Foiling Ribs


 
A

AMYoung

New member
I foiled some ribs yesterday. I only had them in the foil for 90 mins and they were almost falling apart when I took them out. I cooked at 250 for 2.5 hours, then foiled for 90 mins. I put Apple juice in the foil. I dont know if that was normal for them to be falling apart like that or not, but I wanted to see what you guys think and if you could lend some advice for next weeks cook....
 
Foiling can easily result in fob ribs. During the foiling stage, you're basically braising / steaming the ribs, or any meat that is foiled. There are ways to get around that. Easiest is to lessen the foiled time.

HTH
 
I always foil but only for 45-60 min max. I think you get good results. I cook my ribs 225-250.
 
Tony R said:
I always foil but only for 45-60 min max. I think you get good results. I cook my ribs 225-250.
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I'm with Tony...usually less than an hour. When I foil I use the 3-2-1 method but my time is more like 3-3/4-1/2. I don't foil back ribs at all.
 
I foiled once just to try. I may try it again but IMO ribs are just as tender and juicy without foiling. I spray every 1/2 hour or so though...
 
For Back ribs 3-1-10
For SLCs I am closer to 3-2-None unless I am glazing slightly then go for ten mins open.
I think an hour in the foil for BBs is fantastic, i don't use a ton of liquid in there just a perimeter pour of AJ and a little rub..
 
Same for me by reducing the foil time and or not using it at all. 30 min max for me along with apple juice spritz.
 
In agreement with most. I like the results when I foil but I dont really go over 45 minutes. If I dont foil, I tend to get a tougher exterior than I like.
 
AMYoung said:
I foiled some ribs yesterday. I only had them in the foil for 90 mins and they were almost falling apart when I took them out. I cooked at 250 for 2.5 hours, then foiled for 90 mins. I put Apple juice in the foil. I dont know if that was normal for them to be falling apart like that or not, but I wanted to see what you guys think and if you could lend some advice for next weeks cook....
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When I cook ribs (and I foil for about an hour) people seem to love it when the meat falls off the bone.i like them a bit firmer , but if the flavor is good , I'm ok with FOB I think you're getting good advice to just reduce foiling time or just go bareback one time...see how you like it.
 
Frank H said:
When I cook ribs (and I foil for about an hour) people seem to love it when the meat falls off the bone.i like them a bit firmer , but if the flavor is good , I'm ok with FOB I think you're getting good advice to just reduce foiling time or just go bareback one time...see how you like it.
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Not going to touch the bareback comment but as for FOB, that is what people like. Every time I cook ribs, my wife tells me she doesnt want my stupid competition ribs. She wants them falling off the bone. That said, there is a difference between fall off the bone and mushy but yeah, I find people prefer their ribs FOB.
 
Wife: "But I want my meat to fall off the bone!!"
Me: "I know, but I'll never win that way!"
Wife: "Win what??"
Me: "Oh yeah, you have a point." ;)
 
I did baby backs got the first time ever and smoked at 275 for 90 minutes then foiled for 90, then sauced out of the foil for about another 10-15 minutes. I was quite pleased with the results. Very tender, not 100% clean comp bite, but not FOB either
 
I usually do St. Louis spares and do a modified 3-2-1 similar to what many above have indicated. I've tried different times in foil, and anything more than 1 hour has been too long. I smoke at around 250 and do pretty close to 3-1-1 (usually more like 3 hours - 50 minutes - 45 minutes). In the foil, I put a little apple juice, a stripe of Tiger Sauce, a stripe of Parkay, a stripe of agave (or honey if I'm out of agave), a sprinkle of brown sugar, and a sprinkle of rub.
 
I foiled ribs for the first time last month. I think I did about an hour and a half. The skimpy rack was over done...fall off the bone. The rest were spot on. But I'll err on the side of caution next time and go no more than an hour depending on the size of the racks. I do think they were a bit better than going unwrapped. It also took a couple hours off the cook time.
 
FOB was perpetuated by Mom's braising(boiling) and then finishing off in the oven. Also chain restaurants advertising there ribs as "the best ribs in town, they are fall off the bone delicious". The reason their ribs are fob is because they are precooked and reheated on the grill or they sit in a steam table for hours. I went to one such very popular restaurant and when the waiter recommended the ribs because they were fob I replied " is everything here overcooked? I guess I'll get a rare steak then." My lovely wife gave me a smack in the back of the head and the waiter laughed. My steak was rare though. To each their own.
 
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