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ToddM
01-17-2011, 11:22 AM
This past summer I bought a Weber kettle after years of using a Char-broil charcoal grill as a smoker. I've tried using a Smokenator, fire bricks and am now using a simple two zone method with water pan. I've been doing ribs trying to maintain a temp of around 225 - 230 degrees but haven't gotten the results I'm seeking. Yesterday I tried the Harry Soo method (modified slightly) for doing ribs - 2.5 hrs @ 275, 1.5 in foil then finish.

After taking the ribs out of the foil they were basically mush, tasty but falling apart.

I'm hoping to get a WSM once I get my tax return, but I ask you all -

What temp do you cook your ribs at?

Method? (foiling, no foil? 3-2-1, etc.)

Cooker?

Fuel?

I think I like the higher temps, but will definitely cut down on the foil time if not skipping that step all together.

I'd appreciate your thoughts and tips.

bigabyte
01-17-2011, 11:35 AM
I like using spares cooked at 275 in my WSM using lump and about 6 fist sized chunks of pecan spread about in the charcoal ring. I prefer the flavor cooked with no foil until they pass the bend test, usually around 6ish hours.

Boshizzle
01-17-2011, 11:37 AM
I cook ribs on my UDS or in my Bubba Keg. I cook them at 275 F. Baby backs are ready in about 4 hours with no foiling. Spares can take as long as 6 hours with no foiling.

When foiling spares, I usually go for 2 hours without foil, then foil for about an hour, then again out of the foil for about another hour. Baby backs cook quicker so I cook them about 2 hours without foil, then about 35 - 40 minutes in foil, then finish them without foil for about another 30 - 45 minutes. I keep an eye on them at the end to make sure they don't over cook.

You can mop or spritz them every 30 minutes or so with apple juice, half and half mix of AJ and vinegar, or Italian dressing, or what ever low sugar liquid you prefer. But, spritzing or mopping is not necessary for home cooking, IMO.

As far as fuel goes, I use charcoal or lump. I use a little hickory for smoke.

inv3ctiv3
01-17-2011, 11:45 AM
I am a total noob when it comes to ribs so I am interested in this too. Aren't there special methods to cutting the ribs (tips, no tips, st louis, etc). I have an offset chargriller but I have never done ribs with it but really wanna do some pork spares soon.

bigabyte
01-17-2011, 11:47 AM
I am a total noob when it comes to ribs so I am interested in this too. Aren't there special methods to cutting the ribs (tips, no tips, st louis, etc). I have an offset chargriller but I have never done ribs with it but really wanna do some pork spares soon.
Just so happens a tutorial was posted recently.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=98483

Southern Home Boy
01-17-2011, 11:55 AM
I do spares with a St. Louis trim on my UDS all the time. I cook at 250* with a mixture of all natural briquettes (Stubbs or Trader Joe's brand) and hickory chunks. I'll normally leave them unfoiled in the smoke for 3 hours, one hour in the foil with honey, brown sugar and apple juice, then 30-45 minutes out of the foil, back over the fire glazing the last 10 minutes in the cooker.

To me, the foil makes for a more consistent product and cook times. They ARE usually pretty loose when they first come out of the foil, but putting them back over the coals for 30-45 minutes usually firms them back up without taking the moisture out of the meat.

I have experimented with non-foiling techniques and have had good results, but not as consistent.

inv3ctiv3
01-17-2011, 12:01 PM
Just so happens a tutorial was posted recently.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=98483

Wow thanks!

dave32063
01-17-2011, 12:04 PM
Gotta love Weber. I have a 22" Smokey Mountain smoker but lots of my friends do incredible smoking on their kettles.

Groundhog66
01-17-2011, 12:12 PM
one hour in the foil with honey, brown sugar and apple juice


I have wanted to try this method.....Do you mix all ingredients, or just apply each separately? What ratios do you use?

deepsouth
01-17-2011, 01:43 PM
i use the car wash mike method. here....

http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/2002/06/baby-back-rib-class.html

inv3ctiv3
01-17-2011, 01:47 PM
And I'm guessing the 2-2-1, 3-2-1, etc methods are 2 hours no foil, 2 hours in foil and 1 hour out of foil? Any tutorials on this?

Wampus
01-17-2011, 01:51 PM
I don't use foil anymore. I do 225d for 3-4 hours for BB's and spares usually take a little longer (another hour+). I've found that foil is just a PIA and I have overcooked ribs more often than not by foiling. Just MY OPINION of course.

OH, and YES....
3-2-1 means 3 no foil, 2 in foil, 1 no foil.
2-2-1 is 2 no foil, 2 foil and 1 foil.

Southern Home Boy
01-17-2011, 02:03 PM
I have wanted to try this method.....Do you mix all ingredients, or just apply each separately? What ratios do you use?

Ratios? We don't need no stinkin "ratios"....

Ok... just kidding. Seriously though, I don't really measure. I "sprinkle" dark brown sugar on the meat side of the ribs, then "drizzle" the honey on top of that, then "spritz" with the apple juice over all of it. Or if I'm using one of my daughter's juice boxes, instead of "spritzing" I'll "squirt" the tops of the slabs.

Then, I stack the slabs two to a packet (bone side down in the foil; bone to meat on top) and seal 'em up in the foil.

gtsum
01-17-2011, 02:04 PM
no foil on any of my ribs..I dont like mushy ribs at all, and foiling for me, even as little as an hour, leads to this. I cook mine around 250 - spares for 5 to 5 1/2 hours and bb's for 4 to 4 1/2 hours. This is cooking on a ceramic cooker...sometimes I spritz, most of the time not as a ceramic cooker is tends to be a moist cooker

ToddM
01-17-2011, 07:23 PM
Thanks everyone, I appreciate your input.

At first you don't succeed ...

Chef Country
01-17-2011, 07:28 PM
I put mine on around 300 for about 4 hrs till they pass the bend test for spares whats this foil your speaking of?