PERFECT RIBS EVERY TIME! This really works!

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Both our daughters were visiting this past weekend.  They left hubbies at home so it was just like old times.  With my wife and both daughters preferring their ribs FOTB, I surrendered and decided to take the ribs to that level.  No pics unfortunately, but here is what I did.

Loaded RO Ridge briquettes, hickory and peach chunks layered in the smoker.  Fired up 1/4 chimney of briquettes and dumped it in the center of the cold pile of briquettes and wood. Left all bottom vents closed, top full open.  While the smoker was coming up to temp and TBS, I ran to the Winco grocery store for two untrimmed racks of Hormel spare ribs.  Found two racks in the pile that had last week's sale price on them of $1.78/lb instead of this week's price of $2.28/lb.  Picked up a 6.04 lb rack and a 6.48 lb rack.  While there I saw a 9.5 lb untrimmed rack that was at least 3" thick with meat.  I was SOOOO tempted to buy it, but left it for some other lucky smoker.  If it is still there this week when I go back, it will find a home in my freezer. 

Got home about an hour later.  WSM was TBS cruising at 215F.  Did not remove the membrane on the ribs.  Didn't trim a thing.  Sprayed each rack with canola oil, then lightly seasoned the racks on both sides with my own favorite homemade pork rub, then squeezed them together onto the top grate of the 22.5" WSM.  They were some big racks of ribs, taking up the full top grate. 

After loading the meat, the chamber temp dropped on my accurate River Country lid therm to 170s.  The Maverick and Guru, which were pushed against the extreme outer edge of the smoker were reading in the 240s.  The outer edge is always hottest in my WSM due to the empty water pan and rising heat.  Over time the lid climbed to 240, the Mav and Guru climbed to the 270s, then settled back to the 240s after several hours as the meat heated up.   

Didn't even bother to peek at the ribs until they'd been on the smoker for six hours.  No spraying.  Probed for temp.  187 to 192F.  Felt resistance when inserting the probe. 

Left them alone for another hour and fifteen minutes, so 7.25 hours total.  Probed for temp: 195 to 198F, still a little resistance.  They would have been PERFECT for me at this point, but these were for my FOTB wife and kids.  Because they also like sauced ribs I sauced them with Sweet Baby Rays, Apricot preserves, and brandy, stirred together and heated in the microwave.  Applied the sauce and left them on the 240F smoker for another hour and fifteen minutes, total 8.5 hours.  

Probed for temp and the probe slid right in, absolutely no resistance.  Temp was 203-205F.  Used two sets of tongs to remove each rack.  They held together nicely.  The membrane, which is toward the heat, was paper thin and essentially unnoticeable.  Tastes good too.  The ribs were juicy, tender, with a thin bark, and wonderfully smoked.  One complete rack disappeared Saturday night.  The second rack the next afternoon for lunch. 

The only thing I like about FOTB ribs is I don't get my fingers dirty.  I eat them with a fork and knife, which makes them more palatable for me.  Wife and kids were in FOTB rib heaven with saucy fingers. I've never smoked ribs for 8.5 hours, but these needed it to get to the probe tender, FOTB stage at the chamber temps I was using. 
 
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That's awesome Ray!

So now you know FOTB is 203-205.

My Grandson is coming for a visit in the next few days and like your daughters & wife he likes his ribs FOTB too.

So I will surrender to his wishes also!

Al
 
Great job Ray!  Those ribs sound like perfection for the family!  I'm with you with the knife and fork though.  
icon_rolleyes.gif


