first baby backs this weekend

[beyondclarity]

Hey all -

I'm using my 4 rack for the first time to do baby back ribs this weekend...and I'd like to validate the plan I've devised after reading a bunch of posts:

Night before - using Icemans rub:
Rub ribs and wrap with saran wrap - place in fridge

Next morning:
Remove ribs to allow them to reach room temp while warming the BS to 220

Place ribs in smoker for about a half hour (I'll use hickory and apple pucks)
Every 1/2 hour there after spritzing with apple juice...
I'll also put a beer/apple juice mixture in the bowl, mostly cause it sounds fun!

I'll smoke for about 2-2.5 hour (I'm a little fearful of over smoking and have read "less can be more...")

Once thats complete -

I'll foil wrap the whole lot of ribs in one big bundle coating each layer with apple juice.  Then I'll place the big pile of awesome in the oven at about 190 degrees for 3 more hours.

Once thats complete I'll place them on the grill with Famous Daves BBQ sauce, some with a rich and sassy/devils spit mix and the others with Texas Pit.  This process should only take about 20 mins.

Any suggestions or alterations to this plan would be helpful to hear.

Thanks,

Troy

[Wildcat]

Welcome to the forum!

First thing you should do is remove the membrane.

When utlizing Iceman's Rub, go sparingly.  A little goes a long way with his rub.  His rub also works fine if you rub just before smoking.  His sauce is also perfect for ribs IMHO.

I only spritz every hour.  More frequent is alright, but you lose cabinet temperature everytime door is open.

On the final stage just cook until done.  Exact time will vary.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

[begolf25]

Sounds like a great plan.  I agree with Wildcat. I would let the ribs smoke for at least an hour before you start to spritz. Even if you let the ribs come up to room temp. the cabinet temp. is still going to drop when you add the ribs in and it might not have recovered completely after a 1/2 hour.

[Malc]

I just did my first baby backs this weekend.  I have done spare ribs and St. Louis style before.  I wanted that fall off the bone texture, but I did it too well.  I smoked for 4 hrs, attempting to get to a box temp of about 200, but it didn't recover there until about 3.5 hrs. in.  I then placed each 1/2 rack in a foil boat and splashed with apple cider, wrapped 'em up and put them back in the 200 degree box.  There they stayed with some rack rotation for about 3.5 more hours.  I added some sauce and tossed them back in for another 30 mins.  Oh, they fell off the bone alright, I thought I was eating pulled pork for a minute.  Great flavor, but I wanted to at least be able to bite the meat off the bone a little bit.  Maybe less time in the foil next time?  Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Oh yeah, the point of this post was to reccomend to beyondclarity not to leave them too long in the foil, lest they fall completely apart.

Malc

[NePaSmoKer]

Welcome beyondclarity

I do my ribs like Wildcat does. And the icemans rub & sauce is the best  ;D

nepas

[Gizmo]

Great flavor, but I wanted to at least be able to bite the meat off the bone a little bit.  Maybe less time in the foil next time?  Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Oh yeah, the point of this post was to reccomend to beyondclarity not to leave them too long in the foil, lest they fall completely apart.

Malc

I'd agree there Malc, the foil boat treatment was a little long.  Problem there is it can be hard to tell how long is too long as I have have Ribs in a foil boat for 3 hours and were perfect.  Differences in the meat and a few other variables but then I'd just as soon have it fall off the bone then to sell it to Petco as their new chew toy.  :-[ 

[Malc]

Thanks Gizmo, that is what I figured.  The nice thing is I get to experiment again.  I can hear it now.  "Yes honey, I needed 30 racks of ribs.  You want me to get it right, don't you?"

Malc

[iceman]

Geez Malc, only 30 racks of ribs.
I think me and icerat have gone through at least 100 racks each and still don't have it "just right". :D ;D ;)
A mans gotta do what a mans gotta do. :o :D

[beyondclarity]

I couldn't find Icemans sauce on the forum - does anyone have the recipe handy or it is a sauce he actually packages and sells?

[Tiny Tim]

He packages and sells it.  Discounted for forum members.  Send him a PM or an e-mail to [email protected], and he'll get ya set up.

