I appreciate what a wrap does for the meat. On occasion, I’ll wrap the meat. But for me, the experience of cooking outdoors, using open flame and taking a long time to cook, especially if adding smoke makes the imperfection of a rack of ribs, or a brisket just part of the experience. Generally I avoid the wrap, sometimes I use it, depends on the actual piece of meat. Fatty doesn’t need wrapping, leaner needs a wrap. Great videos, thanks.
I agree with you on the Paper vs Foil wrapped and I'm sure you'll find the same difference if you do brisket. When Justin, James, and I did our brisket test, we actually placed paper wrapped in 3rd place. Overall, being in Texas, we preferred the naked ribs and brisket. However, we like more smoke flavor/ring and harder bark. This was a great test Roel. I'm sure this video will do very well for you my brother!!! Cheers to ya and keep that smoke rollin' brother!!!!
Hi T, thanks for stopping by bro. So funny how these preferences are super local. I loved the bark on the naked ribs, but we are used to juicy fall of the bone ribs here so that is what I expect. In our local pinion that is what they should taste like. We do't have much experience with brisket. Thats why it is a taste that we still have to develop. I am curious to see if the butchers paper will add more value there. Otherwise... why is it so popular?
Since I follow the both of you... do you guys see butcherpaper as a more environmentally friendly option to foil? Or is that something you don't take into consideration? (Lets be thankful for differences, that way we can learn good stuff from each other).
All 3 ways of cooking will produce fantastic results so far as all the guidelines are followed specifically for that one type of cooking. True to my Texas roots, I don't waste my time with wrapping anything and concentrate solely on what ever the type of meat I'm cooking needs.
Nice comparison. Like most, I've done it all three ways too. I think drum type smokers do good with no wrap with hanging ribs over the coals. I began with using foil the first year, then began using some butcher paper on butts and briskets. I just like the BP better. IMO, foil when applied double really builds up a steam bath on the ribs and if they are left in too long can cook the bone almost out. Butcher paper doesn't do as much of that. also I only leave them wrapped for 1 hour. Thanks, enjoyed watching. Merry Christmas
The paper won’t stop from curling back up after coming off the roll? Tear of the amount you need and wad it up in a ball. It doesn’t have to be into a tight ball. Smooth the paper back out. The paper will now lay flat without rolling back up. Works for parchment paper as well.
I always smoke them on the smoker for 3 hours and 3 hours wrapped up in Lumen fall with apple juice and 20-minutes unwrapped and salts and it always come out good yours look very good and it and I bet it is very good also nice meeting you
His constant reminders are done perfectly. I like how every step of the way he reminds us of the temp and time hes cooked them for. On top of which he reminds us of which rack hes putting where and which hes tasting. Makes is so much easier to follow along if trying to duplicate.
When I use aluminum, I put a sheet of Parchment paper and wrap around the food, then wrap it in foil. This way there is no direct contact in between the food and foil
What a great discussion! This is what BBQ is all about, should it be done this way or should it be done that way? Should the meat fall of the bone or should you have to gnaw on it? This is why I don't like BBQ competitions with a bunch of rules saying how it should be done. It should be done the way YOU like it! My judges are me and my spouse, and to a lesser extend a few others that may sit around our table from time to time. I know what the judges are thinking when the conversation stops and it gets real quiet at the table except for the sound of lip smacking...
No, the not-wrapped ribs won't cook faster. The wrap traps the steam coming off the meat, the wrapped cook way faster. It's called the 'Texas Crutch' and is used for that very reason.
@@MrBosch82 gotta touch your rub, make sure to cook until none comes off. If you're getting wash out, it's not ready for wrap, or maybe it's the liquids you're using in the wrap.
Thank you so much for doing this comparison! I have tried foil vs unwrapped and agree, the foil ones taste better and are a bit juicier. The quicker cook time is also a big plus when just cooking up some ribs for family and friends if you ask me
Mr. X, I would recommend starting seasoning from bottom side first that way when you do the top you don't smear or wipe off the top layer. And the natural curve of the bones help to keep more rub on the bottom layer. Like you mentioned a binder is always good, I do recommend a good mustard. Just a tip... ;)
I use aluminium paper for sauced ribs and nothing for dry rubs, not wrapping makes a better bark but it will be a bit drier. Either way, its ribs! Always good!. Great video Roel, i am really enjoying your channel! Keep up the good work!
@@webarnesca You do realize that is not paper made from tin but tin "foil"? Aluminum foil or tin foil is not called paper, nor is there such a thing. Unless they make some with paper glued to the metal foil, I guess I have seen that before but you are still cooking with aluminum which is bad still. So again what is aluminum paper? You must be referring to the combination two-ply pressed together?
It definitely takes longer to cook unwrapped. Also the rib on top will cook slower than the bottom in a Kamado Joe. So when you combine those two factors, you will add 1-2 hours extra cook time. I have a KJ as well. I did 3 slabs this weekend- using the expander. I wrapped them all and the expander rib was every bit of an hour behind. It is kind of hard to do these tests on different height racks. I know it is just inches but it makes a significant difference. I really enjoyed the well produced video.
A very interesting comparison Chef. I use tin foil only when I want to cook ribs quicker. All things equal I prefer not to wrap at all. As you concluded the unwrapped ribs were still damn good. I prefer au natural and a bit of chew and crispy bark remaining. I can alway use a mop sauce if I want more flavor and a more tender rib. No foil for me!
I agree....I wrapped in tin foil for years. one evening I was cooking ribs buddy of mine called and needed some help. Few hours went by oh crap!!! I didn’t wrap my ribs. Well there ruined now. Got home did not look bad had good color. Put a little mop sauce on them!!!! Ain’t never wrapped a rack since. Not saying I’m right but we sure like them that way!
James Dyer I never ever smoked in my life but just bought a Oklahoma Joe’s Bronco and been watching videos of smoking like crazy. I noticed that all the videos are wrapped ribs and meat falls off the bone. I don’t care for fall off the bone, I prefer bite off the bone. Just wondering if not wrapping will make my ribs, bite off the bone?