Mike
 
Are
Many of you who knew me in the past know that I have been tinkering with my rib recipe for years. This comes from the fact that everybody around here likes fall off the bone ribs except me. I like tender juicy ribs, but what I don't like is taking a bite & having the bone slip out & a big chunk of meat hanging down on my chin. So my task was to find a rib that would satisfy the fall off the bone group & me too. I achieved that a few times, but could never do it 2 times in a row, that is until now. I now smoke the ribs by TEMP, not time. For the ribs that satisfy all of us the finish IT needs to be 195. Now if you try this recipe I would shoot for that same IT the first time. Then you may want to adjust for your particular taste. Maybe 200 or 205, or even 185, but the thing is they will be the same every time you smoke them. It doesn't matter if your a foil or non foil guy, whatever way you cook the ribs your focus should be on the finish temp. Personally I like to put the ribs in foil for 45 minutes to an hour, but I determine that time by the IT at 3 hours. Rub, foiling liquid, smoker temp, sauce. These have an effect on the final taste, but the thing that determines the final texture of the ribs is the IT. You will need a good therm like a thermapen, it has a real thin tip & will go between the bones real easy.
Next you need to start out with a good piece of meat. I stopped buying the cryovac 3 packs at Sam's because you really can't see what your getting. The one sandwiched in the center is usually not a rack I would buy if I was only buying 1 rack. So I get my ribs a our local grocery Publix. They have a good meat Dept. & will get you the rack your looking for. Second I DON'T TAKE OFF THE MEMBRANE. Why, because I think it holds the moisture in. I always finish the ribs on a screaming hot gas grill for a couple of minutes and that turns the membrane to dust. So now that you know the secret to perfect ribs everytime. Lets get the show going. Here's the rack that I'm starting with. Thick, meaty, with good marbelling. 




Coat with mustard & my pork rub. It's just a simple rub. Use your favorite rub or PM me for mine.




Next wrap with plastic wrap & into the fridge for a couple of hours. I stopped leaving them in the fridge overnight, because I thought the rub tended to overpower the pork flavor. 




Out of the fridge & into the smoker. Since this is a relatively short smoke I'm going to use the Smoke Vault. Red oak for wood.




Here it is ready to go.




I always leave the ribs in the smoke for 3 hours, then check the IT. Doesn't matter what smoker I'm using. Smoker temp is 225. At 3 hours I pull it out & foil.

 Now is when I check the IT for the first time. This is how I determine how long to leave the ribs in foil.




As you can see the IT is 168. If I foil for about 1 hour the IT should be in the 190+ range, which would be perfect.

I just use butter, raw sugar, some pork rub & about 1/4 cup of water in the foil.






Ribs go on the foil meat side down.





This is why I don't take the membrane off. You can see all the juice accumulated under the membrane.
It's actually so full of juice that it's bulging out.


  



Now just a little water on the bones.





Into the smoker.





I guess Judy is getting ready to eat some ribs!! Are they done yet??





Checking them after about 1 hour in the foil.





193! Perfect!! Now for Al's famous BBQ sauce.



Next into a really hot grill for just a couple of minutes. You have to watch these real close so as not to burn them. I like to see the BBQ sauce bubbling on top before I take the ribs out.




OK there done, lets just check the final IT.




That's what were looking for. Perfect ribs again! WOO HOO!!





Great bark, super juicy, but not quite fall off the bone. 

Here's the money shot!!!





We stood at the cutting board eating ribs. Never got them on a plate.




I hope some of you will try this. I know it goes against everything we have been taught, but I'm always looking to reinvent the wheel.

Thank-you for looking and happy smoking!

Al
Do you leave on foil open when move to grill or over direct heat? I'm going to try this today! Looks amazing.
 
No foil at all when it's on the grill.

Bone side down right on the heat for just a couple of minutes.

Al
 
Tried you recipe tonight. Followed it to the letter. Just a little over 1hr in foil. Then onto grill for just a few minutes. I used my Memphis rub and my homemade BBQ sauce. They were tender and juicy. Just shy of FOTB. Absolutely delicious. Thanks
 
Many of you who knew me in the past know that I have been tinkering with my rib recipe for years. This comes from the fact that everybody around here likes fall off the bone ribs except me. I like tender juicy ribs, but what I don't like is taking a bite & having the bone slip out & a big chunk of meat hanging down on my chin. So my task was to find a rib that would satisfy the fall off the bone group & me too. I achieved that a few times, but could never do it 2 times in a row, that is until now. I now smoke the ribs by TEMP, not time. For the ribs that satisfy all of us the finish IT needs to be 195. Now if you try this recipe I would shoot for that same IT the first time. Then you may want to adjust for your particular taste. Maybe 200 or 205, or even 185, but the thing is they will be the same every time you smoke them. It doesn't matter if your a foil or non foil guy, whatever way you cook the ribs your focus should be on the finish temp. Personally I like to put the ribs in foil for 45 minutes to an hour, but I determine that time by the IT at 3 hours. Rub, foiling liquid, smoker temp, sauce. These have an effect on the final taste, but the thing that determines the final texture of the ribs is the IT. You will need a good therm like a thermapen, it has a real thin tip & will go between the bones real easy.

