Lots of replies here, but here is my 2 cents. I do foil, mainly because i want to ensure a nice color and also, I don't use a lot of sugars in my main rub so then I can add a little sweetness with brown sugar in my foil. As others have mentioned, it sounds like the ribs just may be a bit overcooked. A few tips if you want to foil...
- 3-2-1 is a guideline for ribs, but by no means science. Smoke until you get the color you want then wrap. I check mine at 2.5 hours.
- If you do foil, let them sit in the foil for 1.5 hours then check them. Open up a rack real quick and give a bone a gentle tug. If it feels like it is about ready to come out, you are done with the wrapping portion.
- Unwrap and put back on smoker for about an hour or so. This will help the ribs tighten back up and you can glaze from there and pull off.
Oh yeah. I have been adjusting my 3-2-1 times the past few smokes. Size of meat, outside temp/humidity, temp inside pit - all factors. One time I took them out of foil too early and the didn't "bite clean" enough off the bone. The reason I took them out early was because the last time the fell off too easily. I have been getting better and better at judging everything throughout the whole process. Thanks for the input though. Happy smoking!
Larry, 3-2-1 will almost always give Fall off the Bone ribs because of the time the meat spends Braising in the foil. If you like the taste the foiling process gives but want more Pull from the meat, cut the foiling time down to 1 or 1.5 hours and then add the time as needed at the end such as 3-1.5-1.5 or you get a 90° bend, with splintering meat, when you pick the rack up from one end. This adjustment of foiling time and bend test, don't rely on Pull Back as it does not always happen, gives the best of both worlds...JJ
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Larry, 3-2-1 will almost always give Fall off the Bone ribs because of the time the meat spends Braising in the foil. If you like the taste the foiling process gives but want more Pull from the meat, cut the foiling time down to 1 or 1.5 hours and then add the time as needed at the end such as 3-1.5-1.5 or you get a 90° bend, with splintering meat, when you pick the rack up from one end. This adjustment of foiling time and bend test, don't rely on Pull Back as it does not always happen, gives the best of both worlds...JJ
Exactly! There are a lot of ways to get to great Ribs. I have even done both when I have time to play. Two racks. one with Foil for Mrs. J and one without 'cause I like like more pull and extra smokey...JJI've done both ways and love the results of both. When foiling the meat tends to be more tender IMO. But I like both, and it depends on the target audience I guess. I have freinds that love FOTB ribs so I foil and hear everytime about how they are the best ribs they ever had. Others like to have a slight pull, for them I don't foil and they also love them.
We need to come up with a way to identify the members of the "Cult of the Bark" so we can recognize each other out on the street (or on this forum). Maybe a tattoo for the street and for the forum a tag next to our avatar.
My wife requested her favorite: BB, FOTB ribs this weekend. I'll be foiling.
Thankfully I'll also be smoking an 8 lb shoulder at the same time so even though I'm not a fan of BBs or FOTB, I'll have the PP to keep me smiling later. Might even join the Cult of the Bark and not foil the roast. Will wonders never cease?
Trust me, I know. Its her birthday though and she wants her ribs to FOTB. Sigh. The good news is I know how to do it for her. The bad news I have to look like I'm enjoying the ribs. But we have a daughter visiting so maybe between the two of them I can skip the ribs and enjoy my pulled pork with THIS................
FOTB Ribs might as well be Pulled Pork...JJ