First try at ribs


 
Charles Howse

Charles Howse

TVWBB Wizard
Hey,
I find that I usually get things done closer to right when I discuss what I plan to do with someone else beforehand. Think it out before the time comes to do it, right?
So...comments and discussion are requested. :)

I'm planning my 3rd cook with my new WSM. It's going to be 3 racks of ribs for the Super Bowl!
I've looked around a lot on this site, and I think the best bet for me is 3-2-1 ribs.

I've cooked several slabs of ribs in the past, and I've always had issues with tenderness.
The foil used in 3-2-1 will help with that, but from the posts I've read, most folks seem to be backing off on the "2.5 hours in the foil" due to over-tenderness. I'll try 1 hour in the foil, then see how they are at that point.

I noticed yesterday that Sam's had Loin Back Ribs that averaged 2 - 2.5 lbs each in a 3 pack.
I'll go with that since it is what Stogie used in the original post to which I refer.

I would assume that the Minion Method would be appropriate here, water in the pan.

I will have to cut the ribs into 2 pieces each, and use both grates.
I've thought about rolling them to cook the first 3 hours, then foiling, but that might be challenging to get them rolled back up without tearing the foil, and then the juice would only be touching the low sides of the ribs if they are standing on the bones.

When the time comes to remove and foil the pieces, it might not be a bad idea to swap the pieces from the bottom grate to the top, and vice versa.

I plan to place the thermometer from my old Char Broil through the top vent and secure it with a clothes pin on the inside. Need to get a remote meat thermometer soon.

I plan to mop with apple or pineapple juice at the 2 hour mark, and mop to melt the brown sugar just before foiling.

I want dry ribs, so I'll just be dusting with a little more Blues Hog rub for the last 30 minutes.

Here's the summary:
Rub the night before, overnight in fridge
Fire up for 6+ hours - Minion Method
Water in pan
3 hours nekkid at 225*
Mop at 2 hours w/ juice
Remove ribs to foil at 3 hour mark
Sprinkle w/ brown sugar
Mop to be sure sugar melts
Add water if/when necessary
1 more hour in foil
Take ribs out of foil
Sprinkle with rub
Cook nekkid until done (cook the ribs nekkid, that is!) ;-)
 
Baby Backs won't need two hours in foil.
Cook the ribs till they get good color (this could be anywhere from a couple of hours to three hours) at that point place in the foil and add juice before sealing up. You may only need 45 mins to an hour in the foil, check for tenderness with a toothpick, slide in the meat between bones, it should be like it is sliding into warm butter.

Remove from foil and place back on the cooker to glaze, the ribs will already be tender so you only need enough time to set the glaze.
Jim
 
Jim,

I've noticed that some recipes call for cooking the ribs up to an additional hour after removing from the foil ... while other methods are similar to what you said, just cook them long enough to set the glaze.

What is the reason for cooking for an hour? Is it that they're not cooking it as long pre-foil as you might?
 
Dennis -
These will be Loin Back Ribs, which are closer to Baby Backs than to spares.

Jim -
I'm not planning on glazing this time. Maybe next, but we like 'em dry.
Does that mean that they could possibly be ready when they come out of the foil?
I would want to dust with a little more rub, and be sure they are not sopping wet from the juice in the foil.
 
I saw somewhere around here that if you want your ribs dry ... once out of the foil, just dust them with some extra rub ... just as you said.

So ... when's dinner?
 
Even if you don't glaze, remove them from the foil and set them back in the smoker for at least 15 minutes. Just in my own experience, the extra time will help the meat's texture and will also allow the accumulated grease and juice from their time in the foil to drip off (save that juice from the foil, though... makes a great moistening liquid for pulled pork). That "de-greasing" makes a big difference, to me. Back in earlier times of first experimenting with foil, I took some spares out of foil and decided that they were good and done, and that I didn't need to put them back on the smoker at all. Mistake - we noticed a big difference in the "greasiness" factor. If you cook like me, odds are that if you do 3 hours or less before foil then 45 minutes in foil, you're still going to have a just a bit more before they're done anyway.

Keri C, smokin' on Tulsa Time

PS - what time is dinner? Those ribs are sounding AWFULLY good...
icon_smile.gif
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Keri C:
If you cook like me, odds are that if you do 3 hours or less before foil then 45 minutes in foil, you're still going to have a just a bit more before they're done anyway.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Keri,
If/When the day comes that I cook like you, I won't need to be asking questions here, I'll be *answering* questions. :)

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>
PS - what time is dinner? Those ribs are sounding AWFULLY good...
icon_smile.gif
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I was planning on starting at noon, but am rethinking now. May only need 4 hours total.
I would like to be on the couch, licking my fingers, and thinking how good those ribs were, for the kickoff.
 
