Smoking Ribs: 3,2,1, 2,2,1, 3,3, unwraped? HELP!

[jjdbike]

Hello everyone,

I am not new to smoking, but I'm not experienced w/ ribs, especially pork ribs.

I have an upcoming cook I'm doing w/ beef ribs (3 bone brontosaurus ribs) and St. Louis style pork ribs at the same time on my KBQ stick burner.

As I poke around looking at methods for the pros ribs, I'm overwhelmed at how many different methods there are and how adamant people are about why their method is best.

I'm planning on wrapping. In my mind it gives a little protection against drying out. Also, we have two people who coming who don't really like smoke, so 2 or 3 hours exposed to the wood smoke is probably enough for us w/out being too much for them.

I saw Aaron Franklin uses 3 hours in smoke and three hours wrapped. No count the bark will soften. A quick 10 mins in a 300 degree oven might firm up the bark - sauce a bit.

I hopping you all can help me feel confidant about a method, keeping in mind I'm doing St. Louis pork ribs and Bronto beef ribs. I know the beef ribs take a couple hours longer and benefit from a hold, so I'll start them first. I will say my KBQ, w/ all of it's air movement, cooks faster than most smokers, like a convection oven.

Thanks in advance for advice, tips, and suggestions?
JD

[Jfrosty27]

You are right in that there are a million different ways to do pork ribs. And you know, I don’t think any of them are bad. To me pork ribs are one of the most forgiving meats to cook.

I for one just trim them up, hit ‘em with whatever “porky” rub I have the most of, and toss them on the pellet pooper at 235 until probing like butter. Works for me.

But go with whatever your gut says. You’re an experienced Pitmaster after all. They’ll be great for sure.

[Huskee]

"I hopping you all can help me feel confidant about a method," you say. The simple answer is all the methods you read about will work just fine. We can't really pick one for you, otherwise we're doing the very thing you say above, "how adamant people are about why their method is best."

Personally I don't wrap pork ribs, they take me about 5-7hrs at 225-250ish nekkid the whole way. They get a dark bark, but unless they're some fancy heritage breed of hog that is thin and scrawny, there will be plenty of juiciness inside to blend well with that crust. That's my way, but I am not adamant that it's the best way. It's just my way. I used to wrap.

3-2-1, 2-2-1, and 3-3 will all work, and you likely won't notice a whole lot of real world difference in those three. My advice is pick one, eeny meeny miney mo style. Then on your next cook, pick another. Then if you're feeling crazy, try going all unwrapped on a cook and see what you end up liking best. Whatever you pick, use Meathead's bend test to see when they're done, don't watch the clock.

[Richard Chrz]

I do 5 hours unwrapped, then the last hour’ish wrapped in butcher paper meat side down, no sauce, but that is just my preference. It;s not the “right way” it’s just another way,

[bbqLuv]

Temp for your 5-hour cook?
I would guess 275*F

[Richard Chrz]

bbqLuv I generally cook 6 to 6 1/2 hours, the first 5 are just unwrapped. My entire cook I try to get an average about 260.

[bbqLuv]

@Ricahard Chrz thanks I may have to give 5-1+ a try next time.
Got a rack in the deep freeze.

[captainlee]

Many ways to smoke ribs and they all work as mentioned. My preferred method is unwrapped. It works well with my Yoder pellet smoker and matches our tastes preferences. You don't have time for this cook but try some different methods to see what you like.

[captainlee]

I only basted once and i thought that was enough. Glad you gave it a try. I'm going to do that to my next rotisserie chicken.

[Murdy]

CaptainMike -- what was the result of over-basting them? No bark?

[CaptainMike]

Murdy the best way I can describe it is too buttery. The bark was a little off, but still acceptable. I'm going to try a once-basted then twice-basted in my next attempts.

[bbqLuv]

You are starting right! Planning your cooking and cooking your plan. You will be fine. I like to review videos taking notes of how to tell with each step is done. I favor 3-2-1 ribs, but it is not cast in stone.

(4) How to Cook BBQ Pork Ribs | Traeger Staples - YouTube
(4) 3 2 1 Ribs Recipe | Traeger Grills - YouTube
(4) 3-2-1 Ribs - How To - YouTube

Smoking Ribs: 3-2-1, 2-2-1, 3-3, unwrapped is the Pit Masters choice. All methods will work.

