Next comes the “Texas crutch,” a.k.a. aluminum foil. Place each rack of ribs meat-side-up on an 18- to 20-inch-long sheet of foil, and add “whatever you fancy—a light coat of brown sugar, squiggles or squirts of honey, preserves, butter or margarine, a spritz of fruit or apple juice, more rub.” Repeat on the bone side, then fold the foil to make a tight package (don’t puncture the foil with the bones) and return the ribs to the smoker meat-side-down for another two hours at 250.
To check for tenderness, open the packet a little and see if the meat is beginning to pull away from the bones—that’s the first sign. Pierce the meat to check if it feels tender. Bend the rack gently—“If the meat tears a little, it’s probably tender enough,” says Tuffy. “As they say in competition barbeque, ‘Overs beat unders’—overdone beats underdone.”
Once tender, carefully remove the ribs from the foil. Brush each side with sauce, then return to the cooker for one hour, or until the sauce sets. Serve with your favorite slaw and beans.
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