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ribs w/o foil

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pull_my_butt

Knows what a fatty is.
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Those of ya'll that can get moist, tender ribs w/o foiling, please share how. I've given up.

I threw some on the smoker yesterday and it just wouldn't do. I used a water pan and temp. at 200-220 throughout entire smoke. I took them off about 3.5 hours later. Too dry already.

Thanks.
 
I would raise the temps. Try 270 - 300, and begin checking at 3 hours - try the bend test or the toothpick test. IMO 200-220 is not an effective cooking temp.
 
^^^ +1 on what these brothers are sayin!

On my last cook, did 6 racks and wrapped in BP at 3-1/2 hours to limit the smoke and keep them from getting too dark, they were done an hour later and the moisture was great. Doing 9 racks the same way this weekend (along with 3 briskets and 30 chicken halves) for a little family party.
 
It sounds like you are using time to determine when to take them up to rest. I use the bend test, others the toothpick test. Here is my method.

For spare ribs, I wait until there is little less than 1/2 inch of pullback from the end of the bones before doing the bend test. There is only about a 15-20 minute window between sagging and actually giving it up and going limp. I thinly glaze them the last 15 minutes

I then take them up, wrap in butcher paper and hold at 170 degrees, usually in my oven, for at least an hour, but it can be for a couple of hours. (Thanks to Brother Gig'em99 for the inspiration for this holding technique.)

These were fairly thin and cooked hot and fast in just over two hours before passing the bend test, wrapping and popping in the 170 degree oven.

50d49b0a142150d5e609bc70313fcb15_zps10fbbbe4.jpg
 
sounds undercooked.

Loinbacks 4-4.5 hrs @ 250
STL cut 5-5.5hrs @ 250
 
Yep, cooked too short and too low. Raise temp to 275 and cook spares for about 4 hours, loinbacks about 3 hours. Check for tenderness with the toothpick test or bend test.

If you want to cook at 225 spares take about 6 hours, loinbacks about 4.5-5.
 
HeSmellsLikeSmoke said:
I then take them up, wrap in butcher paper and hold at 170 degrees, usually in my oven, for at least an hour, but it can be for a couple of hours. (Thanks to Brother Gig'em99 for the inspiration for this holding technique.)
Click to expand...

Why are you doing this? You're holding finished ribs in b paper?
 
Vision said:
Why are you doing this? You're holding finished ribs in b paper?
Click to expand...

The butcher paper is porous and in my opinion produces a better bark than foil, which isn't.

My take on holding ribs at 170 degrees is that 170 is the right temperature for bite-off-the-bone ribs. Holding at that temperature for at least an hour makes sure that all parts of the rack get done to that temperature and not any higher.

Gig'em99 uses this holding technique for brisket at around 185 degrees for a minimum of 3 hours. I deduced that it would work with ribs too, but at a lower temperature and shorter time.
 
I don't wrap and I cook at 225º for about 5 hours until it passes the bend test.
attachment.php
 
HeSmellsLikeSmoke said:
The butcher paper is porous and in my opinion produces a better bark than foil, which isn't.

My take on holding ribs at 170 degrees is that 170 is the right temperature for bite-off-the-bone ribs. Holding at that temperature for at least an hour makes sure that all parts of the rack get done to that temperature and not any higher.

Gig'em99 uses this holding technique for brisket at around 185 degrees for a minimum of 3 hours. I deduced that it would work with ribs too, but at a lower temperature and shorter time.
Click to expand...


But the ribs have already passed the bend test, right? So the hold period it to ensure or inch them that extra amount up to the perfect temp?
 
Vision said:
But the ribs have already passed the bend test, right? So the hold period it to ensure or inch them that extra amount up to the perfect temp?
Click to expand...

The way I see it, the middle has passed at the weakest point. The thicker parts haven't. Also, resting allows the juices to redistribute and 170 degrees prevents them from cooling down or over cooking.
 
Cooking at those temps, you should of left them in for 2 or 3 more hours. That is a silly low temp range. Meat renders better at higher cooking temps.

With ribs, I'll go first hour at 250ish, then crank up the heat to 300ish till done (pass bend test, toothpick test, or bone tug test). I do this so I get an hour in at a lower temp to get some smoke on the meat, then crank up the heat to power through rest of cook.

When doing ribs like that, spares are usually done in about 4 hours, and loin backs are done in around 3.25 hours or so. IMO, the trick to making a hotter cook work is to keep the cooker closed the whole time. Don't open it for anything till you hear the sizzling start to calm down. You can place your ear close to pit or exhaust and hear the sound the meat is making. No need to peek. When that sound starts to get a bit quieter, they are probably about done, but I'd check at 3.75 hours anyways for spares depending on how meaty they are.
 
El Ropo said:
Don't open it for anything till you hear the sizzling start to calm down. You can place your ear close to pit or exhaust and hear the sound the meat is making. No need to peek. When that sound starts to get a bit quieter, they are probably about done, but I'd check at 3.75 hours anyways for spares depending on how meaty they are.
Click to expand...

That's one drawback to an insulated cabinet smoker like a Backwoods or FEC-100. You can't hear the sizzling. :D
 
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If you can't hear the sizzling does that rule out the pig honey method? I started using it this summer and will never go back.

So simple, put em on the smoker 275-300 leave em alone, hear 'em sizzle, take a quick look, turn down the heat, come back when the sizzling stops and give them a bend.
 
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