Next you need to start out with a good piece of meat. I stopped buying the cryovac 3 packs at Sam's because you really can't see what your getting. The one sandwiched in the center is usually not a rack I would buy if I was only buying 1 rack. So I get my ribs a our local grocery Publix. They have a good meat Dept. & will get you the rack your looking for. Second I DON'T TAKE OFF THE MEMBRANE. Why, because I think it holds the moisture in. I always finish the ribs on a screaming hot gas grill for a couple of minutes and that turns the membrane to dust. So now that you know the secret to perfect ribs everytime. Lets get the show going. Here's the rack that I'm starting with. Thick, meaty, with good marbelling.


Coat with mustard & my pork rub. It's just a simple rub. Use your favorite rub or PM me for mine.


Next wrap with plastic wrap & into the fridge for a couple of hours. I stopped leaving them in the fridge overnight, because I thought the rub tended to overpower the pork flavor.


Out of the fridge & into the smoker. Since this is a relatively short smoke I'm going to use the Smoke Vault. Red oak for wood.


Here it is ready to go.


I always leave the ribs in the smoke for 3 hours, then check the IT. Doesn't matter what smoker I'm using. Smoker temp is 225. At 3 hours I pull it out & foil.

Now is when I check the IT for the first time. This is how I determine how long to leave the ribs in foil.


As you can see the IT is 168. If I foil for about 1 hour the IT should be in the 190+ range, which would be perfect.

I just use butter, raw sugar, some pork rub & about 1/4 cup of water in the foil.


Ribs go on the foil meat side down.


This is why I don't take the membrane off. You can see all the juice accumulated under the membrane.

It's actually so full of juice that it's bulging out.


Now just a little water on the bones.


Into the smoker.


I guess Judy is getting ready to eat some ribs!! Are they done yet??


Checking them after about 1 hour in the foil.


193! Perfect!! Now for Al's famous BBQ sauce.


Next into a really hot grill for just a couple of minutes. You have to watch these real close so as not to burn them. I like to see the BBQ sauce bubbling on top before I take the ribs out.


OK there done, lets just check the final IT.


That's what were looking for. Perfect ribs again! WOO HOO!!


Great bark, super juicy, but not quite fall off the bone.

Here's the money shot!!!


We stood at the cutting board eating ribs. Never got them on a plate.


I hope some of you will try this. I know it goes against everything we have been taught, but I'm always looking to reinvent the wheel.

Thank-you for looking and happy smoking!

Al
Just saw this thread. Love the way your ribs turned out. Do the juices collected under the membrane actually redistribute themselves through the meat when you cook the ribs face down inside the foil? I just don't see how it would, and I've never read or seen it advised. Is this a trick you developed or did you read about it somewhere?

I've gotten to the point where I'm smoking naked meat without foiling or wrapping in butcher paper. Every time I've foiled ribs they come out a little more steamed than I like. But you got the glossy BBQ sauce finish I haven't yet been able to attain.
 
Yes I believe the ribs do absorb some of the juices back into the meat, because when I tried the same method taking the membrane off, the ribs were not as juicy. Both myself & my wife concluded that the only way to smoke ribs is with the membrane still on. Even if you don't foil, the membrane peels right off very easily when the ribs are done. Check out the other rib thread in my signature, those were unfoiled & juicy as can be. https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/naked-ribs-no-rub-no-sauce.263432/. The glossy finish comes from finishing the ribs on a super hot grill with BBQ sauce on them, or maybe it's my BBQ sauce recipe. If you want it, I'll send it to you.
Al
 
Hey Al,
FYI, I have done ribs similar to this at the firehouse for the guys. They have a pellet grill and it works great for ribs. Instead of having another hot grill handy and waiting, I finish the ribs with a hand held propane torch. does not take long to bubble the sauce, it blisters the membrane to smithereens, and does not raise the INT of the ribs much at all. Fast, easy and I never have to worry about forgetting them on the grill! Also, you can torch to order! If someone likes a lot of crust, you can torch them a little more-which is how I like mine.

