seal them whole or halved. Sharp bones can puncture bags, place a folded paper towel or plastic wrap over bone ends before sealing to prevent this.

Give Sprouts Farmers Market in OKC a call, they may have individual racks of ribs that aren't enhance.

There's a new Sprouts just down the way from me. And I've not been there yet. I never thought about them for meats.
 
I buy the 3 pack from Costco we do 1 and 1/2 racks and I vac seal the rest never noticed any difference in taste when doing them down the road after freezing them. I have not had a bag puncture from the bones but I am certainly going to use Chris's method next time to be safe.
 
Same as Brian, three pack from Costco cook one freeze the other two. Never noticed any difference when defrosted and cooked from the first one.
 
There is just the two of us since the kids left. I always buy a three pack from Costco,
I want my ribs cooked exactly the same from one end to the other. I can do this by using two rib racks, cut each rack of ribs in two and put three half racks of ribs on each grate of my WSM’s.

Then, all left over ribs are vacuum packed and frozen. When needed they are thawed, and reheated in the oven or on the grill and they are as good as fresh smoked.
 
I'm wanting to smoke one rack of baby backs on my Master Touch Kettle. And use this new air intake feature that allows for cutting back air flow. I wanna put about 20 coals in each basket on both sides of the Kettle, and lay the rib rack down the middle. Then use the reduced air flow setting.

But the problem with baby backs is they come in a package of three. I can find singles at the local grocer, but they're enhanced. And I've found the best baby backs in those three paks.

So what to do with the other two racks ?

Cutting them in half and food saving them seems the logical choice, but I'm not sure how they will cook when thawed. I can't logically see it making a diff, but when it comes to barbecue, ya never know.

Or how bout food saving the entire rack ?

Lynn,
What method are you using for the cook with 30 coals on each side? Replenish with lit coals after first are done burning?
Thanks,
 
Lynn,
What method are you using for the cook with 30 coals on each side? Replenish with lit coals after first are done burning?
Thanks,

Its just indirect cooking and balancing the coals side to side. 20 or 25 per side will give ya a couple hours of consistent temps, or maybe more. Years ago, I did yardbird indirect in this manner.

I've been doing high heat baby backs by stacking a chimney of coals to one side, which a chimney is maybe 50 to 70 coals, roughly. And on my 26, I use the baskets to either side with 25 coals to a side, and I put three slabs in a rib rack down the middle. There's pro's and con's to this method.

But my new Master Touch has a refinement to the air intake, and I'm curious as to what kind of temps it will run. Here's Cooking With Ry explaining , the vid should start at the 3:30 mark

 
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I'm wanting to smoke one rack of baby backs on my Master Touch Kettle. And use this new air intake feature that allows for cutting back air flow. I wanna put about 20 coals in each basket on both sides of the Kettle, and lay the rib rack down the middle. Then use the reduced air flow setting.

But the problem with baby backs is they come in a package of three. I can find singles at the local grocer, but they're enhanced. And I've found the best baby backs in those three paks.

So what to do with the other two racks ?

Cutting them in half and food saving them seems the logical choice, but I'm not sure how they will cook when thawed. I can't logically see it making a diff, but when it comes to barbecue, ya never know.

Or how bout food saving the entire rack ?
what does enhanced mean??
I’ve only ever bought 3 packs at Costco or sams
 
what does enhanced mean??
I’ve only ever bought 3 packs at Costco or sams

Its added salt, mostly. Chris goes deep into enhanced ribs here

https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/enhanced-meat/

Its generally ribs from Hormel or Smithfield or one of the big processors, and they're sold in single racks. And it will say on the package that a certain percentage of the contents has been added, or something to that effect.
 
I found a single rack of baby backs at Sams and I put them on the Deep Ocean Blue Master Touch Kettle this afternoon, using the P-vent feature.

It did not go as I expected.

My set up was charcoal baskets on both sides. And I put 15 Weber briquettes in each one. I found out that is too many. My goal was to cook between 250 and 300 by reducing the air flow and the amount of briquettes.

You can see on the attached chart, that it immediately warmed up to 390 and was going higher, when I decided to put the rack of ribs on. And when I put the ribs on, I put the Kettle on the P-Vent , low air flow setting. It settled in at 350 and pretty much ran there for the duration of the one hour and forty five minute cook.

I used too many briquettes and too much wood. I took one fist sized chunk of hickory and cut it into four pieces. It still produced too much smoke, as I will post a pic of the ribs at the first look, 45 minutes into the cook. They were darker than I wanted. I had puffy white billowy smoke for the first 30 minutes.

And next time, I will use only 7 briquettes per side, to try to bring my temps down below 300.

I will add, that the Weber gauge in the dome of the Kettle, was right on with my Thermoworks grate level digital probe temp.

So here's the pics .......

.20200801_135917.jpg20200801_140024.jpg20200801_151531.jpgThermoWorksCloud ExportedData.jpg
 
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Ah, but how were the ribs? BBs can take some heat and while you might not've gotten the smoke you wanted, were the end results still pretty good?
 
Wow, I just saw how you have hung the grill grate on the side of the kettle while getting it ready, I Never would have though of that, it always going to the side.
 
Ah, but how were the ribs? BBs can take some heat and while you might not've gotten the smoke you wanted, were the end results still pretty good?

They were OK, but nothing to talk about, were dry and over smoked. They made for a good meal.
 

 

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