Quick Question - Ribs on late: Run Hotter or Foil?


 

JeffB

TVWBB Pro
6 racks on at 12:15pm. Want them ready by 4:00 to 4:30pm at the latest. Meant to get them on by 11am. Running late.

Currently running WSM 22.5 with no water around 280 degrees. Should I run hotter (300+), foil or both? Was thinking of foiling at 2 hours with apple juice mixture.

Thanks.
 
Jeff, I think you've still got plenty of time. If it were me I'd run 280-290 dome temp, foil after 2-2.5 hrs for about an hr or so, then finish up un-foiled to firm them up.
 
Sounds good. Thanks for the quick reply.
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You could always do a modify version of the 3-1-1 method. With the higher temp the ribs should be ready on time. This is how I cooked ribs last time, and and they were ready in 4-4.5 hrs.

Good luck.
 
I foiled 3 with about 1/4 cup of apple juice and some brown sugar on top, and left the 3 on the lower grate to do their own thing without foil or apple juice. We'll see what difference it makes, if any.
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Beer, on the other hand, is ICE COLD! Can't go wrong with that!
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jeff Bryson:
I foiled 3 with about 1/4 cup of apple juice and some brown sugar on top, and left the 3 on the lower grate to do their own thing without foil or apple juice. We'll see what difference it makes, if any. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Nothing better than hands-on learning when it comes to bbq. You get to see first hand what YOU like best.
 
What type of ribs did you use, bb or spares? BB at 275 will be done in 4 hours, spares if trimmed would be done in 5, I do not foil. I hope they turned out good.
 
These were baby backs from Sams Club. 3 racks per pack cryovacked. They were so thick with meat that the bend test and the toothpick test were a bit difficult to utilize. My temps dropped to 220 after I pulled the foil on the three racks, so I transferred all 6 racks to my gas grill to finish around 300 degrees. Overall, I thought they were good. My guests enjoyed them too. My wife thought they were chewier than my last ribs, but the meat had some slight pull to it but still came off the bone cleanly. I would say a successful cook overall.
 
Congrats on the success. I tend to like a little pull on the meat personally, although I know some that want them tender to the point of almost falling apart when you try and cut them.

Also, if you have a drop in temp like that, provided you still have fuel, you can offset the lid by about 1/2" to really get the coals going again. Bryan S told me about it a few years ago, and it's been invaluable; not only to rise temps, but also to get more airflow if you've got the cooker loaded with food and it's choked.
 

 

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