Rib Foiling Question

gapabral · 06-18-2012, 06:14 AM

I could use some help as it relates to smoking ribs. Yesterday, I smoked 3 slabs on my WSM at 275 for 2.5 hours. I then foiled them using a 1/4 cup of apple juice and put them back on for 1 hour at 275. All 3 slabs just fell apart. I was sure disappointed.

The bark looked really good.

Was a 1/4 cup of the apple juice too much to add to the foil or was foiling for one hour the problem?

1 hour of foiling does not seem like a long time.

Sure appreciate any thoughts?

BruceB · 06-18-2012, 06:20 AM

1 hour at 275º was probably the problem. I do mine (spares) at 250º for 3 hours then foil for 1 hour maybe 1 hour and 15 minutes with the usual suspects added to the foil.

Crash · 06-18-2012, 06:27 AM

What type of ribs were you cooking?

dosvans · 06-18-2012, 06:30 AM

At that temp, you need no more than 2 hours before you wrap.

gapabral · 06-18-2012, 06:52 AM

thank you guys for your input. I cooked spares.

Lake Dogs · 06-18-2012, 07:01 AM

Slightly different angle, because I'm not certain 275 for 3.5 hours is your issue. Shoot, I do BB's at 270 for 4 or 4.25 hours and they're not falling apart, not just yet. Very close, but not.

When you say you're cooking at 275, tell us more there. Where are you measuring your temps? How are you measuring your temperature. To me it's looking like you were probably cooking much closer to 300 than 275.

TRS · 06-18-2012, 08:24 AM

Was the WSM thermometer calibrated? Always good to check the thermometer periodically for accuracy then troubleshoot from there. As Lake Dogs said you may have been cooking at a higher temp.

mobow · 06-18-2012, 08:28 AM

Agree with above. My grate temp is about 20 degrees higher than thermometer reads on the dome of my WSM. keith

Bentley · 06-18-2012, 08:33 AM

There will be many variables when you foil. You can get different results went you mix liquid & temperature & time. Each can make a difference in the outcome. Probably not what you want to hear, but pratice will be about the only true answer...

Lake Dogs · 06-18-2012, 08:33 AM

^^^ That was what I was thinking... Darned if that doesn't put it right at 300+-.

gapabral · 06-18-2012, 08:36 AM

that may be the problem. I was just measuring off the WSM dome thermometer, which I kept between 270 and 280( or tried my hardest to) throughout the cook.

have not had the WSM too long and was looking for a grate thermometer over the weekend and could not find one.

If it is around 20 degrees hotter, that would explain it.

For some reason, I was thinking there was not a huge difference in temp between the dome thermometer and grate but actually I went back and reread some older posts and it was that there was not a huge difference in temp between the top and bottom grate.

thank you

gapabral · 06-18-2012, 08:37 AM

there are some pretty "fart smellers" around here

06-18-2012, 06:14 AM	#1
gapabral Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 09-29-10 Location: St. Louis, MO Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Rib Foiling Question I could use some help as it relates to smoking ribs. Yesterday, I smoked 3 slabs on my WSM at 275 for 2.5 hours. I then foiled them using a 1/4 cup of apple juice and put them back on for 1 hour at 275. All 3 slabs just fell apart. I was sure disappointed. The bark looked really good. Was a 1/4 cup of the apple juice too much to add to the foil or was foiling for one hour the problem? 1 hour of foiling does not seem like a long time. Sure appreciate any thoughts?

06-18-2012, 06:20 AM	#2
BruceB Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 12-09-04 Location: Utica, MI Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	1 hour at 275º was probably the problem. I do mine (spares) at 250º for 3 hours then foil for 1 hour maybe 1 hour and 15 minutes with the usual suspects added to the foil. __________________ Good Talkin' With You Bruce 22 1/2" WSM 2 18 1/2" WSM's Pitmaster iQue 110 Weber 22 1/2" Kettle Weber Smokey Joe Platinum Weber Genesis Gasser Treasurer, Great Lakes BBQ Association Member Rubbed, Smoked and Sauced BBQ Team KCBS/CBJ #55356

06-18-2012, 06:27 AM	#3
Crash is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 10-29-08 Location: Kailua, HI (Oahu) Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	What type of ribs were you cooking? __________________ Crash - HIBarbeque.com

06-18-2012, 06:30 AM	#4
dosvans On the road to being a farker Join Date: 04-18-11 Location: Madison, AL Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	At that temp, you need no more than 2 hours before you wrap. __________________ Smoke Me Silly BBQ Team 3 - 22.5" WSMs, 18.5" WSM and a 22" Kettle w/Smokenator

06-18-2012, 07:01 AM	#6
Lake Dogs Babbling Farker Join Date: 07-14-09 Location: Lake Sinclair, GA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Slightly different angle, because I'm not certain 275 for 3.5 hours is your issue. Shoot, I do BB's at 270 for 4 or 4.25 hours and they're not falling apart, not just yet. Very close, but not. When you say you're cooking at 275, tell us more there. Where are you measuring your temps? How are you measuring your temperature. To me it's looking like you were probably cooking much closer to 300 than 275. __________________ Hance - Lake Dogs Cooking Team - MiM/MBN/GBA CBJ and comp cook Lake Sinclair, GA (strategically about an hour from everywhere)

06-18-2012, 06:52 AM	#5
gapabral Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 09-29-10 Location: St. Louis, MO Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	thank you guys for your input. I cooked spares.

06-18-2012, 08:24 AM	#7
TRS On the road to being a farker Join Date: 01-09-10 Location: Nashville Tennessee Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Was the WSM thermometer calibrated? Always good to check the thermometer periodically for accuracy then troubleshoot from there. As Lake Dogs said you may have been cooking at a higher temp. __________________ www.thunderroadsmokehouse.com - Stump's Prince - Peoria Cookers Meat Monster - Lang 36

06-18-2012, 08:28 AM	#8
mobow is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 12-11-09 Location: Marshall MO Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Agree with above. My grate temp is about 20 degrees higher than thermometer reads on the dome of my WSM. keith __________________ WSM 22.5, MCBJ, In The Key Of Que

06-18-2012, 08:33 AM	#9
Bentley Babbling Farker Join Date: 03-14-07 Location: Eden After the Fall Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	There will be many variables when you foil. You can get different results went you mix liquid & temperature & time. Each can make a difference in the outcome. Probably not what you want to hear, but pratice will be about the only true answer... __________________ Certified Master Judge #5382 What is best in life? "To crush your BBQ opponents, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women."

06-18-2012, 08:36 AM	#11
gapabral Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 09-29-10 Location: St. Louis, MO Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	that may be the problem. I was just measuring off the WSM dome thermometer, which I kept between 270 and 280( or tried my hardest to) throughout the cook. have not had the WSM too long and was looking for a grate thermometer over the weekend and could not find one. If it is around 20 degrees hotter, that would explain it. For some reason, I was thinking there was not a huge difference in temp between the dome thermometer and grate but actually I went back and reread some older posts and it was that there was not a huge difference in temp between the top and bottom grate. thank you

06-18-2012, 08:37 AM	#12
gapabral Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 09-29-10 Location: St. Louis, MO Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	there are some pretty "fart smellers" around here