A credible test, but a few personal observations: Try smoking at 275°F. I find that the results are better rendering and flavor, as well as texture. You may not find it so, but I don't like foiling or papering because the ribs tend to have more of a ham texture and flavor. Paper causes less of this affect than foil but it is still there. Smoking without covering at 275° does remove more moisture from ribs, but this is a good thing if done correctly. There is still moisture within the meat and the benefit is more intense meat flavor- too much moisture dilutes flavor. This method produces a rib that has the appearance of less moisture, better bark, and a texture that might be characterized as " flaky". This is a winning result. It may take a few tries, but it is worth it. Just as dry aging benefits steaks, and curing benefits bacon and ham, removing excess moisture in meat is crucial to flavor.
Chit Storm ive done hundreds of racks of ribs. I tried all three techniques but have since settled on wrapping with foil. I’ve never experienced a ham texture or flavor. I’ve also not heard this from anyone else. Is there something else at play here?
I cook mine unwrapped I keep the smoke going after 2 hours I'll start mopping them with sauce spray bottle with apple juice works for really good. I found if you can pull the bone out if you chew it two times it turns to mush in your mouth I like mine to tear off the bone.
Great video. I wrap in foil but only long enough for the sauce I put in there to get tacky and adhere to the ribs. I hate 'fall off the bone' ribs. If I wanted pulled pork I would have smoked a butt, not a rack of ribs. But, that's just me.
In Australia, we often use a combination of baking paper which is a silicone coated or wax coated paper which has contact with the meat and prevents sticking and then wrap it in foil to keep the heat without contact with the aluminium. The baking paper and foil allow you to add liquids if you want without any issue as the wax paper won't absorb moisture.
1) if you want good flavor from your rib, don't just dust and immediately throw on the grill. Apply the rub well, wrap in plastic and refrigerate overnight (some pro pitmasters go 48hrs) so as some moisture is pulled from the rib surface, the spices penetrate well. If you have the time, it's worth it. If you wrap your ribs, use butcher paper. The heat transfer is better and more importantly for me, someone who used to cook a fair amount of food in foil (fish, potatoes and veggies, meats, etc.) It turns out that the foil breaks down and POISONS your food. Don't just take my word for it, look it up. If you cook food in foil very often, stop. Find another way. The folks who make and sell foil by telling you how cool, convenient and quick it is to cook food in foil pouches somehow neglect to tell you that you're poisoning your children! And yourself. Anyways... Most any butcher shop will sell you a roll (or part) of paper at a reasonable price. It's easy to get. ALSO, as your cooking your ribs, etc., its common to push a thermometer or skewer, etc. thru the paper and into the meat to test for the even tenderness indicating the doneness of the meat. It just works better with the paper. Also, some of the liquids are released but still keeping the meat moist. Wrapping with foil actually steams the food, removing some of your spice rub and cooking sometimes too fast to develop the flavors wanted (depending on what you're doing) and can make the meat too "soggy" requiring more time open air cooking to try to recover the bark/finish of the outside of your food. It's just overall easier to control and produces a better finished product when you use paper.
Butcher paper in USA is for freezing meat and has either a wax or plastic lining. What you want is parchment paper designed for baking and roasting. Fantastic product and not toxic like aluminium
Richard Raucina Inaccurate. There is uncoated butcher paper. It is very common and is what most pro-comp pitmasters have in their arsenal for certain situations. For example... I ALWAYS finish a brisket in paper. Always.
Not exactly. There is pink butcher's paper which does not have the plastic lining and it is different from parchment paper. Pink butcher paper can be found on Amazon.
The only smoked meat I wrap is pork shoulder, towards the end, for pulled pork. I never wrap ribs and they turn out great. The rib that was wrapped in foil was almost done in 4 hours, meant that it cooked too fast. It looked more like boiled pork soup. My ribs take at least 6 hours+. Low and slow. That's the only way to smoke ribs.
Good video, thanks. When I do ribs I rub the night before, smoke for 2 hours, foil wrap and finish cooking in the oven. Then I sauce and finish them on the grill to dry and char them a bit. I like how they turn out, but I usually use St. Louis trimmed ribs which are thinner than the full cut ones you used so finishing them on the grill allows them to dry more so they don't end up too mushy.
You mentioned it being a little over cooked on the wrapped ribs and I have felt the same way on mine so I dropped the wrap time down to an hour and a half vs 2 hours. Now I feel like the ribs stay nice and tender but still have a snap off the bone feel.
Good video! My conclusion based on the ease of use and cleanliness is use the foil. 2+2+30 minutes is about right in my experience at 225; but I like them jucy.
Good research. I use foil and was considering a switch to butcherspaper. But after this footage I will stick to foil. See forward to your research on brisket on this matter. Keep on the good work, big thumb.
I do the 3-2-1 method on my BGE. Day before silver skin off and seasoned pork rub in a sealed bag (or brown sugar and Lowry's seasoned salt of company is not fond of spicey). BGE at 250 indirect heat, spray apple juice every 45 minutes (don't think it's really necessary), after 3 hours wrap in heavy duty aluminum foil spraying with apple juice and drizzling honey, after 2 hours open foil and brush lightly homemade BBQ sauce for 1 hour. Serve with warmed BBQ sauce on the side, cole slaw and nice rolls that are sweet.
Been smoking curing and processing meat for over 30 years. I know everybody has their own way of Smoking meat I don’t wrap mine but I have had meat that has been wrapped and it was great . I do it this way because people love it I just don’t change it . Great video .
I enjoyed your video I usually wrap my ribs in aluminum foil but some guys say you shouldn't it's nice to know that when compared the foil does work out better I never thought about wrapping them in butcher paper but it seems like it works
I use foil but don't wrap, I lay a piece over my meat towards the end and it will kinda speed up and help to keep some moisture, I like tender but with chew, don't want it falling off the bone.
Foil is used if you want to add a brazing concoction. Paper is used to retain internal moisture while developing bark. No wrap is KC style or for a dark almost black bark.
