The BBQ BRETHREN FORUMS. - View Single Post - Kansas City style ribs, no foil verses foil test

Savannahsmoker · 06-15-2010, 02:52 PM

Two racks of spare ribs both prepare the same way. Will foil one and not foil the other during the smoke.
My wife applying butt rub and oranges.

.

Wrapping in plastic wrap and into the fridge overnight.

Next day take out of the fridge and allow to come up on temperature. About a hour and a half. I spread a thin coat of yellow mustard and more rub to the ribs.

The pit is running at 225 degrees so in go the ribs.

Three hours in and I foiled with a mixture of apple juice, apple cider and oil.

Five hours in, time to remove rack from the foil. The top of the rib look fine but the bottom look mushy.

Now put on the finishing sauce and turn up temperature to 300 degrees and set the sauce. This should be 15 to 30 minutes

Ribs been in the smoker for six hours, time to pull, cover and rest for 30 minutes. The rack in the rear is the foiled rack. Both look good but the foil rack shrunk more losing more meat and was really limp when I pulled it., I like some texture in my ribs like competition ribs. Taste test coming up.

I went to heavy on the sauce but that is what the grandchildren like.
Now for the family judging.
First, the non-foiled ribs. Cut like butter, has a smoke ring and looks like it is moist.

Second, the foiled ribs. Cut like butter, has a smoke ring and looks like it is more moist than the non-foiled rib

Now test for how easily the ribs pull apart.
First, the non-foiled ribs. Pull apart easily but did not fall apart and moisture ooze out.

Second, the foiled ribs. Pull apart easily but did not fall apart and much more moisture oozed out.

Taste test by the family of six adults and three grandchildren were 7 for foil and 1 for non-foil. The foiled ribs seem to have more moisture and were not completely falling off the bone as I expected. The taste of both were equally great. The non-foiled ribs, while tasting as good, was a little dryer.
Bottom line I am now a convert to, on my Traeger, smoke three hours, foil two hours, pull from foil, apply a finish sauce, turn up the temp to set the sauce for one hour. I guess this is the Standard 3-2-1 method I used in stick burners.
Foiled Ribs Win 7 out of 8 but it was very close. So close that maybe it was a difference between the butts.

06-15-2010, 02:52 PM	#1
Savannahsmoker Got Wood. Join Date: 07-12-09 Location: Savannah, GA	Kansas City style ribs, no foil verses foil test Two racks of spare ribs both prepare the same way. Will foil one and not foil the other during the smoke. My wife applying butt rub and oranges. . Wrapping in plastic wrap and into the fridge overnight. Next day take out of the fridge and allow to come up on temperature. About a hour and a half. I spread a thin coat of yellow mustard and more rub to the ribs. The pit is running at 225 degrees so in go the ribs. Three hours in and I foiled with a mixture of apple juice, apple cider and oil. Five hours in, time to remove rack from the foil. The top of the rib look fine but the bottom look mushy. Now put on the finishing sauce and turn up temperature to 300 degrees and set the sauce. This should be 15 to 30 minutes Ribs been in the smoker for six hours, time to pull, cover and rest for 30 minutes. The rack in the rear is the foiled rack. Both look good but the foil rack shrunk more losing more meat and was really limp when I pulled it., I like some texture in my ribs like competition ribs. Taste test coming up. I went to heavy on the sauce but that is what the grandchildren like. Now for the family judging. First, the non-foiled ribs. Cut like butter, has a smoke ring and looks like it is moist. Second, the foiled ribs. Cut like butter, has a smoke ring and looks like it is more moist than the non-foiled rib Now test for how easily the ribs pull apart. First, the non-foiled ribs. Pull apart easily but did not fall apart and moisture ooze out. Second, the foiled ribs. Pull apart easily but did not fall apart and much more moisture oozed out. Taste test by the family of six adults and three grandchildren were 7 for foil and 1 for non-foil. The foiled ribs seem to have more moisture and were not completely falling off the bone as I expected. The taste of both were equally great. The non-foiled ribs, while tasting as good, was a little dryer. Bottom line I am now a convert to, on my Traeger, smoke three hours, foil two hours, pull from foil, apply a finish sauce, turn up the temp to set the sauce for one hour. I guess this is the Standard 3-2-1 method I used in stick burners. Foiled Ribs Win 7 out of 8 but it was very close. So close that maybe it was a difference between the butts.