Fall off the bone baby back ribs (attempt #4)

nolaegghead

hours indirect - foiled - direct

I usually do X-0-0 where X = time until it's done.

Sookie

You aren't alone @yankeeredfisher..I'm guessing though that they are referring to the amount of time in each stage of the cook:  First number representing smoking time, second number representing foil time, third number representing time sauced maybe?  I don't foil mine in a traditional manner personally.  If I do, it's in a rack pan above a pool of apple juice. 

lousubcap

Here's a long version;

All rib cooks are some variation around X-0-0 which translates into the following: Basically ribs are cooked as usual (bone side down for me) for the first X hours. Then they are removed from the cooker and wrapped with liquid (Q sauce, some other liquid for flavoring etc) in a foil pouch with the meat side down. This becomes step -0- mentioned above. The sealed ribs are then returned to the cooker.  At the end of the "0" time-frame, the ribs are removed from the foil and then put back on the BGE for the final "0" time-frame.  This is when sauce is added if your desire.  X-X-X defines the cook cycle.  Those of us X-0-0 run without any of the above extras.  It's all in what you like.And to determine when they are finished-the bend test if you have full racks-pick them up on one end and if they bend around 90* they are finished.  Another method-use a toothpick and insert in the thickest meat-in and out with no resistance and finished. Also look for a good meat pull-back on the bones. FWIW-

maximus1

for fall off the bone, i foil for hour and a half after coating ribs in honey, then add apple juice to foil.  For ribs I want to eat, I use carwash mikes recipe, never had it fail.  

fiver29

3-1-1 3- means 3 hours indirect 1- means 1 hour in the foil 1- means last hour out of the foil direct Later tonight I will post some pictures.

SamFerrise

Typically it is 3 hours slow and low over indirect heat, remove and wrap in foil and cook low and slow 2 hours, unwrap and cook for an additional hour.  Sometimes they will cook faster and sometimes they go the full 6 hours.  Every rack of ribs is different and you will get the hang of it after a few tries.  They 3-2-1 method at 225-240 degrees is just about fool-proof.  Good luck!

jeroldharter

I find that 3-2-1 works well for spare ribs but is a bit too long for baby backs where I use 2-1-1.

For fall off the bone, you need more time braising in the liquid. For a 4 hour cook for baby backs, you might do an experiment with 4 racks of ribs cooked at the same time:

0 - 4 - 0

0.5 - 3 - 0.5

1 - 2 - 1

2 - 1 - 1