Two camps on ribs and both make a great case!

MN-Egger · April 2015

This Sunday I am going to attempt baby backs for my first time and I have been reading and reading and watching videos and it seems there are two main ways to go. Foil or no foil. I see methods like 3-2-1, 2-2-1, etc. and recent threads here saying no foil, spraying or flipping and the ribs come out looking amazing. My wife and I are fall-off-the-bone types and she is leaning towards using the foil thinking it will trap or preserve what moisture there is in the meat? Does she have a point?

ChillyWillis · April 2015

Yes she does. If you're looking for "fall of the bone" ribs then foil. If you're looking for just a bit of tug when you bite into the rib then no foil is the way to go.

Personally I used to use foil, however after trying no foil a few times I decided I preferred that and have never looked back.

Jeepster47 · April 2015

If the missus likes fall off the bone, then you should lean towards the 2-2-1 foiled process ... baby backs take about 5 hours at 250 degrees.

But, why not cook half of the ribs one way and the other half the another way? In this case half with foil and half without. They can start at the same time and will most likely finish at the same time. That way she gets some input into which she (really) likes ... she might surprise you. Then for the next cook, vary the rubs with a half and half cook. Or the basting mix.

BamaEGG · April 2015

You can get fall off the bone without foiling. Just cook them till you get the tenderness you want. I have never liked the texture of them after foil personally but foil in and of itself isn't the secret to fall off the bone ie overcooked ribs.

MN-Egger · April 2015

Well we made the ribs and used the 3-2-1 as a guide but cut it a tad short as the ribs were getting done. We feel the ribs were the best we have EVER eaten. The smoke (used cherry chunks) flavor is amazing! Grill behaved well and if I average out the cook time, I would say the temp was 232°. Only had one instance when we opened egg, foiled ribs and returned to grill. Grill was closed during wrapping but it jumped up to 260° and just didn't want to come down from there so adjusted vents and got back to the 230° mark. I expected it to rise from being opened and maybe I am just impatient and shudda waited longer.
Here are the ribs, yellow mustard and rub...

Image: https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-iGl1-TQl7kw/VT4sZHpsePI/AAAAAAAAEFU/wXYZdSXkw-0/w1236-h695-no/readytosmoke.jpg

Here are the ribs after 3 hours no look, no touch...

Image: https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cI9A_skQLvM/VT4sa1NMtJI/AAAAAAAAEFg/xlwlgcsc7HA/w391-h695-no/3hourmark.jpg

Ribs done and gonna sit...

Image: https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-HzACV4gOA6M/VT4sb_ZMEwI/AAAAAAAAEFo/w9l_Rat1Gws/w1236-h695-no/ribsdone.jpg

And the final time to eat pic...

Image: https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-KCTfK7-pOKI/VT4scy2HCFI/AAAAAAAAEFw/_FvJXBO2VDk/w1236-h695-no/smokering.jpg

A slight tug was needed to bite the meat from the bone. The meat was also moist and succulent. I cannot say how much we believe we actually ate real BBQ! For our first try at baby backs, not sure what we would change.

minniemoh · April 2015

Nice cook Jeff!

bgebrent · April 2015

They look yummy! Good job!

jaydub58 · April 2015

Looks like you really nailed it!

gdenby · April 2015

I'm in the no mess around camp. Rub, cook raised laying flat over drip pan. Dome around 275F. Check on things once around 4 hours for BBs, 4.5 for spares. If they happen to look dry, brush with neutral oil or melted butter.

Wait till they pass the bend test.

Not at all hard to get ribs where the bones fall out of the meat.

Foiling tends to make the meat a little mushy, and tho' very tender, the bones are not as clean as just letting cook till done.

Two camps on ribs and both make a great case!

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