I torch the inside first, then flip, BBQ sauce if the person wants it, then torch the outside.
 
Hey Al,
FYI, I have done ribs similar to this at the firehouse for the guys. They have a pellet grill and it works great for ribs. Instead of having another hot grill handy and waiting, I finish the ribs with a hand held propane torch. does not take long to bubble the sauce, it blisters the membrane to smithereens, and does not raise the INT of the ribs much at all. Fast, easy and I never have to worry about forgetting them on the grill! Also, you can torch to order! If someone likes a lot of crust, you can torch them a little more-which is how I like mine.

I torch the inside first, then flip, BBQ sauce if the person wants it, then torch the outside.

Thanks for the tip, I use a torch when I SV stuff, so I have one & will give your method a try next time!
Thank-you again!
Al
 
Yes I believe the ribs do absorb some of the juices back into the meat, because when I tried the same method taking the membrane off, the ribs were not as juicy. Both myself & my wife concluded that the only way to smoke ribs is with the membrane still on. Even if you don't foil, the membrane peels right off very easily when the ribs are done. Check out the other rib thread in my signature, those were unfoiled & juicy as can be. https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/naked-ribs-no-rub-no-sauce.263432/. The glossy finish comes from finishing the ribs on a super hot grill with BBQ sauce on them, or maybe it's my BBQ sauce recipe. If you want it, I'll send it to you.
Al
When I was a kid, my dad never removed the membrane from his spare ribs before he cooked them. I admit I ate the dried membrane off the ribs because it tasted like edible flavored paper or something and I liked it. When I first started out cooking ribs on my own I didn't remove the membrane (I didn't know to do it) but I stopped eating it. :)

But Al, while leaving the membrane on does retain more juicy moisture in the ribs, have you found if leaving it on inhibits smoke penetration to a noticeable degree? I admit this reasoning has always confused me because I don't know of anyone (besides the younger me) who chews on the bone side of the ribs, and it seems like the meat side gets more than enough smoke lying face up on the racks. So, I'm riding the fence on this one.
 
When I was a kid, my dad never removed the membrane from his spare ribs before he cooked them. I admit I ate the dried membrane off the ribs because it tasted like edible flavored paper or something and I liked it. When I first started out cooking ribs on my own I didn't remove the membrane (I didn't know to do it) but I stopped eating it. :)

But Al, while leaving the membrane on does retain more juicy moisture in the ribs, have you found if leaving it on inhibits smoke penetration to a noticeable degree? I admit this reasoning has always confused me because I don't know of anyone (besides the younger me) who chews on the bone side of the ribs, and it seems like the meat side gets more than enough smoke lying face up on the racks. So, I'm riding the fence on this one.

Hey, give it a try, I've never had anyone tell me that my ribs didn't have enough smoke flavor.
Look at the smoke penetration on these ribs, top & bottom, with the membrane left on.

full


Al
 
I'm going to do this tomorrow. I already took the membrane off prior to reading this :( Instead of water I was going to use concentrated apple juice, the frozen kind that you add water to, minus the water, and apple chips. Think that'll be too much? I also don't have a thermapen. I have a cheaper one from walmart.
 
I'm going to do this tomorrow. I already took the membrane off prior to reading this :( Instead of water I was going to use concentrated apple juice, the frozen kind that you add water to, minus the water, and apple chips. Think that'll be too much? I also don't have a thermapen. I have a cheaper one from walmart.

It sounds like a winner to me. If the probe needle is not real thin it's hard to get an accurate reading, but if you check the ribs in several places you should get a good idea of the IT. Just don't let the therm touch a bone.
Good luck!
Al

Those ribs look delicious!!! And it only took a little over 4 hours? Thats great!

Thank you my friend!
Al
 
Congratulation Al, this thread is just over 2 years old and averages about 69 views a day.

Amazing.

Chris
 
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