First time doing baby back. Looking for input.

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handcannon32x

Smoke Blower
Original poster
Jan 3, 2012
80
12
Jacksonville, Iowa
I have never done Baby Back Ribs before, or even pork.  I have done research but just want to run it by you guys so I dont waste any ribs.

Im gonna pull the membrane off and season them and let them sit over night.  Im gonna smoke them between 235 to 250 for 2.5 hours.  Then wrap them up with some butter, and a little more seasoning for another hour.  Then unwrap and put back in the cooker for another hour.  Does all this sound about right?
 
Yep a lot of people on here use the 2-2-1 method for the baby backs;  I have actually yet to try it.

I just let mine smoke on thru the entire five hours and I do mine around 225*.  Make sure to snap some pics
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The 2.5 on the front with the hour in foil is going to make them really fall off the bone - as in you will pick up the rack and it will fall apart. 

Here is my variation on the 2-2-1 

2.5 - .75 -1 to finish or longer if they need it All done at 225

You will need to find what works best for you and for you smoker 
 
Last edited:
Your plan sounds pretty good.  

Something I like to do before I go out and fire up the smoker, I take the ribs out of the fridge after they sat over night, unwrap them and sprinkle some brown sugar on them.  Let them set while the brown sugar melts in, while you get the smoker up to temp. 

You can go hotter, but I like to keep as close to 225 as I can throughout the cook.  I've been running my BBs at 2 1/2 hours, wrapped in foil for 1 hour and then out of the foil for another hour.  

Something else you may want to do when foiling, add the butter, and maybe a 1/4 cup of apple juice (or mixed apple juice and cider vinegar).  If the ribs are real soft when you take them out of the foil, do it over the rack and gently slide them out and they'll firm up nicely in the last hour.

If you're going to sauce or glaze them, do it with about 15 minutes left in the cook.  Some folks put their glaze on when they pull them off.  I also like to put them in an aluminum pan covered in foil for 30 minutes or so to rest before serving.

Like Scarbelly said, you'll just have to experiment and find out what you like and which works out best for you.  You've got a sound plan, it's just a matter of tuning it up over several cooks.  Good Luck!
 
It sounds like a plan give it a try and report back with pics! Perhaps even do a rack that isn't wrapped in foil and compare the two and see which you like better. I don't foil my ribs anymore, I did a few times, nothing wrong with foiling.
 
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