Ribs.... Wrap or not?

[Bludawg]

Originally Posted by Ron_L

Ringburner, you need to make up your own mind which you prefer. You can make a perfectly cooked, flavorful rib either way. It depends on cook time, time in the foil, etc. I do both depending on my mood and who I am cooking for. At competitions I typically foil and use that opportunity to get some extra flavor into the ribs because that is what typically scores better with the judges around here.. At home I typically don't foil because that's what I prefer. Either way I do it the ribs come out well and are not falling off the bone unless I want them cooked that way.

As someone suggested, try some without foil and see how you like them. Then try some with foil and see how you like them and make up your own mind.

Ok so how do your get more naturally sweet swine flavor into a rib? I thought it was all about the meat.

[The_Kapn]

Originally Posted by Bludawg

Ok so how do your get more naturally sweet swine flavor into a rib? I thought it was all about the meat.

Do you apply ANY seasoning to your ribs?
If so, why?

Just curious.

TIM

[Ron_L]

Originally Posted by Bludawg

I thought it was all about the meat.

Have you cooked any KCBS competitions? It's all about what scores well with the judges, and in the midwest that is a perfectly cooked rib with a balance of sweet, heat and meat. It may vary in different areas on the country.

[dadsr4]

I don't wrap. Or trim, except to remove the membrane.

[bigabyte]

I always wrap in foil except for the times I don't.

[Rich Parker]

I always foil my ribs because it works for me and my cooker. It all depends how you cook and the cooker not one way will work for everyone.

[stephan]

I use to foil but not any more but thats just me, no real reason

[rwalters]

Well, I can tell you that for me personally, I used to ALWAYS foil when I cooked on WSM's... I DID NOT want too, and I tried without numerous times, but I was NEVER as happy with the end result as when I foiled. That all changed last month when I sold my 22.5 WSM and bought a Pit Barrel Cooker (I am not trying to sell a PBC, just sharing my experience)... I had been convinced by a good number of people that I wouldn't have to foil on a PBC... I tried it, and was blown away! The "toothpick test" is really what shocked me... I popped a TP into the slabs of baby-backs that were just finishing up only to have TONS of juice come squirting out. They were outstanding, and for me, the first unfoiled ribs that I personally have ever been super proud to serve :)

So my question to those who love the end result of their unfoiled ribs... What was I doing wrong on my WSM? If I had to guess, I would say that I was not cooking them hot-n-fast enough...like 290-310 degrees? The common thing that I am starting to see is those that foil are cooking low-n-slow, and those that do not foil are cooking hot-n-fast... Could there be any truth there???

[Ron_L]

Originally Posted by rwalters

So my question to those who love the end result of their unfoiled ribs... What was I doing wrong on my WSM? If I had to guess, I would say that I was not cooking them hot-n-fast enough...like 290-310 degrees?

Could be. I wonder what the results in the WSM would be if you took out the water pan and cooked hotter. It would be closer to the cooking environment of the PBC.

Originally Posted by rwalters

The common thing that I am starting to see is those that foil are cooking low-n-slow, and those that do not foil are cooking hot-n-fast...

I don't think that's really the case. I cook at 270 for ribs whether I foil or not (but I don't know if that is low and slow or hot and fast. Maybe half-fast? )

[The_Kapn]

Originally Posted by The_Kapn

Do you apply ANY seasoning to your ribs?
If so, why?

Just curious.

TIM

DAWG,

I am sure you have been busy and missed this question.

You appear to be an expert on ribs, based on your posts.
So, since you say (and I agree) that it all about the meat--Do you use ANY seasonings or just cook them "naked"?

Inquiring minds want to know

Thanks,

TIM

[4uweque]

The best ribs I've ever made are hot and fast, not wrapped. I found this method on this site and it really changed my rids. They are glorious.

[Enkidu]

I still haven't figure out what ranges people are referring to when they say HnF and what they mean when they say LnS. It seems to vary from person to person. It would probably be more helpful if people gave the temperature range they are referring to. For example, I tend to cook just about everything in the 250-275 range. To some, 250 is considered LnS, to some, 275 is considered HnF.

[dadsr4]

Originally Posted by Enkidu

I still haven't figure out what ranges people are referring to when they say HnF and what they mean when they say LnS. It seems to vary from person to person. It would probably be more helpful if people gave the temperature range they are referring to. For example, I tend to cook just about everything in the 250-275 range. To some, 250 is considered LnS, to some, 275 is considered HnF.

My opinion is that it is determined by where our cooker wants to run. For me 250 deg is LnS, 350 deg is HnF.

[Swamp Donkeyz BBQ]

I have had success both ways. Some people only foil to keep the ribs from getting to dark or oversmoking. I like them both ways. I will say that I do prefer BBs unwrapped. Not sure why, but they almost always turn out better, for me anyways.

[WhiskeyPigBbq]

Thank you for this post. I generally wrap my ribs but I think this thread has talked me out of it. I have two racks of STL's on with a spatchcocked chicken. It has been a long time since I have went aunatural on my ribs. Plus I am really comfy on the couch watching the football game. And being lazy..