The magic happens as the smoke penetrates the exterior muscle fibers at lower meat temps. The first couple hrs are the key. There are minor differences in finishing ( I prefer AF for last couple hrs) but what you do the first couple hrs has more to do with finished product than anything else.
Ive found that the 3-2-1 method works pretty damn well(3hrs smoke, 2hrs wrapped in foil w or wo extra butter etc, and 1 hr unwrapped to tighten the ribs and crisp the bark). Ive varied this many times and experimented with/without wrapping(but always w foil, never tried butcher paper w ribs)
I always use foil for pork & paper for beef. I find the bark sets better on beef in paper. As you pointed out there isn’t much difference between paper & foil with pork. Foil finishes faster though.
Just the comparison I was looking for..great job and I want some ribs now..for unwrapped, helps to marinate over night so it doesn’t lose flavor when cooking..I prefer them a lil tough and not fall off the bone..thanks for the content!
Great clip. Interesting comparison. Just bought my first Weber Kettle.......and I’m ‘72! Hey!.......I’ve been busy! Only done one rack of ribs ( and they were unwrapped but good) but this video was helpful. My next ‘rib outing’ will involve wrapping. You have a very good ‘camera presence’ and I like your presentations. Thanks so much (from Toronto where right now it’s darn cold!).
I am so glad I found this video, I believe we should NOT be using aluminum foil to cook our food in, or aluminum of any kind, pots, dishes etc. So I will now be using butcher paper, I was not aware it would stand up to bbquing. I use it a lot to line my baking dishes it just did not occur to me to use it for my meats etc. So thanks, and please look up the harm alluminum foil can do to your health and maybe you will change your mind too. Again thank you.
I’ve tested between foil and the paper wrap, I just like the foil better it’s easier I don’t buy butchers wrap for anything else so I’ve always got foil anyway plus it really holds moisture better when you’re cooking thick pork chops or something like that you can wrap it up with the butter and wrap it tight and cook it quickly for a few minutes on each side and get it good and cooked through and tender and then take it out and finish the seer and sauce or whatever you choose to do. To just do it low and slow to try and get those thick pieces of meat tender can take an hour or two otherwise it’s really not better. I just like foil better for the ribs as well it’s not as messy either all that juice end up dripping into your grill. I’ve never been able to cook ribs without wrapping them at all they always come out dry. Lol. Yours all good though I think I agree with you I like them cooked a little less and I still like a little texture invite to them instead of falling off the bone. If you can see the bone when it starts to spackle instead of turning all white that’s usually what I get from what I would call the perfectly cooked rib once those bones are turned all white that’s usually indicative of them being over cooked but I’m sure different cuts of meat inside might make a difference on all of that as well. I like the comparison shows like this
butcher paper is the best. to me foil tasts like boiled meat. i think different cookers give them different flavor profiles. id love to see this experiment done on an off set smoker and on a webber. would be real interesting to see the difference
I cook spares on my weber Smokey mountain for 3 hrs unwrapped and then around 1.5 hours wrapped in foil with a little apple juice. They always turn out awesome. I’ll stick with foil as it looks like less hassle with the same taste. I also use a combo hickory and applewood chunks for smoke.
Well I mean no food cooked perfectly requires anything else, but sometimes one likes alternate taste profiles. Dry is just as good as wet to me, just depends on the day.
you can also wrap your smoke wood in foil. doing so will make it last some longer and give more smoke. In by far most cases it will keep the smoke wood from actually catching fire and burning away. So when you're done it leaves you with another chunk of charcoal for your next cooking session.
While I'm not at any level to compete, I do all my ribs in heavy duty foil in the oven. I realize that that is sacrilege but that's the way I make my clan happy. I start with a dry rub (no salt) 24 hrs before. When wrapping them, they get another rub coating just to be sure that everyone's going to be happy. After 4 hr at 270 I turn the broiler on and get a bit of colour and extra caramelization/yumminess. It doesn't get any easier than that. Same recipe for years and it's a hit every single time.
2-2-1 method for sides? I do that for backs, which is rare. I got a spatula that's bigger than my head. And I have a big head. Those are meaty ribs though.
Great video sir. Let them huge slabs of meat "rest" for 10-15 mins before cutting into them and take them off when they're still slightly under temp as they'll continue to cook for a bit. I miss my grill....
I do it completely differently. Dry rub ribs, wrap in foil, then put in oven at low heat, 130 deg. C or 266 deg. F and leave for 3 hours or until it's reached the tenderness you want. Remove foil, finish on grill with wood chips at high heat, brushing on bbq sauce near the end until it caramelizes. Easy, not much work, no need to tend the grill for hours or use up lots of charcoal or gas.
Personal preference really. I like my ribs a bit chewy, not fall off the bone that they are mush.
5 років тому
Foil for me. I add seasonings and cooking time is faster. I do put several small holes in the foil. 250 degrees for minimum of 4 hours and you will have very delicious ribs.
Hey guys! I am new to the world of BBQ grilling with hot coals. I have always wondered about the risk of toxic gases getting released during the burn onto the meat and food prepared, esp., lead and other carcinogenic pollutants. Kindly shed some light on this as I am very anxious about health hazards. Thank you. You earned a new subscriber.
OnTheFritz602 Alzheimer's loves ya; it's not a good idea to cook in aluminum like that. And foil costs more than paper, but they taste the same? Paper is better.
@@nora22000 yeah I agree. Trying to get away from foil. Heavy metals are accumulating in us at a harmful level. Even the butcher paper is an issue. It's wax treated and that wax is not edible wax. It's toxic. I can't remember what trash it's made from but it's either petroleum based or completely synthetic for 90% of butcher paper
@@MrMcGillicuddy Here on the US West Coast uncoated butcher paper is common. But it's effective to put the coated side of the paper away from the food. That works just fine.
The dreaded transfer of the ribs supported purely by the shovel thingo, tilt it slightly to much off centre and ribs flop onto the floor sauce down lol.
I perfer aluminum they always fall apart love your video its good to know . Cant wait to see your video on wrap brisket with aluminum that's how I cook mine .