Oh!! Hold on, there's one thing I forgot!

When doing the 3-2-1 method, do we like to cook our ribs meat side up or down to start? Or does it matter?

If we flip them at all, I would assume we would do it at the 2 hour mark, when mopping.
 
A couple of questions ...

Charles ... what type, and how much, of wood are you planning on using?

Everyone ... Charles mentioned cooking the ribs rolled. How do you foil ribs that have been rolled?
 
Dennis -
I'm planning on using Kroger Hickory Chunks, and when I load my WSM with Kingsford Charcoal, I'll bury 2 or 3 fist-sized chunks, then place a few chunks on top with the lit coals.

I'd also be interested in hearing a discussion on foiling rolled ribs. I'd prefer to just use the top grate for this cook, but that would require rolling the ribs.
My best guess is, that if you *must* foil rolled ribs, then leave them rolled up to foil.
Just a guess.
 
Charles - you can leave them meat side up for the entire cook. I posted a novel on another thread about ribs HERE , since I coil them for most of the cook, then foil them for a while, then finish the cook flat. Just my way of working it, but might be of interest.

Keri C, smokin' on Tulsa Tulsa

(PS - flattery will get you everywhere. Where would you like that load of chunked-up peach and pecan wood delivered, dear?
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)
 
Charles,

I think you'd need to unroll the ribs to get the good coverage as you mentioned in your first post.

The question is how flexible are the ribs after cooking for three hours? I think both of us are assuming they wouldn't be very flexible.

Is that the case?
 
Yes, the slabs are stiffer after having been coiled for X number of hours, and they may crack just a bit when you unroll them to foil them, but not enough to cause a problem. They soften up in the foil and will then lay out nicely flat. You probably wouldn't want to do them that way for comp, but for REAL eatin', they work out fine. As I said on that other thread, I cook spares coiled for about 4 - 5 hours or whatever seems appropriate, foil flat for 45 minutes shifting to 3 cooking racks, then unfoil and cook till done still using the 3 racks.

Keri C
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Keri C:
Charles - you can leave them meat side up for the entire cook. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks for the link!

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>
(PS - flattery will get you everywhere. Where would you like that load of chunked-up peach and pecan wood delivered, dear?
icon_wink.gif
) <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

SHIP TO:
Charles Howse
51 Ellendale Cove
Jackson, TN 38305
 
Charles-

Head to your nearest Home Depot and pick up a Charbroil rib rack. It will hold your six half-slabs of ribs just fine.

When you want to foil, do like a friend of mine does - just stack them up, 3 or so slabs at a time, and wrap the pile. Then unwrap and put back on for a bit, like Keri says above.

I think I hear a pork butt calling me for this weekend...

Jarrod
 
Man, you guys are driving me crazy. . .

That's it, the pork butts are staying in the freezer. I gotta get me some ribs.

Thanks for the info everybody. It is really awesome to be able to tap into everybody's experience.

JW
 
Im with you JW. Last week it was pork butt, now I gotta get ribs. I use the charbroil rib racks also and I have stacked piles of ribs before with no problems. Just might take a bit longer because I rotate them every once in a while, adding some rub as needed. My biggest problem smoking ribs is I prefer alot of smoke when most family and friends prefer less. I cant seem to be able to solve that problem.
DP
 
Here's the postmortem -

Today was beautiful! Partly cloudy, 60'ish, Winds light and variable. A wonderful day to be outside, let alone cook pork!

My WSM held 250* at the lid, 230* at the grate PERFECTLY all afternoon, with only 1 adjustment to the vents, and 1 stirring of the coals.

Daughter and Fiance' had to leave for work @ 5:15 this afternoon, so I was hopeful the ribs would be done (enough) to eat at that time.

They didn't pass the toothpick test, nor the tear test, but DAMN! they were good!!

I took the thinest pieces off (4 of 6) and cut into one about 4:45. DONE, just not 'fall off the bone' perfect tender.

We ate with fries, slaw and Blues Hog Sauce.
The last 2 pieces are still cooking, will leave them as long as it takes.

Notes for next time:
Leave them in the foil longer, till they pass the toothpick test.

Overall rating:
OH, HELL YEAH!!!!
 
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