I wrap...
I just rubbed down a lovely, tender rack of St. Louis style spareribs, planning to add smoke tomorrow, I really want to try smoking them at 250-275 unwrapped until nice and tender. Is this recommended? I know a lot (most?) folks wrap their ribs at some point during the cook. This far-from-the-south Idahoan would love any thoughts/advice from the Brethren!
I do wrap...but not always. Sometimes I drink too much beer during the day and kinda forget...haha.
But actually my "wrap" is more or less for the rest phase of my ribs, and I've had good results with this.
I generally throw my ribs in about 250F...and I don't open the door and look at them for about 4 hours.
At that point, I"ll spritz them with whatever I put in a bottle that day.
Last time was cider vinegar and some home brewed apple hard cider!!
(I did a mead spritz too one day...was good).
Anyway, when I see the bones start to pull away...I'll wrap them in butcher paper, sometimes with some spritz, or even some beef tallow if I'm rendering that on the smoker that day....
I'll throw these back on...usually till they reach about 202F internal temp...or when I pick the rack up, I can feel the rack start to slightly 'bend' in the middle.
I bring the ribs in then and leave in paper till I"m ready to eat.
So, I kinda wrap mine for the what I call the "Rest+" phase.....
So far, works well with last racks of St. Louis ribs....perfect fat rendering.
I didn't used to really care for ribs honestly...I always had too much fat on them, and I just have never liked eating globs of fat....
Even since I got the offset, I now have learned how to cook them to render that fat off and into the meat....and now, I LOVE the damned things!!
Anyway....that's my $0.02.
cayenne