Look up jack miller or pig stand these are two brands in Louisiana they produce basting sauce and barbecue sauce I started with the basting sauce and add to it mustard sauce and some extra came in black pepper some people would like to add a little vinegar
I saw on other videos that they flip the ribs when they wrap so they cook in their juices. I prefer unwrap to get that tug. Falling of the bone is not ribs to me. Might as well boil them
Those ribs looked incredible before cooking!!! You sure can't get fat ribs like those in a regular grocery store. Us people who live miles from a big city gourmet meat store are jelly of that meat!!!
I used foil for two hours after the initial two hours uncovered, and the ribs tasted steamed. I went to uncovered and although a little dry, everyone thought they were great. I want to try 2 hours uncovered followed by 1 hour in pink paper followed by 1 hour uncovered again.
Most have their favorite, mine is to wrap in aluminum foil with a little apple juice. I've never had the amount of juice like shown here. Not even close. My finishing temp is 201 203 degrees. The meat is not quite falling off the bone but very tender and moist.
Im gonna go with the unwrapped ribs. Better smoke ring and more pork flavor. That's why Im cooking ribs, is to taste ribs. The rub and sauce are accompaniments. The rib is the star of the show. Also, you can spray your ribs every half hour to 45 minutes with some water/acv/apple juice to keep it a bit more moist.
My brother and I started his kamado up without the heat diffusers placed a rack of ribs which we didn't remove the skin off the bottom and a pizza with one smoke block (bad idea), the cheese absorbed the smoke. we went back inside with the grill wide open came back out 6 minutes later and the grill was at 650! Plus flame was coming out the top of the grill, we stifled the flame everything looked cooked the cheese on the pizza was tan but not melted it looked as if it was sun burned. We went in and grabbed the meat probe and tested the ribs they were at 180°f so it's been about ten minutes since we threw them on but they were amazing. We flash cooked our rack of ribs inside the fire of a block of hickory and they turned out incredible
The reason to wrap is to overcome the temperature stall and get the meat to desired temp, before it dries out. So the meat will be both tender and juicy. The reason why people use butcher paper is it absorbs some of those juices. Some people want the “bark” texture. So butcher paper allows them to have that bark and still benefit from the wrap. If you don’t wrap, it takes longer to cook the meat and it can become dry. If you wrap in foil, the meat sits in the juices. Pink butcher paper gives you the best of both worlds. But it also depends on what you are cooking. If you are going to finish your ribs in barbecue sauce, then it doesn’t make much difference. But for brisket, where you want the bark, pink butcher paper is best.
I prefer smoke and heat. Low and slow. If I wrap them I’m trying to cook them fast maybe a hr and half. Un wrapped better flavor. Wrapped maybe a little too tender like they have been in the oven. I would personally say it’s how you prefer them.
I like these "old" videos way more informative than the new ones. Thanks on the cooking info!
you're right
I appreciate what a wrap does for the meat. On occasion, I’ll wrap the meat. But for me, the experience of cooking outdoors, using open flame and taking a long time to cook, especially if adding smoke makes the imperfection of a rack of ribs, or a brisket just part of the experience. Generally I avoid the wrap, sometimes I use it, depends on the actual piece of meat. Fatty doesn’t need wrapping, leaner needs a wrap. Great videos, thanks.
I agree with you on the Paper vs Foil wrapped and I'm sure you'll find the same difference if you do brisket. When Justin, James, and I did our brisket test, we actually placed paper wrapped in 3rd place. Overall, being in Texas, we preferred the naked ribs and brisket. However, we like more smoke flavor/ring and harder bark. This was a great test Roel. I'm sure this video will do very well for you my brother!!! Cheers to ya and keep that smoke rollin' brother!!!!
Hi T, thanks for stopping by bro. So funny how these preferences are super local. I loved the bark on the naked ribs, but we are used to juicy fall of the bone ribs here so that is what I expect. In our local pinion that is what they should taste like.
We do't have much experience with brisket. Thats why it is a taste that we still have to develop. I am curious to see if the butchers paper will add more value there. Otherwise... why is it so popular?
Since I follow the both of you... do you guys see butcherpaper as a more environmentally friendly option to foil? Or is that something you don't take into consideration?
(Lets be thankful for differences, that way we can learn good stuff from each other).
All 3 ways of cooking will produce fantastic results so far as all the guidelines are followed specifically for that one type of cooking. True to my Texas roots, I don't waste my time with wrapping anything and concentrate solely on what ever the type of meat I'm cooking needs.
Love you T-ROY!!!! You the man!
T roy is the goat of smoking!! Texas barbecue naked and dry is the best imo
Nice comparison. Like most, I've done it all three ways too. I think drum type smokers do good with no wrap with hanging ribs over the coals. I began with using foil the first year, then began using some butcher paper on butts and briskets. I just like the BP better. IMO, foil when applied double really builds up a steam bath on the ribs and if they are left in too long can cook the bone almost out. Butcher paper doesn't do as much of that. also I only leave them wrapped for 1 hour. Thanks, enjoyed watching. Merry Christmas
The paper won’t stop from curling back up after coming off the roll? Tear of the amount you need and wad it up in a ball. It doesn’t have to be into a tight ball. Smooth the paper back out. The paper will now lay flat without rolling back up. Works for parchment paper as well.
Thanks man. That's a good tip. Worked out for me. Appreciate it bud
I always smoke them on the smoker for 3 hours and 3 hours wrapped up in Lumen fall with apple juice and 20-minutes unwrapped and salts and it always come out good yours look very good and it and I bet it is very good also nice meeting you
6 hours uncovered at 180. Then 1 hour wrapped in foil at the same temp. Then sear each side for about 3 minutes. Perfect every time.
His constant reminders are done perfectly. I like how every step of the way he reminds us of the temp and time hes cooked them for. On top of which he reminds us of which rack hes putting where and which hes tasting. Makes is so much easier to follow along if trying to duplicate.
