Do You Foil Your Ribs?

All kinds of foiling info HERE

You can google more info with the keywords 3-2-1 rib method.

In a nutshell, you smoke the ribs unfoiled until half way done. Transfer them to foil with secret ingredients, wrap tight and cook until almost toothpick tender. Remove from foil, brush with glaze and finish cookin until T.T.
(toothpick tender)

Maybe, before you get a couple hundred answers that are all different,you should ask "what specific reason " you are asking for.

cal had a good one on pork butts.

Are you cooking a couple hundred slabs and would it take longer to foil than to cook them?

Are you trying to move a good slab to mush?

Seems like silly questions,but all could apply.

If folks knew what you were trying to accomplish different,than they might give a yes,or no.

Then,is the foil "the system" or one of many steps in the "system".

Maybe, yours are better now than our changes might bring?

Just a couple of thoughts.

How is the LB cooking coming along? Any problems you need help with or have questions about?

If cooked properly, don't think foil will be needed during the cook, could be just me though.

Yes. I spray the (Unfoiled)ribs with apple juice after 3 hours @ 225* then wrap them in foil for the last 1 hour 45 mins. They come out tender, juicy and, in my wife's words...Suck-u-lent!

When it comes down to anything barbecue, at this stage of the game (25 years foolin with BBQ)it comes down to ice cream. That's right folks...ice cream

Sometimes I like chocolate...jazz it all up, or, try something brand new and hope for home run.

Other times I like good old vanilla...meat over heat and smoke with a few seasonings to help it along. If it's REALLY good meat, it doesn't need a thing other than a competent cook...and an "easy-breezy" smoker.

Dang. I just accidently deleted my post just in front of the one above ^^^^.

Well stated MaxQue. Like tradition with an occasional "that's sounds interesting."

I'd like to tag on and thank Max for the post.

The internet and forums are a wonderful thing in that they gives us 100s of bits and pieces of many folks techniques that we can't see,taste,smell,feel,etc.

Thanks to Smokin'Okie for giving us 101 s,so we can actually learn to cook the product correctly,before we start making all these adjustments.

Yes,as part of an overall technique,comp cooks try different things for specific reasons.
They often don't have a choice about adjustments[they have a 10 minute window to turn in the product-so they may have to trick it] and they could be serving a judge that eats one small bite to check texture,tenderness,mouthfeel.Taste could be to see if it is offensive.

They often discard the rest of the sample.

They often don't cook that way to actually eat themselves.

Randy mentioned above taking full COMPETITION courses from Mike Davis and John and Trish Trigg.

The Triggs were the mentor to Mike Davis and they no longer speak,just as a side note.

Another is that Trish Trigg is pretty close to the co-cook with John.If you know them,she will tell you she will not eat their comp ribs.Just a couple tidbits behind the "TV shows".

I'm looking for best practices and new methods for my LBs.

I have no idea what I'm doing other than going off of the the 101's and browsing the appropriate forums here.

I've tried LBs from 2 different sources, local grocer/meat market (sold 2 LBs per cryo) and then RestDepot's LBs which are HUGE and have a ton of additional meat (sold 2 per cryo)

Target had Hormel LBs (and Spares) on sale so I scooped up several and they are single cryos, and look to be trimmed the leanest of all 3 sources, which also looks the most traditional like you would see at a BBQ joint.

I've only put a rub on my LBs so far (no sauce) and want to nail that technique so people who are used to wet and saucy are pleasantly surprised and even like the LBs with no sauce.

Of course you'll always have people who need ketchup on their steak (*cough* brother-in-law) and BBQ sauce on their ribs.

There is a good chance that the Hormels are injected,so you might pay attention to the salt level in your rubs,

I'm not sure that Best practices and newest methods go together.Anything is possible,though.

That "old bbq cook" that wrote the 101 has sure made good money against the big boys with his ribs.

XPA...and anyone else interested, PM me your email addy and I send you a basic step-by-step for foiled, kicked up competition style ribs. It's basically a concise primer based on many of the things talked about in the Johnny Trigg rib thread.

Please share. I'd like to see the concise form if it's OK with you.

quote:

Originally posted by MaxQ:
XPA...and anyone else interested, PM me your email addy and I send you a basic step-by-step for foiled, kicked up competition style ribs. It's basically a concise primer based on many of the things talked about in the Johnny Trigg rib thread.

Max, that's not fair.

Just post a new "how to" thread no PM's with the secrets

I figured you'd say that

Thanks MaxQ, I PM'd you for the help! (at least I think I did)

I'll be posting my foil method asap. Look for it here in "Ribs".

I foil my ribs when everyone has eaten the food and leftovers has to be put up in the fridge...and thats on a rare occassion...otherwise we foil for someone taking some food home . Now if I'm in a rush for time during the cooking process, I might foil.