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Question about prepping ribs the night before a smoke - plastic wrap or not wrap?

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    Question about prepping ribs the night before a smoke - plastic wrap or not wrap?

    I have some friends coming in town on Friday from California and decided to smoke some spare ribs. I'll have to start the kettle as soon as I get home from work so I have to salt and rub the ribs tonight. My plan is to remove the membrane and salt the ribs when I get home today (Thursday), apply the rub before I go to bed, and then start the kettle around 2 or so tomorrow (Friday). My question is should I leave them uncovered and on some racks in the fridge overnight or should I throw some plastic wrap over them after I apply the rub? I think I would wrap the whole cookie sheet, not shrink wrap the ribs.

    Also, should ribs rest after they're done off the smoker and how long is too long in a faux Cambro? Would holding them in an oven at 170 be OK in lieu of the faux Cambro?

    #2
    I have done ribs both ways (wrap & unwrap) and I prefer to dry brine the night before and apply the rub while the cooker is heating up. I let them rest for 15-20 mins only because they cut better between the bones.

    Comment


    • Meathead
      Meathead commented
      Editing a comment
      me too

    #3
    tugboat , I always wrap them. But I do mine a bit different. Remove the membrane and salt them ASAP. Just before bed, I'd slather on some ballpark mustard, wrap them and put in fridge. The mustard leaves no taste, but the vinegar in the mustard will help break down the connective tissue. Then, just before the cook, put your rub on. The mustard on the ribs will help the rub adhere to the ribs.

    good luck, and we hope to see pics!

    Comment


      #4
      tugboat I add a thin coat of water, then the rub (Memphis Dust) just before putting on the cooker. On dry brining, since ribs are about 50% meat, I cut my kosher salt in half to 1/4 teaspoon per pound (instead of 1/2 for other meats). I let them cool down a bit before cutting.

      Comment


        #5
        Applying the rub while the charcoal is lighting and the kettle is heating up sounds like a better plan. That way I can salt tonight and then wrap them in plastic wrap so they don't dry out. Thanks for the help! Any advice on the Cambro vs an oven? just in case they're done early I want to keep them warm without ruining them.

        Comment


          #6
          tugboat, I think if you Dry Brine your ribs, place on a rack in a cake pan or on a large platter and covered with Saran Wrap or Aluminum Foil and back in the Fridge overnight you will be fine! The purpose of covering is more about cross contamination and un wanted odor than anything! I think when you add the rub will have little if any consequence on the flavor of the Cook! I usually spritz the rub with a mixture of 1-C Apple Juice, 1/2 C Each Lemon Juice and Lime Juice, 1/4-1/3 C Tarragon Vinegar, 1/4 C Worsteshire Sauce and 1 TBS Garlic Juice! I use this concoction on a bout every thing I put a rub on! It will keep in the refrigerator for Weeks! For your info I do usually try to get the Rub on the Night before!
          Have a Great Feast! Eat Well and Prosper! From a Backyard Cremator in Fargo ND, Dan

          Comment


            #7
            I wouldn't cambro them, unless you like them nearing the fall apart stage. My advice (and take it with a grain of salt since we're all different) is follow Meathead's "bend test" described in this article, and when they pass, chow down! Just know that the actual cook time until they get to the point of passing 'the bend test' may vary widely. My experience is 5-7hrs avg, more for big racks, not 3-5.

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              #8
              I honestly don't think it matters whether you wrap them or not, but I think it's cleaner to wrap them; when I used to do it that way, I put them in a 2 gallon plastic bag.

              These days I do all the work while the charcoal is heating up. I remove the membrane, add salt, and apply rub right before putting them over the smoke. I don't care for the change in texture that I've gotten from dry brining, to me it makes them seem "hammy". But I still salt them.

              Comment


                #9
                Originally posted by Huskee View Post
                I wouldn't cambro them, unless you like them nearing the fall apart stage. My advice (and take it with a grain of salt since we're all different) is follow Meathead's "bend test" described in this article, and when they pass, chow down! Just know that the actual cook time until they get to the point of passing 'the bend test' may vary widely. My experience is 5-7hrs avg, more for big racks, not 3-5.
                I'd love to just take them off and eat if I can but I'm trying to time dinner after my son's bedtime. If I have to Cambro I will just so we can all eat a relaxing dinner without having one of us shuffle through his bedtime while everyone else is eating. Just wondering the best way to do so. Last time they took about 5 hours but I don't want to start too late in case these ribs are stubborn and take 6 or 7 hours.

                Comment


                  #10
                  If they're done early can you lower your smoker/grill temp to 150-160 and just hold them there unwrapped? That way you can still take them off and eat when the time comes.

                  Comment


                    #11
                    I always let my pork ribs rest. Interesting how many different ways we cook ribs! So, when they pass the infamous bend test, which is great by the way, I then wrap them snugly in aluminum foil and a thick bath towel (I have a special bbq towel for this). I let them rest for one hour. They hold temp well (of course, due to the faux cambro), and my guests have been thrilled.

                    This is just my way of doing it, but I've done it many times and it works wonders. I do brush them with my favorite bbq sauce before wrapping/resting, since I'm a big fan of the "wet" style KC ribs.



                    Comment


                      #12
                      Originally posted by Huskee View Post
                      If they're done early can you lower your smoker/grill temp to 150-160 and just hold them there unwrapped? That way you can still take them off and eat when the time comes.
                      I can try that. Last time I did spare ribs they took about 5 hours and the ones I got this time look about average size. might try to time it to 7:30. That way if they take longer it's not too late but if they are done early or on time I can turn the kettle down and hold it in there until my son goes to bed. Thanks for the suggestion!

                      Comment


                        #13
                        I am wondering. I know the benifit of dry brining. My question is does including the salt in the rub change the effect?
                        The salt will still penetrate, I don't believe including it in the rub hampers the effect. The rub sitting on the meat as long as the salt will not change the end result. It may enhance it. I have tried it both ways I can not see a difference.
                        I have not used the mustard on the ribs I will do that next time. In fact tonight.

                        Comment


                        • EdF
                          EdF commented
                          Editing a comment
                          Try it on beef, too!

                        #14
                        Only down side I can see is the risk of over-salting.

                        Comment


                          #15
                          The ribs didn't end up going on until 3:30, which ended up being a good thing. I couldn't get my Kettle to stay around 225 (may need to do some sealing?) but I kept it between 235 and 250. A couple times I had to douse it with some water to cool it back down after creeping up past 250 (I was afraid of closing the vents more) and after 4 hours in the Kettle they passed the bend test. We put my son to bed about 30 minutes before that, spent some time floating in the pool with my friends, and the ribs passed the bend test at 7:30 or so. I closed the vents more (and it actually stabilized at 210; maybe my vent covers aren't fully sealed and I could've closed the vents more than I did?) and after warming up the Mac and cheese for 20 minutes and getting everything ready we had dinner around 8. Ribs were the best I've cooked. Perfect bark, nice and smoky, moist, and porky. Everyone raved about them!
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