Ribs - Juice or No Juice?

[BBQFiend]

I was thinking about doing the 3-2-1 style ribs next weekend. A buddy told me don't even bother cooking the ribs for 3hrs in the beginning. For him the better recipe is more like a 2-2-1. My next question is there seems to be some debate over whether or not to add apple juice during the foil cooking part. Some say it makes the ribs more juicy while others say it doesn't really help that much. I wanted to ask the folks here to get their opinion.

[MikeRocksTheRed]

I usually do 2 hours smoking (225-250), 2 hours wrapped (225-250) with a splash of whatever beer I'm drinking, then a quick mopping of sauce over high heat to finish.  I've never had them come out bad this way.  I've also never had to take a temp when doing it this way.  I've tried a few cooks recently without wrapping and it usually takes a full 6 hours and requires several lift tests for me to determine if they are done or not.  Will probably be going back to my 2hour-2hour-15minute method.  It's probably more of a 2-2.5-15 method since it takes a little while once the wrapped ribs are removed to get the coals moved around to a indirect/direct setup (coals on one side of the kettle) and then let them get cranking.

[BBQFiend]

Thanks Mike, That is the exact type of info I'm looking for. Do you have any tips on grilling corn? In the husk or out....

[TheDude]

For corn I pull the husks back, remove the silks and put the husks back. Soak in ice water to pull out the sugars. Grill direct till outside husks are charred.

[MacEggs]

Ribs - Juice or No Juice?

How about this ... No foil ... at all.  It's real easy, and you might be pleased with the outcome.  YMMV

Do you have any tips on grilling corn?

I started doing this last summer ... I prefer Method 3 .... grilling naked.  Delicious!

[glrasmussen]

I was thinking about doing the 3-2-1 style ribs next weekend. A buddy told me don't even bother cooking the ribs for 3hrs in the beginning. For him the better recipe is more like a 2-2-1. My next question is there seems to be some debate over whether or not to add apple juice during the foil cooking part. Some say it makes the ribs more juicy while others say it doesn't really help that much. I wanted to ask the folks here to get their opinion.

Corn, I char on all sides and do not soak. Have a Playmate cooler on hand, When charred, put corn in cooler and let is steam for 15 to 20 minutes.
I actually go longer, as I cook this before my meat. You will be amazed how it peels, silk will completely come off.

If you up to a new way of cooking ribs, may I suggest a High Heat indirect cook. It is the bomb and only way my family will eat them now.
1 hour one, look for some pull back, one hour crutched with some brazing liquid. Our of the crutch, direct heat to dry off a bit(both sides). Back
in the crutch to rest for 15 minutes. We prefer dry, but you can put back on after the rest, indirect, mop and look for you desired glaze.

[LightningBoldtz]

Ribs - Juice or No Juice?

How about this ... No foil ... at all.  It's real easy, and you might be pleased with the outcome.  YMMV

Do you have any tips on grilling corn?

I started doing this last summer ... I prefer Method 3 .... grilling naked.  Delicious!

Last set of baby backs that I did was 3.5 hours @ 250 no foil they were awesome.....

[1buckie]

You can wrap if you'd like....it's kind of a lot of work in a way......it might be an idea to just try them flat out, rubbed w/ a little smoke so you get the hang of fire management, then start adding in extra processes like foiling, mopping, etc.

Here's Father's Day ribs a couple years ago.....

Bean pan ready:



Charcoal set, basically:



Just rotate the grate around a couple times while it's cooking, you'll either be over unburnt coals or ones that have burned & are dying out, so there's little risk of charring......





I put a therm right next to them, at Meat Level (<< Technical Term)so any time you open there's a quick check available......just watch for the pig juice to bubble up & melt the rub.....you can spritz w/ apple juice / cider vinegar combo to add a bit of surface moisture, won't hurt....




I go 260~275, 225 may tend to take so long that they dry out.....look for a good bend late in the game....







Juicy stuff.....

[1911Ron]

I used to wrap with brown sugar, peach nectar and honey and they were good, one day I got lazy and did not wrap, spritz or sauce just the bend and done, I like the results better.

You will find a range of ways to do it (3-2-1, 2-2-1 wrap don't wrap....etc.) only way to tell which you and your family and friends like is to experiment with different ways and go with the one you like!

[Big Dawg]

I used to wrap with brown sugar, peach nectar and honey and they were good, one day I got lazy and did not wrap, spritz or sauce just the bend and done, I like the results better.

You will find a range of ways to do it (3-2-1, 2-2-1 wrap don't wrap....etc.) only way to tell which you and your family and friends like is to experiment with different ways and go with the one you like!

And that's best part ! ! !





BD

[WNC]

Used to be wrapper, but as soon as I tried them unwrapped I haven't looked back, plus it's just a whole lot easier!

But the best thing was trying to find out which way we liked them best?

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/bbq-food-pics/rib-lunch/msg146844/#msg146844

here's one of my unwrapped rib cooks.

[kettlecook]

I don't use any more than a spritz or two of juice if wrapping spares, (which I probably wouldn't do if cooking on a kettle or wsm.) I do use a good bit more when I wrap loinbacks, but that's on an offset smoker, where there's a lot more smoke and air movement. I don't recommend wrapping em if using a wsm or kettle, especially at first. I'd see what the bark is like without foiling first, and then go from there. Good luck with it and have fun.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MrHoss]

There it is right there baby!!!!!!

[BBQFiend]

Thanks for the tip guys. I know this may be blasphemy but I'm not a huge fan of the dry almost jerky exterior bark. If I wrap the ribs will that prevent that?

[austin87]

A jerky like exterior may mean you are cooking at too high of heat. Yes the wrap will help with that. Another move is to put some apple juice with a splash of vinegar in a spray bottle - that will also help keep the exterior a bit softer.