I've read Okie Smokie's post and plan to duplicate it this weekend for my visiting youngest son and his family. I have not done ribs in some time. I'm thinking of instead of wrapping in foil, I'd cut them in half and place them in a tightly covered foil pan with the appropriate amount of moisture. I do this for butts, and it works great. Can anyone see a reason that it won't work for ribs? I'll probably do 3-4 racks and use two pans.

It's been I while, but have done ribs that way and it worked for me. I don't remember details, but it seems like wrapping or sealing them in a pan would serve the same purpose.

I took a brisket class at a local BBQ shop.  They're competitors in the midwest and have frequently placed well.  When I asked if I could use a disposable pan with a foil wrap lid, they said that it appears that it has too much room and that the tightly wrapped brisket turns out better.

It's not back ribs but I wonder if the concept applies there, too, that tightly wrapping concentrates the steam.

I put my brisket, ribs and pork butts in foil pans with foil on top and they all come out moist and tender.

I put my brisket, ribs and pork butts in foil pans with foil on top and they all come out moist and tender.

I'm sure that's true.  I can't disagree.  But I suspect that the two competitors I wrote about would encourage you to try a tight wrap.

I don't have enough first-hand experience or have conducted a side-by-side test to make my own determination.  When it comes to this kind of comparison, I'm reminded of times when I tried to determine what stereo speaker to buy.  They all sound fine to me and the only way I can differentiate between them is to hear them one immediately after the other.

Thanks guys, just the responses that I was looking for, both positive and negative. Paul's response makes sense, but I'm going to use the foil pan anyway. I believe that with the extra room the fluid could boil more vigorously ang generate more steam. Besides, considering my limited mobility, the pan is safer, much easier, and less messy.

I tend to make a mess when I cook and that is the main reason I started using the pans.  And when I put it in the ice chest to rest nothing leaks out.  And it's so much easier.

The 3 racks of BB ribs turned out perfect. Coated racks with 50/50 combination of yellow mustard and Worcestershire sauce as a binder, seasoned with home made rub then smoked at 225° for about ~3 hours, IT was ~160° when pulled. I added a little more seasoning, cut them in half, then into foil pans with ~1 cup apple juice and beef broth in each of 3 pans.  Pans were tightly covered, put into  300° home oven for ~2 hours with a probe in each pan. IT was 210° in all of them when removed from oven. I sauced 3 half racks and returned to 225° grill for ~1 hour. Cut all into individual ribs for serving. Sorry, no pictures, things were hectic. Half of the attendees preferred sauced and the other liked naked. Plated with baked beans and the best coleslaw that I've ever tasted.  Meal was complemented with a very good red wine. Pumpkin pie and ice cream for dessert.

I'd be all over that meal.