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No Foil Spares


 
Bob Mann

Bob Mann

TVWBB Honor Circle
I've been foiling my pork ribs, both loin backs and spares, since I got my first WSM about 2 years ago. I've made some great tasting finished product, but I've always wanted to smoke pork ribs without foiling during the second part of the cook.

Tonight, I did it.

I did one rack of St. Louis trimmed spare ribs on my 22 1/2" WSM.

I slathered the ribs with yellow mustard, then rubbed them with my standard, home mixed pork rub of sucralose, chile power, paprika, salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder.

I used KBB with 5 chunks of red oak buried in the charcoal. I brought the cooker up to 225F, tossed 2 more chunks of red oak on the top, and put the rack on and brought it up to 250F.

I cooked it at 250F for 3 hours. I then started spritzing with 3 parts apple cider and one part apple cider vinegar, every 15 minutes.
After 5 hours, I started doing the toothpick test. I wasn't done until it cooked for 6 1/4 hours. That is longer than I would have expected it would take, but opening the pit every 15 minutes to spritz probably was the cause.

No matter, the weather was great on Long Island, the beer was cold and 'q is ready when it's ready!

It came out great, about the best spares I've made yet. Tender, with a little tug and good bark. They were smokey and sweet with a little tang, great flavor.

My foiled ribs never had bark like these had.

I was a great sucess!

Rubbed up and on the WSM.
ribs0401.jpg


My WSM in action.
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Done.
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Cut and ready to serve.
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Pot o' ribs.
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Served up dry.
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Beer o' the day, I don't need no stinking cooler!
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Thanks for looking.
 
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Food cools off fast after you cut it up. I put it in a metal pot to help keep it warm, it works!

I always show my beer in a different pic, and with a new pic every cook. :)
 
Very nice Bob, trying something for the first time is always nerve racking great job. Bob next time try cooking the ribs with out the water pan, cooking time will be almost cut in half and awesome finished ribs. I cook with out the water pan 100% of the time.
 
Great cook Bob. Funny, for upteen years I never foiled until the last several months. I've found my bark is ever bit as good foiling as long as one doesn't foil too long, more a 1 than a 2, and make the last part without foil longer, more a 2 than a 1. I think much depends on the rack quality, some pigs just eat better......................d
 
It's good to try new things. I think I've foiled ribs once; didn't really like it. I love a good bark and a little chew to the meat. For me, foiling made the ribs a bit too tender for me, and unnecessary. Ribs look great!
 
Noe said:
Bob next time try cooking the ribs with out the water pan, cooking time will be almost cut in half and awesome finished ribs. I cook with out the water pan 100% of the time.
Click to expand...
I haven't used water in a year. I use a foiled clay flower pot base in the foiled water pan.
 
Welcome to the no foil camp. Spritzing that much certainly would slow down the cook. Opening the lid cools the cooker and the evaporation of the spritz cools the meat. Great looking end product and thanks for the tip on the pot, do you warm the pot first?
 
Bob, it's always cool to see something done different, and for those that think spritzing does nothing, well, there ya go. So thanks so much, and especially your details. :cool:

Your cook also seems to show that the "if you're looking, you're not cooking" saying is not completely B.S. By that, I mean that I can tell from your cook time and the lack of pull-back that taking the dome off to spritz so often did INDEED drag out the cook and lower the avg. actual cook temp significantly. But on the other hand, spritzing drops temps and slows cooking on it's own. I guess it was probably both, but maybe once you made sure the seasoning was all set, end to end, you could carefully spritz through the top vent? Bottom line is that they tasted good, though, and lack of pull-back is a plus in certain circles, anyhow. We love some good dry rub St. Louey's, and that's my next rib cook. You've got me thinking, though. Spares/st. Louis ribs are the ONLY thing I cook anymore with water in the pan, and I don't wrap them, either. You know what though? You've got me thinking. No water in the pan next time. I think I'm gonna try a beer baste spray recipe for dry ribs that I've been wanting to try for a long time. :wsm:

Thanks again for posting your cook!
Dave
 
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