TO WRAP OR NOT TO WRAP

JT,

As you said, wrapping is a preference. Wrapped baby backs will give you a softer textured meat and will retain moistness better. Unwrapped gives you a firmer, dryer texture with a nice 'bark' on the outside. I've cooked and eaten them both ways and liked them both depending on my mood.

I used to always wrap when cooking on my stick burner to keep from over-smoking the meat. On my FEC I just let them soak up all the smokey goodness without any worries.

If you are looking for 'fall off the bone tender' (sometimes considered over-cooked) it is best to smoke unwrapped to the color you like, wrap for a couple hours to 'steam' them tender and then unwrap to finish them for about 30 minutes to dry the outside.

Hope this helps. If not I'll refund all the money you paid for my opinion.

Jeff

Depends on what you want the end result to be. If this is your 1st BB smoke, my suggestion would be to get them "toothpick" done, paint them with sauce (if you're a sauce guy) and serve them.

Most folks wrap BB's either to hold them, FTC style, or to infuse more flavor embellishment. If you're looking for latter, you want to foil them about 2/3rds of the way thru the cooking/smoking process. Here's the method I use:

Lay out a sheet of aluminum foil that's 1.5x the lenght of the ribs. Sprinkle 1/4 c of brown sugar on the foil. Honey can be used instead of brown sugar. Some folks will add a few pats of margarine to the foil pack. Some folks will add a few TBSP of BBQ sauce. Some folks will add some onion powder or spice of choice. Go with whatever seems to suit your taste buds. You want to build one foil pouch for each rack of ribs.

Wrap the BB's very tightly and finish them MEAT side down in your smoker.

Check them for doneness as the foil pouch will accelerate the final cooking time.

Prefer not to wrap until ready to hold. The cooker is a pretty moist environment. I do not cook BBs very often. There seems to be a small window for when they start to dry out, so I keep a close eye when they should be done. Spares are much more forgiving and hard to overcook. Have not figured out loinbacks yet...

Like spares,find heavy loinbacks with good fat.The goal is breaking down limited collagen and rendering plenty of fat.There is the flavor and moisture.

Like the good cooks above,I can tell you at least a dozen tricks for emergencies-but all that puzzlin' wears me out too much to eat.

The other option ,taught to me by various top winning rib cooks, is buy heavy 3 pks of fresh loinbacks that run around nine lbs total.Peel any membrane you spot,light trim off big pieces of surface fat-so they cook even.

Get the cooker running steady 250* at the grate surface and lightly/evenly sprinkle both sides of slabs with any proven store bought rub and equal amount of turbinado sugar, while the cooker is heating.

Place bone side down,close cooker door,get cold beverage and sit under a shade tree in comfortable chair with spiral notebook and a pencil.

Date the page and write down exactly what you did.

Each time you feel the need to go to the bathroom,you could get another cold beverage.

First trip to bathroom, get a small sauce pan,add around 3/4 cup CS mild sauce,around an oz of whatever honey you have,a sprinkle of cayenne to taste,thin with a little apple juice..Cover with foil and set on top of cooker to stay warm.

Put a couple toothpicks by the cooker, where you can find them, and your tongs.Also,place a one inch wide basting brush.

Do not open cooker and play with the meat.

Next trip to bathroom,foil a half sheet pan and set close to cooker.Place rib knife near them.

Do not open cooker and play with the meat.

About 3 hrs,get toothpick and tongs ready,open door quickly and put a slab onto foiled pan,set on table.Close quickly.

Check several places between ribs for doneness.If they are within less than half hr of done,glaze slab with preferred amount,open door,remove remaining two slabs and repeat.

After around 20 mins remove all three slabs to 1/2 sheet pan,loosely foil and let rest while you go to one last beverage and bathroom break.

Put out plates ,sides,knapkins,etc on table,turn on a little bbq eatin' music.

Tear off small end bone for cook to test while cutting the slabs into 2-3 bone sections and placing on serving platter.

After diners finish,solicit somewhat unbiased opinions about small changes to make next time and write them in notebook.

No, it won't be perfect next time,but closer after three-four tries.I realize we all want the super tricks that makes perfect ribs on the first try,so we try them all at once.

I was sworn to not divulge all these sophisticated,highly secret insider tips that only the great cooks knew,so now ya'll must guard these secrets,after you tweak them with your notes.

Hope this helps a little.