[JGrana]

Planning the cook and cooking the plan - you must be a scuba diver ;-)

[texastweeter]

Whats your cooker and what temp you gonna run?

[Washblue]

Makes a difference…

[rlozinak]

I prefer my ribs done at 250 with a pork rub on them. I do not wrap them at all. Just the way we like them.

[Washblue]

Twice we did side by side tests with foil, paper and no wrap…
No wrap was the choice both times….

[xaugievike]

I used to get all wrapped up (pun intended) in rib-cooking wizardry....It took me a while to figure out that at least for pork ribs that simplicity turns out just as good as the other methods. So these days I just run 'em naked. At 225 they take between 3-5 hours (baby backs towards the lower end, spares more to the higher end). You can shave some time by bumping up to 250 or more. You'll quickly find the window that works to your desired tenderness...the upshot is it's a lot less effort and you use less foil! Pork ribs are more forgiving in terms of drying out.

For me beef ribs can be a little fussier. While I've turned out some good ones the margin of error for me has proven thinner - so I've gone to wrapping these with some extra liquid inside to prevent dryness. For this reason I also usually go longer, but lower temps on beef.

[jjdbike]

[I]"
Personally I don't wrap pork ribs, they take me about 5-7hrs at 225-250ish nekkid the whole way. They get a dark bark, but unless they're some fancy heritage breed of hog that is thin and scrawny, there will be plenty of juiciness inside to blend well with that crust. That's my way, but I am not adamant that it's the best way. It's just my way. I used to wrap.

st. Whatever you pick, use Meathead's bend test to see when they're done, don't watch the clock.

Thanks much Huskee,
So you're saying that heritage breed pork like Berkshire or Duroc will have less fat and are more prone to drying out?
Yes, the bend test, thanks.
JD

[Steve R.]

I have a slight preference for not wrapping pork ribs. But I do wrap beef ribs, just like I wrap brisket. A good bark won't suffer much, if at all, from wrapping, in my experience.

[jjdbike]

Thanks!

[CaptainMike]

I'm in the no-wrap crowd as well. Take some time sorting through and picking out ribs that show some nice marbling with less surface fat. And remember the science of smoke in that meats take up very little after 150° or so IT. captainlee shared a butter-basted technique a week ago or so and I gave it a whirl. I seasoned the melted butter with the same rub used for the meat and after the first hour hit it 4 different times. It turned out very good, although I think basting twice would be enough.

[jjdbike]

Thanks!
I'll try basting w/ butter if I decide to not wrap. I probably will wrap w/ paper towards the end after serious bark is well established. I was going to sauce, but on second thought, I may not and allow people to sauce it they want to.

[captainlee]

I forgot to sauce the rack of ribs that i applied butter to due to watching the Super Bowl. I enjoyed them with no sauce too as much as sauced. Glad CaptainMike gave it a try and enjoyed it.

[texastweeter]

Wait, are you asking about the pork ribs or the beef ribs?

[bbqLuv]

Could be lamb Ribs, but I doubt if it is chicken ribs.

[efincoop]

I too am a member of the no wrap club. I understand your concern about too much smoke. Most folks agree that ribs (and generally most meat) will stop taking on smoke flavor once they form a bark. The bark usually forms within the 3 hour window you have outlined above if you are running in the neighborhood of 250 - 275.

Another thing that will affect the smoke flavor is the cooker you are using as texastweeter suggested. A stick burner, a pellet grill, or a charcoal smoker using wood chunks will all impart a different type of smokiness.

So back to what Huskee stated all the methods you mention will work, so I'd suggest taking his advice and just picking one for this cook and then trying other methods in the future.

Most importantly, have fun & be sure to post you cook in the SUWYC thread.

[bbqLuv]

I'm a wrapper, you're a wrapper, wouldn't you like to be a wrapper too?

[au4stree]

I’m a fan of Memphis style dry ribs, but my family likes them sloppy wet, no biggie just choices. I cook them nekkid at 240-250° until done, usually 4-5 hours with 3lbs St. Louis style. Toothpick probes tender like butter, never want them “falling off bone”. Just my method, not saying the right way, just my way.

[HawkerXP]

+1 but just cooked in the PBC.

[bbqLuv]

au4stree "Toothpick probes tender like butter" really? How do you get butter to probe tender?