When I use aluminum, I put a sheet of Parchment paper and wrap around the food, then wrap it in foil. This way there is no direct contact in between the food and foil
What a great discussion! This is what BBQ is all about, should it be done this way or should it be done that way? Should the meat fall of the bone or should you have to gnaw on it? This is why I don't like BBQ competitions with a bunch of rules saying how it should be done. It should be done the way YOU like it! My judges are me and my spouse, and to a lesser extend a few others that may sit around our table from time to time. I know what the judges are thinking when the conversation stops and it gets real quiet at the table except for the sound of lip smacking...
RIGHT EXACTLY!I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU BROTHER ON THIS !
@@23redcomet 100% aree...
Yep!!!!😂
Totally agree!
you cook ribs the way you like them. end of story
No, the not-wrapped ribs won't cook faster. The wrap traps the steam coming off the meat, the wrapped cook way faster. It's called the 'Texas Crutch' and is used for that very reason.
Thanks Keith
I prefer no wrapping. The farther I can get away from braising and the crock pot taste - the better! Thanks for the video!
Agree, wrapping jus stoves the ribs and makes them too soft. Also the flavors wash out due to the excess liquid.
I can’t agree more. And the added benefit of simplicity and far less waste.
Bareback all the way!!!
@@MrBosch82 gotta touch your rub, make sure to cook until none comes off. If you're getting wash out, it's not ready for wrap, or maybe it's the liquids you're using in the wrap.
Same here. Every time I've wrapped my ribs they just turn to mush.
Thank you so much for doing this comparison! I have tried foil vs unwrapped and agree, the foil ones taste better and are a bit juicier. The quicker cook time is also a big plus when just cooking up some ribs for family and friends if you ask me
It is!!
Mr. X, I would recommend starting seasoning from bottom side first that way when you do the top you don't smear or wipe off the top layer. And the natural curve of the bones help to keep more rub on the bottom layer. Like you mentioned a binder is always good, I do recommend a good mustard. Just a tip... ;)
I use aluminium paper for sauced ribs and nothing for dry rubs, not wrapping makes a better bark but it will be a bit drier. Either way, its ribs! Always good!. Great video Roel, i am really enjoying your channel! Keep up the good work!
Thanks Israel... I definitly will
what is aluminum paper?
@@barryweaver8833 paper made from tin
@@webarnesca You do realize that is not paper made from tin but tin "foil"?
Aluminum foil or tin foil is not called paper, nor is there such a thing.
Unless they make some with paper glued to the metal foil, I guess I have seen that before but you are still cooking with aluminum which is bad still.
So again what is aluminum paper? You must be referring to the combination two-ply pressed together?
It definitely takes longer to cook unwrapped. Also the rib on top will cook slower than the bottom in a Kamado Joe. So when you combine those two factors, you will add 1-2 hours extra cook time.
I have a KJ as well. I did 3 slabs this weekend- using the expander. I wrapped them all and the expander rib was every bit of an hour behind. It is kind of hard to do these tests on different height racks. I know it is just inches but it makes a significant difference.
I really enjoyed the well produced video.
A very interesting comparison Chef. I use tin foil only when I want to cook ribs quicker. All things equal I prefer not to wrap at all. As you concluded the unwrapped ribs were still damn good. I prefer au natural and a bit of chew and crispy bark remaining. I can alway use a mop sauce if I want more flavor and a more tender rib. No foil for me!
Awesome Papi! Thanks
I agree....I wrapped in tin foil for years. one evening I was cooking ribs buddy of mine called and needed some help. Few hours went by oh crap!!! I didn’t wrap my ribs. Well there ruined now. Got home did not look bad had good color. Put a little mop sauce on them!!!! Ain’t never wrapped a rack since. Not saying I’m right but we sure like them that way!
James Dyer
I never ever smoked in my life but just bought a Oklahoma Joe’s Bronco and been watching videos of smoking like crazy. I noticed that all the videos are wrapped ribs and meat falls off the bone. I don’t care for fall off the bone, I prefer bite off the bone.
Just wondering if not wrapping will make my ribs, bite off the bone?
@@pangelo4023 Yes.
The Plan Advocate thank you,
I've tried all and I like them in foil then letting them rest in the foil perfect every time.
I really like the ( for lack of a better term) SWORD you’re separating them ribs with, never seen one like that before.
It‘s a Brisket slicer
A credible test, but a few personal observations:
Try smoking at 275°F. I find that the results are better rendering and flavor, as well as texture. You may not find it so, but I don't like foiling or papering because the ribs tend to have more of a ham texture and flavor. Paper causes less of this affect than foil but it is still there. Smoking without covering at 275° does remove more moisture from ribs, but this is a good thing if done correctly. There is still moisture within the meat and the benefit is more intense meat flavor- too much moisture dilutes flavor. This method produces a rib that has the appearance of less moisture, better bark, and a texture that might be characterized as " flaky". This is a winning result. It may take a few tries, but it is worth it. Just as dry aging benefits steaks, and curing benefits bacon and ham, removing excess moisture in meat is crucial to flavor.
Chit Storm ive done hundreds of racks of ribs. I tried all three techniques but have since settled on wrapping with foil. I’ve never experienced a ham texture or flavor. I’ve also not heard this from anyone else. Is there something else at play here?
@@AlergicToSnow What about getting alzheimer's from foil wrapping?
Vaettra I try to not eat the foil....
:D
@mike force - www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4202242/
I'd use the foil and save the juice for making a future stock for use in a soup, gumbo, jambalaya and many other dishes. No way I'd waste it.
You can dip the meat in it while you eat it!
Agreed!! I cook them with beans too. Can't go wrong with adding that juice to anything.
This editing, this music is probably the best video of yours according to me. Make more like these!
I cook mine unwrapped I keep the smoke going after 2 hours I'll start mopping them with sauce spray bottle with apple juice works for really good. I found if you can pull the bone out if you chew it two times it turns to mush in your mouth I like mine to tear off the bone.
Great video. I wrap in foil but only long enough for the sauce I put in there to get tacky and adhere to the ribs. I hate 'fall off the bone' ribs. If I wanted pulled pork I would have smoked a butt, not a rack of ribs. But, that's just me.
