Foiling St. Louis Spares


 
S Wagner

S Wagner

TVWBB Member
I'm going to be smoking my first batch of St. Louis Spares on my WSM 18.5" this weekend and wanted to get some of your thoughts. First, let me say that I've done baby backs many times with no issues, but this is my first time doing spares. I've never foiled my baby backs before, and I'd like to give it a try with these spares. Does anybody have any good recommendations on what to add when foiling?

I'm also thinking of doing the 3-2-1 method at between 225 and 250 degrees. Is my logic sound on this?

Any help or advice is always appreciated.

Thank you in advance!
 
I usually don't foil spares, but there are plenty that do.

Foiling increases ambient temperature(steam) which shortens the cooking time. The last hour is to undo the effect of the steam to firm up the ribs. Too long in the foil will give you fall apart ribs. If you have plenty of time, I might shorten the foil time to 1 hour and then cook until tender.

As you do more cooks, adjust the foil time to the tenderness of your liking.

Texas Crutch link
 
I agree with Russell. I would caution you to cook for doneness and not exact time. My personal suggestion would be to do the St Louis ribs using the same technique that has worked for your baby backs. Trying a different cut of meat and different method goes against one of my rules. Only change one thing at a time.

Mike
 
Thank you both for the advice! Based on your suggestions, I think I may skip the foiling after all. I've never glazed my baby backs in the past; always served them dry with sauces on the side. I think I would like to finish off the spares with some sauce before serving. Any good glaze/sauce recipes you'd recommend?
 
Wagner the only thing i would do different is maybe go up in temp to 275 range, 225-250 is a little low for spares imho. I seldom foil ribs but what i do is spritz the ribs after the 1st couple of hrs to control the bark only, my spritz mix is 50% apple juice and 50% canola oil. Spritzing is not going to give you any added flavor just controls the bark and keeps ribs from drying out. Good luck...
 
Yep, what Russell and Noe said above. 250* is perfect on the bullet if cooking ribs in the smoke entire cook with water in the pan, but if foiling I'm cooking with a dry pan around 275*. Personally, I'm a fan of nothing but a couple dashes of AJ in the foil, and if you like back ribs with no sauce, I don't know why you should sauce the st. louis, since they have a richer flavor, anyway. I rub with a Memphis-style rub and after dipping into a 50/50 hot bath of vinegar/water, hit 'em with more of the rub. Chris Lilly's rub recipe is fantastic.
 
If you can get them done early (say, 90 min before eating), do the cook and only put them in the foil to keep warm.

I did 3 racks for about 5 hr (no sauce) and took them out of the smoker and then wrapped them in foil (no extra liquid added, just the racks) and put them in a previously-warmed cooler for 90 min till we were ready to eat.

They were just as hot as when they came off (hard to hold them to cut them) and they were still juicy and tender. Not so the meat fell off the bone when picked up but the bones were clean clean clean when we got to eatin'.
 
Thanks Len and Dave! I have to agree, Chris Lilly's rub is my go-to for ribs and butts. From what I've gathered, it sounds like I should just do my spares the same as my backs and not change a thing. I'll keep everybody posted as to how they turn out. Thanks again!
 
I recommend adding brown sugar, parkay, agave nectar (or honey), and tiger sauce to both sides of the ribs when foiling.
 
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