Wrapped Ribs vs Unwrapped Ribs | Which Gives You BETTER Results
Butcher Paper vs No Wrap on St. Louis Ribs
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Introduction
Wrap vs No Wrap, Side by Side
What's up BBQ fans! After a very long, windy winter, we're finally cooking outside again on the Yoder YS640s. I've been on a bit of a mission lately testing BBQ myths. There are a million ways to do BBQ, and I'm not telling you how to do yours. Part of having this channel is pushing myself to learn new things.
A lot of what people bring home from competition BBQ is designed for one perfect bite, not the best backyard result. I removed the membrane for 15 years, then stopped. In a recent video, I blocked smoke with foil, and the difference was maybe 5% to 8%. Today it's wrapped vs unwrapped, and I'm wrapping in butcher paper, which I've barely ever done.
The Ribs
Two racks of Creekstone Farms St. Louis-style ribs. Very similar cuts.
Membrane left on, and the small flap stays. A big flap should come off, because it'll burn.
Rub: Yoder pork rub. It's delicious, with a little heat, smoky flavor and great color. I get it at All Things BBQ (use code: RUMANDCOOK11 to save 11%), where I bought my Yoder long before I ever thought about a BBQ channel.
Let them sweat in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes. You can see how much moisture the rub draws out.
Pro tip: open meat packages with scissors, not your good knife. Cutting thick plastic dulls the blade.
The Cook
Yoder at 275°F with Bear Mountain Oak pellets. The lower the temperature, the more smoke. At 275°F and above, smoke drops off, so I'll often add a smoke tube or start an hour low. I was running late today and had promised my wife I'd be done by a certain time, so 275°F it was.
Top rack. Heat and smoke rise. Leave a gap between the racks and the back wall, since that heavy steel carries a lot of heat. The spot near the stack runs hottest.
Spritz with 50/50 apple cider vinegar and water once the rub has dried. Don't overdo it, or you'll push the rub around. I sprayed about three times.
The Wrap
At 2½ hours, the unwrapped rack was at 183°F. The back rack was meatier and running behind, so that's the one I wrapped. Past about 165°F, it's not taking on much more smoke anyway.
Lightly spray the butcher paper so it doesn't blow away.
Wrap it tight, meat side up, and spritz any dry spots first.
About another hour.
Pull and Rest
Done at 3½ hours, at about 198°F to 203°F.
Go by feel, not temperature. A probe or toothpick should slide in like peanut butter. You'll see the rack start to crack when you pick it up.
Rest 15 to 20 minutes.
Pro tip: save the greasy butcher paper in a zip-top bag. It's a great fire starter for a fire pit or offset.
Taste Test
Both had a nice smoke ring, and the wrapped rack's ring was actually a little bigger. Some of the rub on the wrapped rack washed off, while the unwrapped bark stayed intact.
The unwrapped rack gave a nice clean bite. But the wrapped rack had instantly more moisture. It was night and day, maybe twice as juicy. To be fair, the wrapped rack was a little thicker, so that may have played into it. The dogs approved both.
Final Thoughts
In this test, the paper-wrapped ribs won on moisture. I'm not going back to foil, but this has me experimenting with paper wraps to take my rib game to the next level. Do you wrap? With foil or paper? Share your secrets in the comments.
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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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