St Louis ribs is there a wrong way?

[Oak Smoke]

I’m pretty proud of the ribs I’ve been turning out for several years. Earlier this year I was in a hurry to finish two racks of St Louis ribs and wrapped them in foil at the 3 hour mark with a splash of apple juice to try to shave a much needed hour off my cooking time. It worked but they were much closer to fall off the bone than I wanted. Naturally that’s the way the whole family wants them now. Yesterday I smoked four racks for the gang and as requested I wrapped with a splash of apple juice. I did open them up to a foil boat after an hour to try to let a bit of the moisture escape. Again I was greeted with almost fall off the bone ribs and a happy family. Do you ever feel conflicted when the people you’re cooking for want something you wouldn’t be caught dead serving anywhere else? It feels like the well done prime rib I was asked to do. It was just short of a crime what I did to that roast. It’s just not right. I love bite off the bone ribs. Last night I literally pull the bones out of the ribs on my plate and threw them away before going to the table. This just feels wrong.

[58limited]

The wrong way is to not cook any ribs at all I prefer them to have a bite but I'm OK with fall off the bone.

[Alan Brice]

+4.

[mrichie1229]

+5

[gboss]

6-7

[Jerod Broussard]

As long as it comes OFF the bone.

It's about eating, not style points at a "beeeeeep" competition.

[Ace]

I understand exactly what you're dealing with. I find that if I pull a half rack early for me and continue the cook for them, everybody gets the bite they want. Same with steaks etc.

[Panhead John]

Cook one rack for yourself the way you like it. If that’s too much, cut it in half and do one half your way and one half for the other[s]

[RonB]

This is what I do.

[HawkerXP]

Happy family, happy life!

[Sweaty Paul]

I always want my guests to be happy even at my expense. That said, maybe next time cook one the way you want for leftovers. There may have to be some atonement for the well-done prime rib though.

Anyway, I'm with 58limited even fall-off-the-bone ribs are better than no ribs!

[RichieB]

I don't wrap. Hang on the PBJ till done. If not ready to eat in oven at 225 with foil draped over to keep moisture in. It works for me. Never a complaint.
Yesterday, my son from Vermont asked for my recipe for them. My grandson has a school project to
share a recipe, ingredients and method to cook. He, my grandson wanted to use my rib recipe. Of course I obliged.

[Sweaty Paul]

That's an awesome attaboy.

[mrteddyprincess]

Serve the ribs you like. Let the family adjust. No problems.

B

[HawkerXP]

More importantly.

We want to see your new place!

At least your new outdoors cooking place!

[Oak Smoke]

Let me get it put together the way I want it and I’ll show it to you. We’ve been in such a rush to get the rest of our stuff here. The new owners viewed the house on a Thursday morning and we closed on it 8 days later. Most of our furniture and cookers were still there. The realtor wanted to show the place furnished. It was a challenge getting all out stuff out in a week. Now it’s stacked everywhere here.

[Purc]

I understand. I wrapped with butter and honey my last ribs after smoking on the Kettle laying flat with no membrane and they were more fall off the bone than I like. Next rack I will leave the membrane on and hang in the Bronco and no wrap.

[mrichie1229]

What rub do you use when wrapping with butter and honey? What is the flavor profile of the finished product?

[Purc]

mrichie1229 I tend to use a commercial sweet or sweet heat rub like
Meat Church Honey Hog / HH Hot and the butter adds a little richness/fat.I wanted to try Lane's Signature rub that's sugar free and so the added honey.Both add some moisture,The Lane's was a gift and is the favorite of my youngest. Many years ago, a pitmaster told me to always add honey,brown sugar and Parkay squeeze margarine (blue bottle) with some rub before wrapping the ribs-his secret.

[Purc]

mrichie1229 I'm not sold on Lane's Signature on ribs yet. First time using this rub. I do like Lane's Garlic and their Sweet Lemon Pepper rubs on both chicken and
turkey. Also, the garlic rub was great on a rack of lamb that I recently smoked. My son loves
Lane's turkey brine which I have had at his home and will again this Thanksgiving. He loves all of Lane's BBQ rubs.I also have Lane's Blackening and their spicy Naughty or Nice rubs that I have not tried yet.Lane's made in GA. As always YMMV

[texastweeter]

Yes here are some for me

I like ribs with a tug
rest of family likes fall off bone

I like savory pork ribs and shoulder
they like sweet and sticky

I like spicy vinegar sauce
they like sweet, gloopy tomato sauce

black and blue steak
medium rare for them

I like cracklin jalapeño cornbread
Amanda likes sweet cornbread (almost reason for divorce)

I like baked hot banana pudding
they like chilled cold banana pudding

She likes 9mm and .38 super
I like the Lord's caliber, .45

[Panhead John]

Hell, ain’t nothin’ wrong with some Jiffy sweet cornbread from the box, I’ve eaten it before and like it. I rarely buy it but I’ll eat it. If anyone has something to say to me about it, screw you, 😉 here’s my address, come tell me in person.
Panhead John
1610 Smith Rd.
Topeka, Kansas

[texastweeter]

Panhead John with the interwebs it's quite easy to find someone's REAL address, lol.

[mrichie1229]

I grew up eating beans and cornbread. The beans were either navy or pinto and included a smoked ham hock and salt. It was my Dad's favorite meal. Not mine.

[TomfromtheSoo]

If you get some left-over fall off the bone ribs, make your version of a McRib Sandwich. Whatever you like for a bun or roll, sauce it or not, cheese or not, however you like it.

Yum!

[Oak Smoke]

That’s absolutely brilliant! Now I know what to do with all the leftovers. Tomorrow night will be McRib night! Thank you!

[RichieB]

When I do ribs I always shave the meat off of at least 2 depending on amount of meat on each rib. Normally 2 portions are put into the freezer. McRib sandwich anytime.

[mrichie1229]

I need to do this!

[Johnny Booth]

My family want them to fall off the bone. I stopped aiming for the competition ‘bite’. Now they are as close to fall off the bone as they can be, without falling apart. I normally cook baby-backs, so it is difficult to get them there without drying out that white loin meat on top. I like that challenge.

[smokenoob]

Isn’t wrapping in juice just boiling them? 😁

[mrichie1229]

Next meet up is a hog hunt and cook?!?

[Oak Smoke]

texastweeter I skin mine just like when I take a deer. The small ones cook up great with no skin or head.

[Oak Smoke]

mrichie1229 I don’t know if I’m ready to take a group hog hunting. We might could arrange a Texas meetup with a hog cooking as the main event. I’d be glad to furnish some meat but it gets a little out there when we’re talking uninspected meat. It’s probably just too risky to pursue. We could meetup and cook a domestic hog though. It would need the guidance of our meetup master Panhead John to succeed.