Smoked Baby Back Ribs...To Wrap or Not To Wrap, that is the question...

All right, so I am relatively new to smoking...well, smoking meat, that is. Grilling anything, I am pretty much all over with no problem. But smoking, this is a new art....

I have a slab of baby backs that I'm going to smoke. I've read a lot online about time, temperature, and procedure, namely the 3-2-1 method. For those unaware, the 3-2-1 method is, apparently, in a covered grill/smoker at 225-250 over indirect heat, 3 hours smoked (spritzed with a 1:1 mixture of apple cider vinegar & apple juice every 30 minutes or so), then 2 hours wrapped in foiled, then 1 more hour unwrapped and basted in BBQ sauce.

I have also read a few recipes that call for smoking completely unwrapped for 4-5 hours.

Of course, I'll rub my meat tomorrow with paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and brown sugar (maybe a little onion powder) and let it marinate roughly 24 hours in the fridge. I will likely also use a water pan. I don't have a true smoker, but I have a barrel grill on which I will place the coals on one side, and the meat on the other. I'll also be using 1:1 mesquite and apple soaked in water. Maybe also some cherry, if I want to get the chainsaw out. I might also slather a little honey before I rub my meat, but haven't decided yet.

Now, my question is this (maybe BFFT can help, or anyone who is adept at smoking), should I incorporate wrapping them in foil or not? That's kind of where I am right now. The majority of what I read says that is the best method (and how competition pork ribs are smoked), but I read a few who also swear by not wrapping them. What is the better, or preferred, method to smoke (to you) and why: the 3-2-1 (wrapping them), or 4-5 hours and leave them unwrapped the entire time, but still spritz fairly often? Or do you have another secret method?

Thoughts, opinions, advice?

a reply to: Liquesence

advice?

Don´t eat babies

originally posted by: Spacespider
a reply to: Liquesence

advice?

Don´t eat babies

But they're very tender.

Melt in your mouth tender.

a reply to: Liquesence


Don't listen to him.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: Liquesence


Don't listen to him.

I never trust a human who doesn't eat babies.

Wrap! They lock more moisture in.

originally posted by: StallionDuck
Wrap! They lock more moisture in.

See that's the thing. The arguments against it are that, once wrapped, it essentially steams them, which should be avoided. Then again, it does lock in moisture, and also renders fat.

I'm definitely leaning toward wrapping my meat, since it seems the most fool-proof method.

a reply to: Liquesence

If you boil them till they are soft then smoke them you will have the most moist ribs you ever tasted.

originally posted by: scraedtosleep
a reply to: Liquesence

If you boil them till they are soft then smoke them you will have the most moist ribs you ever tasted.

Boiling meat is blasphemy.

cooked alot of ribs in my life 72 racks every 3 days for 4 years alot

first cool them down as quickaly as possible once under 41f wrap them use plastic wrap not foil

if u wrap them hot ull increase cooling time potentaly unsafe and detramental to flavor/moister

we steamed them first but this isent nessesary unless ur pushing out 10k of food a day you can go low and slow with high moister smoke for the same results and way better flavor

clean your fidge first since you will be puting them in there unprotected any smell can impart on the ribs club stores sell a pink/red sanatizer thats used in kitchens when dry leaves no smell unlike other cleaning agents

originally posted by: Liquesence

originally posted by: scraedtosleep
a reply to: Liquesence

If you boil them till they are soft then smoke them you will have the most moist ribs you ever tasted.

Boiling meat is blasphemy.

It’s called braising ... and that’s how I make my ribs .. low and slow braised ( with flavours added to water ) ... then make a paste with part of the juice and whatever flavours you want to add...cut ribs .. so you have more meat exposure to rub.. throw them under broiler to finish off . That is oven method.

It works well on the BBQ , but without cutting the ribs.

Braising really lets flavours soak into the meat.. so that withe the paste thrown on top later on the Q actually works great .

ETA .. ok technically braising uses a searing method first before put in water.

a reply to: Sheye

That is oven method.

I am not using an oven. Or a stove.

I am smoking these.

a reply to: Liquesence

Damn. I agree. The only meat that should be boiled is corned beef!

The times I've witnessed some ribs being smoked, there was no wrapping.
I would honestly try it, then try without wrapping, ser what works best for your set up.

originally posted by: Atsbhct
a reply to: Liquesence

Damn. I agree. The only meat that should be boiled is corned beef!

The times I've witnessed some ribs being smoked, there was no wrapping.
I would honestly try it, then try without wrapping, ser what works best for your set up.

Do you recall how long they were smoked being unwrapped?

Wrapping will likely be the method I use.

If nothing, I learn.

originally posted by: Liquesence
a reply to: Sheye

That is oven method.

I am not using an oven. Or a stove.

I am smoking these.

Sorry 😜... was just commenting on your “ no boiling” statement.. got off on a tangent.

Good luck with whichever method you try... like you said.. it will be a learning experience.

a reply to: Liquesence

This was over almost a full day, so I would say between 5-7 hours in a neat homemade smoker at a camp. The wood was apple.
From what I remember they turned out great!

originally posted by: Sheye
It’s called braising ...

Boiling and braising are two wholly different cooking methods.

And no, no one should ever boil ribs.

a reply to: Liquesence

I prefer to not follow the 3-2-1 method and just smoke them unwrapped. This improves the bark and gives the ribs more of a firm bite which I prefer over just a mush that you could chew up without teeth.

Smoking them unwrapped still produces ribs that are plenty moist in my opinion.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: Sheye
It’s called braising ...

Boiling and braising are two wholly different cooking methods.

And no, no one should ever boil ribs.

Yep .. I agree.. they are two different things ( once I looked it up ) 😆

I never said boil ... I said low and slow with water and flavouring in the pan ( more steamed ).. and only for partial cooking...

But then again I’m not some great chef or a food snob for that matter.😜