[Consiglieri]

I do babybacks more frequently than any other cut of meat.  After much research and experimentation, I've concluded that cooking technique is more of a philosophical question than one of precise science.  With one exception: remove the membrane from the bone side of the ribs.  A must.

For me, I've liked the results with a whole bunch of different rubs, and sauces (and Ice's sauce does rock), but again, it's a matter of preference and mood.  If I'm cooking quantity, I like a little variety and will vary (1) slather recipe (or no slather) (2) rubs, and (3) glazes/sauces (or dry finish).  If I'm cooking smaller quantities, particularly a spontaneous smoke, I'll probably do something like this:

1.   remove the membrane and apply a mustard slather.  I keep a squeeze mustard bottle on hand of my favorite slather recipe.  If you don't have a favorite, squeeze a bunch of yellow mustard on the meat and massage it in.  If you've never tried this technique, the thought will turn you off.  That said, I guarantee that you will have a very hard time tasting any mustard in your finished product.  If you have any doubts, check out other posts here on that topic.  I will sometimes also crush some garlic and massage that in.

2. Rub.  I have a big bottle of rub I call pig rub.  It has a variety of spices in it, but two distinct flavors come to mind: brown sugar and some paprika.  Sugar and spice; nuff said.  Most of your barbeque cookbooks will have recipes for rib rubs that incorporate these two flavors.  I use one in Paul Kirk's Championship BBQ.  Smoke N Spice has some nice rubs too.


3.  Smoking/cooking. Depending on the weight cooking, my babybacks will typically take about 5-7 hours cooking for a smaller load (and 10 or more for a full box).  I will apply smoke a smaller load for 2 hours twenty minutes (usually 50 per cent apple mixed with something else) at a box temp of 210 to 220F.    During the last hour, I'll apply my sauce/glaze, and then another coat about 30 minutes later.  More sauce on the table.  Sometimes no sauce at all.

4. Resting.  Time allowing, I'll use the FTC method for a couple of hours.  If no time allows, and you've cooked your ribs low and slow and thoroughly, you can get by with a 15 minute rest and then carving.  But FTC is a magical trick, and one of the finest I've learned here. 

I haven't tried the "boat trick," but I like the product I've produced in the Bradley box.  With one exception: I once cooked a full load in a 6rDBS.  I miscalculated the cook time and the ribs didn't have enough opportunity to break down into fall off the bone goodness.   

Anyway, hope this helps.  Good luck and keep us posted.

[LilSmoker]

Good post Consiglieri, i agree that many factors have to be taken into account to get the desired results  ;)

We all have different tastes, so what maybe a great rib to one person, may not be acceptable to another.

The ammount of meat on the ribs?, the rub used?, how long was the rub applied before smoke?, what temp were the ribs cooked/smoked at? how long were they smoked/cooked?, wood?, were they spritzed/juiced? the factors are endless  ;)

I know how to get my ribs the way i like them, and others that have tried them seem eager for seconds so i'm generally happy with the results, but they're not perfect, and where ribs are concerned i think there's always room for improvement.
So although i stick to my basic rib routine, i still experiment, as that's all part of the fun i believe, experimenting usually includes the vital ingredient (beer) ;D

I personaly think ribs are maybe one of the most difficult things to perfect with the BS, so although i'm happy with my ribs, i'm still looking for perfection, if anybody finds it, let me know!..............seconds thoughts, don't let me know, the experimenting is too much fun

LilSmoker

[MallardWacker]

Again...just my .0235 cents worth here.   ALL IS FREAK'N very GOOD...dang you guys have down.

A simple way...do all your stuff you love to do as you folks have mentioned.  I don't spritz/mop mine do to cabinet temp being lost but this is where I will  diverge.

Do 4 hours...220....cabinet closed then pull...finish those puppies on the grill.  You will have a lot of leverage with the end product...and yes they are tender.  I have better consistency doing it this way.  I know it sounds too easy...ribs are to be a pain or they are not fun...yes i know.  I have lost more ribs than enjoyed them by laboring too much.

[Stickbowcrafter]

Welcome...how did the ribs turn out?

-Brian