Question on Smoking some Spare Ribs

W

wheelterrapin

Guest
I just finished prepping four large racks of Spareribs that have a combined weight of about 28 pounds. They have the rub on them and are tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and in the fridge where they will remain until smoke time tomorrow.

I am wanting to do a revised version of the Johnny Trigg method and need the Brethren's thoughts on this. I am planning on using the 3-2-1 method. I am thinking of mixing up a basting sauce using equal parts of Honey, Brown Sugar, and Parkay Butter and then after three hours I will baste both sides with this mixture and then seal them in HD Foil for two hours, then take out of foil and baste them a couple of times over the final hour of the cook.

Has anyone done this and if so would U recommend it or not. I will be smoking these in the Ole Hickory CTO using a combination of apple and peach wood.

Any and all comments will be greatly appreciated as I am not an aficionado on ribs, in fact ribs is my greatest weakness and I probably have only smoke ribs about four times in my life.

Thanks,

Paul
 
Personally I do not baste when I foil. Only do it occasionally after the foil comes off. I like to let people add sauce as they like it. Just the way I do it. Your way is OK too.
 
Jim I appreciate your comments. I normally do not baste either but I wanted to try the Johnny Trigg method but rather than just dribbling the butter, then the honey, and then the brown sugar, I thought I would just mix them all together into a sauce and baste them. I was also thinking of maybe adding a little hot sauce to the baste as I know Johnny uses some kind of Tiger Sauce which I think is some sort of mild hot sauce. I appreciate your comments.
 
Will do - do U think the 2-2-1 method would be more appropriate for the spareribs?
 
I personally think 2 hours in foil will over cook them and turn them to mush. I guess it depends on what your cooking on. In my UDS 2 hours is way too much. I really don't need to foil when cooking. I would try 1 hour in foil so you don't over cook them. Maybe try 3-1-1
 
Thanks Philly this sounds like the safe way to proceed, I can always cook longer if they are not done but cannot undo an overcook. I appreciate your comment and suggestion.
 
You might keep in mind that the sugars can burn with prolonged exposure. Hence the reason to only finish with sauce in the last 15 minutes. I admittedly have not tried the Johnny Trigg method. Just thought I would throw a cautionary comment in before you charred some ribs.
 
I tried that method once, but only foiled for 45 minutes and they were still a little mushy. I don't foil at all anymore.
 
Something that always seems to be missing when discussing foiling is cooking temp!?!

Once you've been doing this for a while you should realize that following a set amount of time like 321 or pulling at a certain temp gets you nowhere. Foiling is a technique used by many but when to foil (if at all) is a judgement call. Pick a temp your cooker easily maintains and toss on the ribs - if the color and bark is where you want it but not tenderness then go ahead and foil but start out on the conservative side say a 1/2 hour and see where your at. Foiling traps all the moisture and speeds up cooking but also starts to change the texture of the meat and if in foil to long even though technically not overcooked gets a mealy texture.

Lastly, do you have a source for Trigg's method (if so please share) and if you do why on earth would you revise it?
 
colonel00 said:
You might keep in mind that the sugars can burn with prolonged exposure. Hence the reason to only finish with sauce in the last 15 minutes. I admittedly have not tried the Johnny Trigg method. Just thought I would throw a cautionary comment in before you charred some ribs.
Click to expand...

Sorry big guy - you aren't going to burn any sugars cooking indirect at smoker temps below 300. The sugars in rubs and sauce caramelize then burn quickly at grilling temps over direct heat - this is where you have to be careful!
 
DSC09692b.jpg


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So basically, instead of putting your flavorings on the foil you are going to pre-mix them and paint them on... I don't see anything wrong with that. Are you adding any liquid, like apple juice or something?

When I think of any of the rib-by-the-numbers methods (3-2-1, 3-1-1, 2-0.75-1, or just 3-1 or even 4-1) I consider each time period a separate cook, and adjust my cook time accordingly to get the color or tenderness I want. The only times I have ever used only the clock and tried the 3-2-1 method, the ribs were too tender for my tastes. For whole slabs of spares I go closer to 4 or 5 hours on the cooker, then 1 in the foil, then decide how long back on the cooker. It may only be 10 minutes.

Here is a 9 year old post from Bill Millroy that's worth reading .....

Re: Tinfoil!!! (2/13/2001 12:15:03 AM by Texas Rib Rangers)
I've been cooking in compentions for 24 years and started using foil back then and still do. Jumpin Jim passed along one of his secrets so here comes mine. Smoke your ribs for 2-3 hours then wrap with foil. Before you put the ribs in the foil put some Brown Sugar & Honey on the foil put meat side down,then put some on the ribs then close the foil. Before closing completely put some Apple juice (about 2-3 oz.) and put back on cooker.After about an hour check Ribs if done pull them. About 30 min. before turn-in mix juice off rib with Texas Rib Rangers Spicy sauce and baste Ribs on grill to glaze them. Mix about 3 parts sauce to 1 part juice. Now you know the Rib Rangers story.

Good Luck and Happy Q'n Bill ​
 
Four slabs totaling about 28 lbs? Those are some bronto ribs, for sure.
 
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