Foil or not to foil...

jstnezell

I've got some baby backs on the BGE right now and I've typically done the 2-2-1 with success, just curious how many out there foil their ribs?  

Successful tips for the baby backs are appreciated, I know everybody has their own method and it can depend on the peoples taste.  

theyolksonyou

No foil for me. Just let them rock on to the finish line. 

paqman

I have not mastered ribs on the egg yet.  The best I have made so far were last week.  A little more than 5 hours indirect at 225F with just a dry rub.  I've try foil and did not like it...  Next time will be closer to 6 hours.

SkinnyV

Nope

DMW

It depends. Usually I don't foil at all and just let them ride until they are finished. Other times I will foil for a portion of the cook to help things along. Other times I will do it to add a specific flavor during the foiling stage.

In other words, try different methods and see what you like.  

Chubbs

No

MeTed

No foil for ribs!

jstnezell

DMW said:

It depends. Usually I don't foil at all and just let them ride until they are finished. Other times I will foil for a portion of the cook to help things along. Other times I will do it to add a specific flavor during the foiling stage.

In other words, try different methods and see what you like.  

I've done em different every time and they're always good, it doesn't seem like you can do em wrong on the egg.  I like mine fall-off the bone and foil seems to get them there quicker.  

lousubcap

@jstnezell-I am in the no foil no spritz camp and let the BGE do its thing but you captured the essence of the cook-"it can depend on people's taste".  Tomorrow I will be foiling and saucing and all the other active cook processes to thank a guy for helping me out of a weather related jam.  I ask how he liked his St. Louis ribs and I got the "fall off the bone and sauced answer".  So away we go.

Tinyfish

For ribs foiling will give you a softer fall off the bone results. If you want a little pull to the meat. 

If your doing more then one rack, try it both ways then compare.

DMW

jstnezell said:

DMW said:

It depends. Usually I don't foil at all and just let them ride until they are finished. Other times I will foil for a portion of the cook to help things along. Other times I will do it to add a specific flavor during the foiling stage.

In other words, try different methods and see what you like.  

I've done em different every time and they're always good, it doesn't seem like you can do em wrong on the egg.  I like mine fall-off the bone and foil seems to get them there quicker.  

If you like fall off the bone, I would go with foil. If you want competition-style bite off the bone, then foil is optional based on how things are rolling.

DieselkW

I like to foil them - dry rub at 250f, then wrap with pineapple slices on the rib side and down, then open them back up, wet mop them every 15 minutes, finish with salt and pepper.

SGH

About the only time I foil is when I'm cooking completley frozen meat. Short of this I do not foil. I will gladly share my thoughts and reasons for foiling frozen meats when time allows if you would like.

henapple

Omg...is he back? 

SGH

henapple said:

Omg...is he back? 

Not yet Uncle Apple. Just peeking in. Should be back in full swing before next weekend though.  

HendersonTRKing

No foil. Ever. Except when I did 8 racks on the large. Then I had to foil on the gasser to hold them while I cooked 2 spatches. Don't recommend it. Hurts the bark. Degrades the bite. 

2 racks?  No foil.
3 racks?  No foil.
4 racks?  No foil. 

KennyLee

I've done it both ways and my best ribs are done with foil, usually 1-2 hours in the middle of the cook. 

henapple

Do what works for you. ...

bweaver

henapple said:

Do what works for you. ...

Best advice right here

Egghead_Daron

Completely depends on time constraints. I like them best if I do not foil but do not feel like I really lose much when I need to hurry things along and do foil them.

bboulier

I tried making with foil, but decided I like them better without.

Zmokin

I like to foil.  I notice my ribs are more moist when I foil.
However, I cook my ribs different than the average bear.  I pre-slice the rack into individual ribs.  This does make them more prone to drying out than an un-cut rack, but it also exposes more meat surface to absorb that smoky goodness, that rub goodness, and of course my sauce goodness for glazing.

Terrebandit

I usually foil them for a couple hours to help retain moisture and increase tenderness.  Following the foil stage, I'll put them back on naked, usually with my sauce. 

tisoypops

@SGH I for one would definitely like that when you get the chance. 

texaswig

Sometimes I cut them, then sauce them, then  throw on for about 20 minutes to get all sauced up. 

Wolfpack

Guess I'm lazy- turn out great without it and it's a pain to wrap them.  

captjamie

I use a 3-2-1 method. The "2" is the foil. I like a heavy basting of sauce/ butter prior to wrap. When I take them out for the "1", I'll re-baste and put back on to carmelize and get a little bark. Works for me!

THEBuckeye

No foil and NO FORKS! 

jstnezell

Thanks for all the input, next rack I'm gonna skip the foil and see how I like it. This happened last night, went to do the bend test and and it broke clean in half...