Why I Stopped Wrapping Ribs On A Pellet Grill
Wrapped vs. Naked Ribs on the Pitts & Spitts
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Introduction
Wrapped vs. Unwrapped: Same Ribs, Same Pit, Big Difference
What's up BBQ fans! Today on the patio, we're talking ribs—and why I've stopped wrapping them on my pellet grill. I put two identical racks of Berkshire baby backs on the Pitts & Spitts Maverick 2000, wrapped one and left one naked, and the differences were bigger than I expected. Let me walk you through how I did it.
The Setup
I fired up the Pitts & Spitts at 250°F with Bear Mountain pecan pellets and added pecan wood chunks in the wood cage for some extra smoke.
Two fire starters in the wood cage with two pieces of pecan, plus one more piece on top that drops in as the first ones burn down
Another piece of pecan set inside the pit to warm up, like you would on an offset, so it catches faster
Ribs on the middle grate
Pro tip: the wood cage side runs hotter. I moved the bottom diffuser over to even it out, but that side will still run warm. If you're filling the whole pit, skip the wood cage and use a smoke tube instead. With just two racks, I had plenty of room.
The Prep
I say it all the time: buy better pork, the same way we buy better beef. Berkshire has been my go-to for years. It's pinker, more tender, and the flavor is on point.
No binder and no added moisture—the ribs were already a little damp
Membrane left on
A good heavy coat of Pitts & Spitts rib rub on top
10 minutes on the counter so the salt could pull some moisture and help the rub stick (you could see it darken)
About that membrane: I've tested it, and I couldn't tell any difference in smoke. The big Texas joints don't pull it; competition cooks do because every point counts. At 250–275°F on a pellet grill or offset with plenty of convection, it renders out just fine. The one exception: if you're cooking at 225°F, rip it off.
The Cook
Smoked at 250°F for 3½ hours total
Around the 3-hour mark I temped both racks. The one closer to the wood cage was running hotter, so I rotated them
I wrapped the cooler rack at about 175°F (most people wrap somewhere between 165°F and 180°F)
It stayed wrapped for only 30 minutes
Unwrapped rack: passed the bend test (the surface cracked) and probed 205°F in the center with my Typhur InstaProbe (use code: RUMANDCOOK to save 10%)
Wrapped rack: 204–205°F
Both rested for 15 minutes
Getting both racks to the same temp at the same time meant we were comparing apples to apples. Rotating them and wrapping the slower rack worked out pretty well.
The Results
Open up the wrapped rack and the first thing you see is liquid. I didn't add any moisture at all—that's pure rendered fat. People say wrapping makes ribs juicier, and sure, that rack looked juicy on the surface. But that fat came out of the meat. The wrap steamed it out.
Side by side, here's what I found:
Bark: the unwrapped rack had a nice, firm bark. The wrapped rack's bark went soggy.
Membrane: on the wrapped rack it turned to paper and fell apart, and bones started poking through.
Texture: the wrapped rib felt mushy and fell apart when I squeezed it. The unwrapped rib had more structure, still pulled clean from the bone, and had a better mouthfeel.
Juice: squeezing the unwrapped rib pushed out moisture. The wrapped one had already given most of its up in the steam.
Both had a good smoke ring, and the wrapped rib isn't a bad rib—don't get me wrong. But even 30 minutes in the wrap completely changed the texture and the bark.
What about smoke flavor? The rule of thumb is that smoke only works its way deeper into the meat until about 165°F, but it keeps building up on the outside after that. There was only a 30-minute difference, so I couldn't taste any change in smoke flavor. But if you wrap at 165–170°F for an hour or two while the other rack keeps sitting in the smoke, the unwrapped rack picks up a lot more—you'd absolutely taste it.
Final Thoughts
Better bark, better texture, and more smoke when you skip a long wrap: that's why I've stopped wrapping ribs on my pellet grill. If you're still doing 3-2-1 or wrapping for an hour or more, try one rack naked next time and see for yourself. Run 250°F with good airflow and that membrane takes care of itself too. Technique > tradition.
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Thanks For Watching
Whether you're a seasoned pitmaster or a novice, these tips will enhance your cooking skills and leave your family and friends raving about your delicious, smoky creations. Don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more step-by-step videos, and let's together become the barbecue heroes we were meant to be!
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