In Australia, we often use a combination of baking paper which is a silicone coated or wax coated paper which has contact with the meat and prevents sticking and then wrap it in foil to keep the heat without contact with the aluminium. The baking paper and foil allow you to add liquids if you want without any issue as the wax paper won't absorb moisture.
1) if you want good flavor from your rib, don't just dust and immediately throw on the grill. Apply the rub well, wrap in plastic and refrigerate overnight (some pro pitmasters go 48hrs) so as some moisture is pulled from the rib surface, the spices penetrate well. If you have the time, it's worth it.
If you wrap your ribs, use butcher paper. The heat transfer is better and more importantly for me, someone who used to cook a fair amount of food in foil (fish, potatoes and veggies, meats, etc.) It turns out that the foil breaks down and POISONS your food. Don't just take my word for it, look it up. If you cook food in foil very often, stop. Find another way. The folks who make and sell foil by telling you how cool, convenient and quick it is to cook food in foil pouches somehow neglect to tell you that you're poisoning your children! And yourself. Anyways...
Most any butcher shop will sell you a roll (or part) of paper at a reasonable price. It's easy to get.
ALSO, as your cooking your ribs, etc., its common to push a thermometer or skewer, etc. thru the paper and into the meat to test for the even tenderness indicating the doneness of the meat. It just works better with the paper. Also, some of the liquids are released but still keeping the meat moist. Wrapping with foil actually steams the food, removing some of your spice rub and cooking sometimes too fast to develop the flavors wanted (depending on what you're doing) and can make the meat too "soggy" requiring more time open air cooking to try to recover the bark/finish of the outside of your food. It's just overall easier to control and produces a better finished product when you use paper.
Boomer Taylor I agree with you on your comment. I tried wrapping in foil they turned out mushy
But butcher paper without the plastic coating
Butcher paper in USA is for freezing meat and has either a wax or plastic lining. What you want is parchment paper designed for baking and roasting. Fantastic product and not toxic like aluminium
I use unwaxed butcher's paper here in Illinois.
Richard Raucina
Inaccurate. There is uncoated butcher paper. It is very common and is what most pro-comp pitmasters have in their arsenal for certain situations. For example... I ALWAYS finish a brisket in paper. Always.
Not exactly. There is pink butcher's paper which does not have the plastic lining and it is different from parchment paper. Pink butcher paper can be found on Amazon.
Yeah thats right and for Dabs
The only smoked meat I wrap is pork shoulder, towards the end, for pulled pork. I never wrap ribs and they turn out great.
The rib that was wrapped in foil was almost done in 4 hours, meant that it cooked too fast. It looked more like boiled pork soup.
My ribs take at least 6 hours+. Low and slow. That's the only way to smoke ribs.
The ribs look great. I always wrap mine in foil but may not wrap them next time to see how they turn out. Keep smoking!
i love to add loads of brown sugar and apel juice when i wrap them
Is that a good brine combination???
@@revent42 my favorite way now days
I use disposable aluminum catering pans because they hold the moisture and can be used for serving and storage.
Good video, thanks. When I do ribs I rub the night before, smoke for 2 hours, foil wrap and finish cooking in the oven. Then I sauce and finish them on the grill to dry and char them a bit. I like how they turn out, but I usually use St. Louis trimmed ribs which are thinner than the full cut ones you used so finishing them on the grill allows them to dry more so they don't end up too mushy.
You mentioned it being a little over cooked on the wrapped ribs and I have felt the same way on mine so I dropped the wrap time down to an hour and a half vs 2 hours. Now I feel like the ribs stay nice and tender but still have a snap off the bone feel.
wakborder76//// I agree.My cook out this 4th of July.I wrapped them and wish that I hadn't,they wound up overcooked.
Good video! My conclusion based on the ease of use and cleanliness is use the foil. 2+2+30 minutes is about right in my experience at 225; but I like them jucy.
I experimented with foil vs. no foil. I am a big believer in the foil wrap. I do the 3-2-1 method.
Good research. I use foil and was considering a switch to butcherspaper. But after this footage I will stick to foil. See forward to your research on brisket on this matter. Keep on the good work, big thumb.
note to my future self; don't watch videos about ribs when you are already hungry to begin with...
Big facts. I’m fuckin starving now
I do the 3-2-1 method on my BGE. Day before silver skin off and seasoned pork rub in a sealed bag (or brown sugar and Lowry's seasoned salt of company is not fond of spicey). BGE at 250 indirect heat, spray apple juice every 45 minutes (don't think it's really necessary), after 3 hours wrap in heavy duty aluminum foil spraying with apple juice and drizzling honey, after 2 hours open foil and brush lightly homemade BBQ sauce for 1 hour. Serve with warmed BBQ sauce on the side, cole slaw and nice rolls that are sweet.
Been smoking curing and processing meat for over 30 years. I know everybody has their own way of Smoking meat I don’t wrap mine but I have had meat that has been wrapped and it was great . I do it this way because people love it I just don’t change it . Great video .
Wrapping your ribs makes them more moist. That stem inside that aluminum foil is perfect.
I enjoyed your video I usually wrap my ribs in aluminum foil but some guys say you shouldn't it's nice to know that when compared the foil does work out better I never thought about wrapping them in butcher paper but it seems like it works
They look good..I always use aluminum foil, the thick kind and over cook because I like well done meat that falls off the bone..
I use foil but don't wrap, I lay a piece over my meat towards the end and it will kinda speed up and help to keep some moisture, I like tender but with chew, don't want it falling off the bone.
Great video! I think wrapping is always best. Not to say unwrapped is wrong. Just my choice. Great job!
Thanks for doing this test.... Sticking with the foil.
Foil is used if you want to add a brazing concoction. Paper is used to retain internal moisture while developing bark. No wrap is KC style or for a dark almost black bark.
What ever works best for you. They all work for tenderness.
The magic happens as the smoke penetrates the exterior muscle fibers at lower meat temps. The first couple hrs are the key. There are minor differences in finishing ( I prefer AF for last couple hrs) but what you do the first couple hrs has more to do with finished product than anything else.
