I ran a small experiment on my pellet smoker to compare wrapped vs unwrapped pork ribs and filmed the whole cook.
Both racks were seasoned the same way and cooked side-by-side with the same temperature and smoke. The only difference was that one rack stayed unwrapped the entire time while the other was wrapped partway through the cook.
What I noticed was how different the bark, texture, and moisture turned out even though the process was almost identical.
The unwrapped rack developed a much firmer bark and deeper smoke flavor, while the wrapped rack was noticeably softer and a bit more tender.
Neither one was “bad” just very different results depending on what texture you prefer.
by Intelligent-Let-2527
37 Comments
[deleted]
Yes
OK. This sounds like common sense. What result or variable were you expecting?
Perfect for Friday Lent !!!
But I don’t practice that so I’m in – I’ll bring the beer
Im less concerned about your results, and more concerned about what hog produced thoes ribs!
Thoes are the most picture perfect pair of ribs ive ever seen!
It would be helpful to know which photos were which. But both look good. I’m going to assume the rack with more beached bones was unwrapped. You don’t specify the temperature, but that can be reduced by lower temp. That usually eliminates any need to wrap.
so which are which?
I guess common sense is no longer so common.
Always unwrapped in the smoker. I leave the wrapping to the ladies working their little ovens.
Okay, thanks.
Smoking used to be about preservation without refrigeration, then it became a way to make sinewy and fatty cheap cuts of meat edible, and now it’s about adding flavor and style to once cheap meats that are far more expensive than the good stuff. However you do it in modern times is all good man, just make sure it “meats” your family’s expectations 🙂
I’m team unwrapped unless they finish before I’m ready then I canoe and sauce
If you plan to repeat the experiment in the future, you can also try “foil boat” ribs as well
Now try a Hybrid. Wrapped in foil, with slits on top
I don’t wrap ribs anymore unless I’m in a hurry. But otherwise I use paper instead of foil. The reason being is about 15 years ago meathead told me if I use foil the terrorists win lol. I think both work though it just depends how the overall cook went. If they’re all gone and people are satisfied it doesn’t really matter imo.
I prefer the 3-2-1 method on ribs.
It’s 3-2-1 or I don’t want ’em. I’ll never go back
This is great. Its like seeing the comparisons.
My ribs sucked until I stopped wrapping them. I go 3-4 hours and keep the temp at 275 the whole time. Rotate them half way through and add a little apple juice spritz. Other than that, I don’t touch em.
To each their own but I never found wrapping and or 321 worth the trouble.
Thanks for this and I’d eat either.
I wrapped for years. Currently team no wrap with no plans to ever go back.
I wrap after about 3 hours.
Which did you prefer?
“Neither one was bad” – video says “wrap ruins ribs” lol.
Anyway, nice writeup and vid. I wonder if the results would be somewhere in between if you used butcher paper instead of foil?
Home science experiment I love. I did a longer unwrapped session recently for the first time in years, Goldee’s Method or something, and was surprised how much I loved it. Don’t think I will ever go back to 3-2-1.
I’ve wrapped in foil, butcher paper and unwrapped myself. I think I like the foil the best as it makes fall off the bone which I love. My wife would rather the butcher paper wrap so that’s the go to these days.
I prefer unwrapped spritzed rips on pellet smoker for ribs. I found that to get the bark and sauce set I wanted it didn’t pay to wrap for a short amount of time and I pull them at 192 ish for a clean bite not fall off the bone. Also prefer unwrapped pork butts no spritz just let them go on smoke and finish at 275 to probe tender. Then using a finishing dust and separate the juice from fat with some apple juice to pour on top.
The wrapped one has to be moisture? The unwrapped should be a drier meat
I like to bite my ribs and not have them fall apart, so foil is a no go for me.
You decided to test this and not invute me? I thought we were complete strang…… I mean, friends.
Now you have to do one with texas crutch, only half foil
Next time try butcher paper. Foil always gave me the “boiled” meat texture
we started using the 3-2-1 method when we first stated smoking but then figured out that we prefer just ripping it for 5 hours no wrapping, sauce in the last 30 or so minutes
Those are some picture perfect rib cuts man. WOW.
Is it possible to downvote more than once?
Is there any point in wrapped meat going back on the smoker vs in an oven at the same temperature (other than when you are doing a controlled experiment like this)?
So, for baby backs, I have wrapped after 2-2.5 hours, then do 1.5 hours wrapped, then finish unwrapped, and that’s a good spot consistency wise for me. I didn’t learn that 3-2-1 means keep wrapped until the end, but maybe that’s just me?
I stopped wrapping ribs years ago, like them much better.