Ribs! Is your favorite cooked direct or indirect?

Franco

I'm getting better with these, but still missing the tenderness I'd like. How do you get them to fall off the bone?[p]There are a ton of ways to cook these things, what's your favorite?[p]Thanks as always, Frank

Char-Woody

Franco, In my opinion there are two trains of thought, and both are correct for the desired rib that you prefer. I tbink a lot of folks are pre educated to the resturaunt variety of (boiled) or steamed and sauced ribs..! When one says, "fall off the bone" ribs, one tends to think that when you pull on the bone it slides out of the meat. This is fine and to achieve that level of cook you must use a foil wrap, somewhere in the cook sequence.
Then there are some like myself that prefer the direct or indirect cook to the point where the rib bone and the meat separate smoothly with a peeling affect and leaves a dry white bone behind. Very little meat will stay attached, yet the meat is more firm, and has a slight crust. This is done with dry rubs and or rubs and mustard and either direct or indirect..Indirect will allow the cook without the charred bones and result in nearly the same texture. I am doing some as I type..dry rub...indirect and trying for a shorter cook with raised temps..
I was successful last night, and they were so dang good, I have to do it again...
Choices of rubs and marinates and marinate times will also determine to a degree your success. Ribs are a challenge but when you arrive at the top rung, you will know it. It took me a while also.[p]Fall of the bone...cook indirect at 225 to 250F degrees for 3 hours..take off, wrap in two thicknesses of HD foil..adding sauce to the meat before foil wrap, return to the BGE..and shut down the vents after the temp has returned to 250F...and let the ribs coast in the heat for another hour to hour and a half..take em out when the dome temps drop to 200 or less. Moist..fall of the bone ribs.
Or let the BGE continue to idle along..either way.
C~W

Car Wash Mike

Franco, Low and slow indirect for me. Everybody has a different style that they have perfected over a few cooks and stick with it. Try different ways to see which you like best. My babybacks usually take 5 hours. Spare ribs to get fall off the bone 7 hours.[p]Good luck,[p]CWM

Char-Woody

Car Wash Mike, you way is fine too..whew..27 seconds!! Almost Olympic times..!!

Car Wash Mike

Char-Woody, 27 seconds, just enough time to hit fridge for an adult beverage while I type and read. Been gone for a few days. Won't bore you with details but should be posting more frequently now and queing more often. I cook my babybacks at 225-250 indirect and acheive the fall off the bone. One thing I didn't put in my other post was I use adolfs meat tenderizer. That is probably not legal but it works great at this household.[p]CWM

BlueSmoke

Car Wash Mike,
I'm with you on low and slow indirect. I run more in the 250 to 270 ranges, rib racks above a drip pan with beer in the bottom. I usually start with the tips up, and flip to tips down after 2 hours. (Spray with apple juice at the same time.) Spares take 4 to 5 hours.

Trout Bum

Franco,
Doing Baby Backs as I typed this. They spent the night in the frig. covered with mustard and JJ's rub. Been on at 265* indirect for 1 1/2 hours now. Will cook em by the 3, 1 1/2, 1 method and cover with Jim Beams Barbacue Sauce towards the end.
B D