I prefer foil wrapped until you can slide the bone right out then brushed with the sauce, which you caramelize.
Exactly and cut a little slice between the rib ends. They really swell up and get juicy.
Ive found that the 3-2-1 method works pretty damn well(3hrs smoke, 2hrs wrapped in foil w or wo extra butter etc, and 1 hr unwrapped to tighten the ribs and crisp the bark). Ive varied this many times and experimented with/without wrapping(but always w foil, never tried butcher paper w ribs)
I always use foil for pork & paper for beef. I find the bark sets better on beef in paper. As you pointed out there isn’t much difference between paper & foil with pork. Foil finishes faster though.
Just the comparison I was looking for..great job and I want some ribs now..for unwrapped, helps to marinate over night so it doesn’t lose flavor when cooking..I prefer them a lil tough and not fall off the bone..thanks for the content!
Every time i look at your videos i go and spend money know i have to try the ribs!!! Love your vids
Wrap ribs in foil and add a couple of tablespoons of vinegar and let the ribs steam. Finish under the broiler for color. Great results.
Great clip. Interesting comparison. Just bought my first Weber Kettle.......and I’m ‘72! Hey!.......I’ve been busy!
Only done one rack of ribs ( and they were unwrapped but good) but this video was helpful.
My next ‘rib outing’ will involve wrapping.
You have a very good ‘camera presence’ and I like your presentations.
Thanks so much (from Toronto where right now it’s darn cold!).
I am so glad I found this video, I believe we should NOT be using aluminum foil to cook our food in, or aluminum of any kind, pots, dishes etc. So I will now be using butcher paper, I was not aware it would stand up to bbquing. I use it a lot to line my baking dishes it just did not occur to me to use it for my meats etc. So thanks, and please look up the harm alluminum foil can do to your health and maybe you will change your mind too. Again thank you.
I’ve tested between foil and the paper wrap, I just like the foil better it’s easier I don’t buy butchers wrap for anything else so I’ve always got foil anyway plus it really holds moisture better when you’re cooking thick pork chops or something like that you can wrap it up with the butter and wrap it tight and cook it quickly for a few minutes on each side and get it good and cooked through and tender and then take it out and finish the seer and sauce or whatever you choose to do. To just do it low and slow to try and get those thick pieces of meat tender can take an hour or two otherwise it’s really not better. I just like foil better for the ribs as well it’s not as messy either all that juice end up dripping into your grill. I’ve never been able to cook ribs without wrapping them at all they always come out dry. Lol. Yours all good though I think I agree with you I like them cooked a little less and I still like a little texture invite to them instead of falling off the bone. If you can see the bone when it starts to spackle instead of turning all white that’s usually what I get from what I would call the perfectly cooked rib once those bones are turned all white that’s usually indicative of them being over cooked but I’m sure different cuts of meat inside might make a difference on all of that as well. I like the comparison shows like this
Mr. Pitmaster, I've never salivated more watching you slice into those ribs, and then you got to eat them. Wonderful.
butcher paper is the best. to me foil tasts like boiled meat. i think different cookers give them different flavor profiles. id love to see this experiment done on an off set smoker and on a webber. would be real interesting to see the difference
I cook spares on my weber Smokey mountain for 3 hrs unwrapped and then around 1.5 hours wrapped in foil with a little apple juice. They always turn out awesome. I’ll stick with foil as it looks like less hassle with the same taste. I also use a combo hickory and applewood chunks for smoke.
Awesome brother that sounds really good!
How do you like the Smokey Mountain?? I've been looking at them along with some others. Just trying to decide how to best spend my money.
Genuine perfectly smoked Texas BBQ does not require sauce !
I don’t like BBQ sauce on my ribs, and people think I’m crazy!
Genuine North Carolina doesn't either, we call it a preservative.
Right the minute he put sauce on the ribs and put them back on the grill I paused it. Lol no need to see anymore 😭
Well I mean no food cooked perfectly requires anything else, but sometimes one likes alternate taste profiles. Dry is just as good as wet to me, just depends on the day.
I’ve always been a sauce on my ribs type of guy when making ribs at home.
Until I got a smoker, now I do not sauce my ribs
Very informative video, foil-wrapped is a very effective BBQ technique. I'm gonna continue using it. Thanks for posting.
Foil is for me!
you can also wrap your smoke wood in foil. doing so will make it last some longer and give more smoke. In by far most cases it will keep the smoke wood from actually catching fire and burning away. So when you're done it leaves you with another chunk of charcoal for your next cooking session.
Just soak it a day ahead.
While I'm not at any level to compete, I do all my ribs in heavy duty foil in the oven. I realize that that is sacrilege but that's the way I make my clan happy. I start with a dry rub (no salt) 24 hrs before. When wrapping them, they get another rub coating just to be sure that everyone's going to be happy. After 4 hr at 270 I turn the broiler on and get a bit of colour and extra caramelization/yumminess. It doesn't get any easier than that. Same recipe for years and it's a hit every single time.
2-2-1 method for sides? I do that for backs, which is rare. I got a spatula that's bigger than my head. And I have a big head. Those are meaty ribs though.
hahahahah
Great video sir. Let them huge slabs of meat "rest" for 10-15 mins before cutting into them and take them off when they're still slightly under temp as they'll continue to cook for a bit. I miss my grill....
Done both ways. I like to wrap mine with honey and butter. Wrapping can over do them
I do it completely differently. Dry rub ribs, wrap in foil, then put in oven at low heat, 130 deg. C or 266 deg. F and leave for 3 hours or until it's reached the tenderness you want. Remove foil, finish on grill with wood chips at high heat, brushing on bbq sauce near the end until it caramelizes. Easy, not much work, no need to tend the grill for hours or use up lots of charcoal or gas.
Low and slow. You can't go wrong.
Personal preference really. I like my ribs a bit chewy, not fall off the bone that they are mush.
Foil for me. I add seasonings and cooking time is faster. I do put several small holes in the foil. 250 degrees for minimum of 4 hours and you will have very delicious ribs.
