Baby back thoughts and question...

Roanokesmoke · November 2010

First, lately I've decided to tweak things a bit in regard to doing baby back ribs. Typically I use dizzy dust rub, smoke at 225-230 or so for 5-6 hours and coating with my favorite sauce (Fox Bros.) at the end, which has given me great results. Lately, however, I've decided to really go low and slow...200-205 for 8 hours, and I got to say that they are even better than they were cooked at 225 previously. Have any of you had this same experience as well in regard to doing ribs at different temps?

As for my question, it seems a good few of you here foil your ribs when they're done for 20-30 minutes before serving. Any reason for this and/or why I should do the same? Typically I just pull 'em off, slice them up and let people go to town on them.

stike · November 2010

i have "screwed up" a couple rib cooks. one, by accidentally putting them on the same time i was starting a butt (for an overnight), and cooking them all night instead of putting them on the next morning. the other was by once forgetting i even had them on (was working and lost track of time).

both times the ribs (spares) went 8 or 9 hours at 250, and i figured they were toast.

best i have ever done. very tender without being over done (not "fall off the bone").

i don't know if a certain temp is better or not, i just know that it takes longer to do them the lower you go.

i think you could go 300 and be done sooner, too. my point is that when i forget to worry about them, they are better. i think i might be in the habit of taking them off too soon

Roanokesmoke · November 2010

interesting thoughts and in a way it doesn't surprise me. I guess what I'm getting at is perhaps the ribs taste better (or are at least even more tender) when you do them ultra low/slow as compared to the more typical 225 for 5-6 hour cooks. Heck, maybe it was all coincidence and that extra 2 hours of cooking was a waste of time but regardless I'm going to stick to 200-205 for a while...

Judy Mayberry · November 2010

All that babyback ribs talk makes my mouth water.

There are people who insist on "fall off the bone" ribs, and the only way to do that is to foil (steam) them. If you're happy with a little more bite, forget the foiling.

I did both types in one cook (fussy relatives) using Ceramic Grill Store adjustable rig, oval slide-out grid, and grid extender. No extra work, really. It was a huge success.

Judy

tjv · November 2010

I'm going the other way on temp, closer to 275+. I find it provides a better bark than lower temps.

Foil is part of the 3-1-1 method: 3 hours smoke, 1 hour in foil and 1 hour sauce. I never get to the full last hour, usually closer to 30 minutes. you can google ribs and 3-1-1 and probably find a bunch of topics.

JLOCKHART29 · November 2010

Most of us foil them for a bit then finnish them up back on the rack for 20 or 30 min. at the end. What this does is tinderize even a nasty tough rack of ribs. The 30 min. back on the grill at the end firms them a bit so there are not mushy.

WessB · November 2010

I am a foil advocate..I do not foil before serving but more a variant of the 3-1-1 method..the foiling step is more a step in the cooking process.call it braising..and the final hour or whatever time deemed necessary to firm the ribs back up..there is no wrong way ...and I have owned eggs for over 10 years...short of you living in the Antartic I would love to see validation of you cooking between 200 & 205 for 8 hours without the fire going out..a 100 watt light bulb can maintain 200 in an egg..short of sub zero temps 200° cooking temps dont make it very long where we live..

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