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How do you wrap ribs and get them right consistently?

2,572 Views | 15 Replies | Last: 6 yr ago by agcrock2005
FabricatorAg
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Been wrapping ribs from two and a half hours(it was Shredded meat and a pile of bones) to only an hour. Today I put a 6 lb slab of spare ribs on barrel style smoker using a mixture of mesquite lump and wood chunks. Fire stays around 275. I hate unwrapping them because I want to keep steam in but aren't figured out how to gauge finish without opening foil releasing steam and moisture.

Advice for next time?
FabricatorAg
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First line of post is meant to describe multiple attempts at ribs. They're something I never cooked all that great that I want to master.
'03ag
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Only done ribs 3 times on my Akorn, but never wrapped. Not necessary in my opinion. But if I did I'd use butcher paper. You using foil?
Max Power
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AG
I don't wrap, I've gotten better results without it. I just couldn't ever get them right when I wrapped. I normally smoke spare ribs about 5 -6 hours at 250-275 and just watch them at the end. After the first two hours I baste them hourly with apple juice/cider vinegar. I don't use any sauce, but if I want wet ribs I use some of this, good stuff.

https://www.texaspepperjelly.com/rib-candy/rib-candy-heat/

If you choose to wrap them I assume its meat side down, and if that's the case steam coming out isn't a big deal, the meat is sitting in hot liquid.

Another option depending on the size of your smoker is to just lay them in an aluminum pan and pour some apple juice in the bottom and lay them on top for an hour or two, then pull them for the last hour to dry out.
GtownRAB
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AG
Alton Browns 3-2-1 method is a good ballpark to start with. Basically 3 hours on the grate, 2 hours wrapped, then 1 hour unwrapped to finish them off.

Personally, I don't want my ribs to be "fall of the bone" or a pile of meat. I like them tender, but you have to eat the meat off the bone. I generally cook for about 3 hours, wrap for 1 hour, then finish then unwrapped. Coat then in BBQ sauce with at least 30 minutes to go so it cooks off.

You really just have to play with the amount you wrap the ribs from probably 0 to 2 hours. The more you cook them, the better you will get a feel for when the ribs are tender and ready. As others stated, you can get great, tender ribs without wrapping at all.
Duncan Idaho
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What kind of ribs We talking about?
pork or beef?
Baby back?
Country?
St Louis?
Short?
Plate?
Dino?

Actually it doesn't matter. I don't wrap any of them.

Vernada
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AG
http://amazingribs.com/recipes/porknography/best_BBQ_ribs_ever.html

http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/texas_crutch.html
dustin999
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AG
I don't wrap either, just cooked a slab of pork ribs yesterday for about 5 hours and they turned out delicious. Wonderful bark and nice and juicy.
Cowboy Curtis
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AG
Pork spares, 225*, 3 hours unwrapped, 2 hours wrapped very tight (tight as possible top side down with butter, final hour unwrapped at 250* top side up.
Tabasco
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AG
Doesn't franklin wrap?
NColoradoAG
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Tabasco said:

Doesn't franklin wrap?
I think he uses pink paper?

I have noticed a big difference in the finished product when wrapping in foil vs pink paper. You can't add stuff to the paper like butter or juice, but it does speed cooking and it keeps a better bark.
HtownAg92
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AG
I usually do 3.5/1.5/1. Spray the ribs with apple cider mixture, as well as the foil before wrapping.

Way to tell when you're good is to put a toothpick or wooden skewer in the meat. If it goes in like butter, you are ready.

Agree on the "falling off the bone" fallacy. You want some resistance - have to pull a bit to get the clean bone.
Tabasco
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AG
Where do you buy butcher/pink paper
'03ag
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NColoradoAG said:

Tabasco said:

Doesn't franklin wrap?
I think he uses pink paper?
I thought so too but looking at his YouTube videos he uses foil for ribs, pink butcher paper for brisket.
tl1127
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AG
Amazon
agcrock2005
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AG
Quote:

6 lb slab of spare ribs
I didn't know they had spare dinosaur ribs...

agcrock2005
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AG
If your ribs are fall-off-the-bone after wrapping for an hour then you probably haven't wrapped them tight enough. I wrap ribs because i like the flavors I add when I add the foil (honey, brown sugar, butter, etc.). I very tightly wrap them in foil though so I'm not steaming. If they're over steamed and falling off the bone, then drain the liquid from the foil, open the foil up and cook for a little while longer to allow them to tighten back up.
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