Love the videos PitmasterX! Try leaving the membrane on with the one you don’t wrap. Wait for color and seasoning to stick then mop.
Hey guys! I am new to the world of BBQ grilling with hot coals. I have always wondered about the risk of toxic gases getting released during the burn onto the meat and food prepared, esp., lead and other carcinogenic pollutants. Kindly shed some light on this as I am very anxious about health hazards. Thank you. You earned a new subscriber.
Great vid!
I'm sticking with the foil.
Thanks.. me too :D
M
OnTheFritz602 Alzheimer's loves ya; it's not a good idea to cook in aluminum like that. And foil costs more than paper, but they taste the same? Paper is better.
@@nora22000 yeah I agree. Trying to get away from foil. Heavy metals are accumulating in us at a harmful level.
Even the butcher paper is an issue. It's wax treated and that wax is not edible wax. It's toxic. I can't remember what trash it's made from but it's either petroleum based or completely synthetic for 90% of butcher paper
@@MrMcGillicuddy Here on the US West Coast uncoated butcher paper is common. But it's effective to put the coated side of the paper away from the food. That works just fine.
The dreaded transfer of the ribs supported purely by the shovel thingo, tilt it slightly to much off centre and ribs flop onto the floor sauce down lol.
Vanwege je review heb ik net 2 x 2,5kg van deze ribs besteld bij beef en steak. Aanstaande zondag is end-of-season BBQ met de kids!. Thanks !
I perfer aluminum they always fall apart love your video its good to know . Cant wait to see your video on wrap brisket with aluminum that's how I cook mine .
Thanks for the demonstration. I think I will stay with the wraps, but they all look good! ;)
Where I’m from Louisiana we don’t wrap we bast with a basting sauce through the whole cooking process
Have you got a recipe for that sauce please?
Look up jack miller or pig stand these are two brands in Louisiana they produce basting sauce and barbecue sauce I started with the basting sauce and add to it mustard sauce and some extra came in black pepper some people would like to add a little vinegar
I saw on other videos that they flip the ribs when they wrap so they cook in their juices. I prefer unwrap to get that tug. Falling of the bone is not ribs to me. Might as well boil them
THIS LOOKS SO GOOD!!!! I'm gonna make some ribs now!
Me toooo
Those ribs looked incredible before cooking!!! You sure can't get fat ribs like those in a regular grocery store. Us people who live miles from a big city gourmet meat store are jelly of that meat!!!
My grandfather got the webber out of the trash 60 years ago. Ill never stop using it.
I used foil for two hours after the initial two hours uncovered, and the ribs tasted steamed. I went to uncovered and although a little dry, everyone thought they were great. I want to try 2 hours uncovered followed by 1 hour in pink paper followed by 1 hour uncovered again.
I dry rub and double wrap in foil, I rarely get a chance to sauce them before they are gone.
You,too should just throw them in a crockpot.
Sooo… do you want to eat at night cuz i eat at night XD
Most have their favorite, mine is to wrap in aluminum foil with a little apple juice. I've never had the amount of juice like shown here. Not even close. My finishing temp is 201 203 degrees. The meat is not quite falling off the bone but very tender and moist.
Richard McPherson try Parkay squeeze butter and some honey in your wrap 😉
Im gonna go with the unwrapped ribs. Better smoke ring and more pork flavor. That's why Im cooking ribs, is to taste ribs. The rub and sauce are accompaniments. The rib is the star of the show. Also, you can spray your ribs every half hour to 45 minutes with some water/acv/apple juice to keep it a bit more moist.
That's truly the only way to tell, great video.
My brother and I started his kamado up without the heat diffusers placed a rack of ribs which we didn't remove the skin off the bottom and a pizza with one smoke block (bad idea), the cheese absorbed the smoke. we went back inside with the grill wide open came back out 6 minutes later and the grill was at 650! Plus flame was coming out the top of the grill, we stifled the flame everything looked cooked the cheese on the pizza was tan but not melted it looked as if it was sun burned. We went in and grabbed the meat probe and tested the ribs they were at 180°f so it's been about ten minutes since we threw them on but they were amazing. We flash cooked our rack of ribs inside the fire of a block of hickory and they turned out incredible
Mmmm. I do the foil wraped ribs and use the juice in gravy if im doing mashed potatoes
hery here,i c u r a dutchman,we like to test things,i like the smoke and tenderness in tasting,thumbs up,henry
I keep learning new things from you from you! Thank you.
you can't find ribs like that in germany....at least I never managed to get some with that much meat on them
Ok i cant understand what you guys saying
The center ribs are usually juicy in any event, but the ribs on the ends are always more juicy and tender in foil.
Seen this live was a great monday together whit the steak and beef jerky kept me hungry al day no matter what i ate .
Awesome.. 9 hours.. thanks for being there. This monday no live stream!
I‘m still hungry for those ribs....
The reason to wrap is to overcome the temperature stall and get the meat to desired temp, before it dries out. So the meat will be both tender and juicy.
The reason why people use butcher paper is it absorbs some of those juices. Some people want the “bark” texture. So butcher paper allows them to have that bark and still benefit from the wrap.
If you don’t wrap, it takes longer to cook the meat and it can become dry. If you wrap in foil, the meat sits in the juices. Pink butcher paper gives you the best of both worlds.
But it also depends on what you are cooking. If you are going to finish your ribs in barbecue sauce, then it doesn’t make much difference. But for brisket, where you want the bark, pink butcher paper is best.
I prefer smoke and heat. Low and slow. If I wrap them I’m trying to cook them fast maybe a hr and half. Un wrapped better flavor. Wrapped maybe a little too tender like they have been in the oven. I would personally say it’s how you prefer them.
I like these kind of Videos Roel! Keep up the good work!
Thanks bro.. I will
Looks great! I love grilling all kinds of ways, but prefer foil wrapping.
Rich M Aluminum is toxic ! Don’t forget that !
Thank you, finally someone who shows how to cook pork without aluminum.
I won't cook with it anymore.