Are my spareribs taking too long to cook?

[NewHorizon]

Hey all,
So my spareribs take on average 11 hours to cook. I've tried different methods (wrapping, not wrapping, spritzing, not spritzing). Lately, I've been liking the no wrap/no spritz flavor the best. But it seems no matter what I change, they still take longer than what most people tell me they should. I like to cook at around 230-250 and run it a little hotter during the stall and pull them with they hit 190. Should I be cooking at a higher temp, 275 or so? I did that once and the bark wasn't bite-through at all.

Cooking on a 16" Horizon Classic Offset with post oak.

 

[Sowsage]

How are you measuring temps?

 

[KBFlyer]

5-6 hours @225 F and your ribs should be done to perfection. If it takes 11 hours I would make sure your temp gauge is working. No way it should take 11 hours.

 

[tag0401]

Are you using a probe therm on the cook grate? If not then that could be your issue. The gauge on the lid could be reading a lot hotter than the temp at the grate.

 

[NewHorizon]

Are you using a probe therm on the cook grate? If not then that could be your issue. The gauge on the lid could be reading a lot hotter than the temp at the grate.

I use a thermapro with 2 probes. Things seem to go fine until I hit the stall and then it just crawls along.

 

[NewHorizon]

5-6 hours @225 F and your ribs should be done to perfection. If it takes 11 hours I would make sure your temp gauge is working. No way it should take 11 hours.

That’s what I keep hearing. I use a thermapro with 2 probes.

 

[Fueling Around]

Nice cooker.
What the others posted is a start.

You should be 6 hours +/- on spares.
Are you getting good air flow through the Horizon? An offset needs good airflow so yes you usually have to add more wood during the smoke/cook.

 

[sawhorseray]

What FA ^^^^^^^^^ says. I go no wrap and spritz a bit on my SQ36 running about 250º. Takes right around 6-7 hours for spares, 5 for babybacks. I also use a ThermoPro TP-20. Test your probes in boiling water, should be 212º, then test them out in some ice water, be right around 33-34º if everything is okie dokie. Set the probe on the grill at the level the meat is sitting, like this

I hear those Horizons are pretty good offsets, 11 hours is way too long, that's porkbutt time. Good luck and keep us posted! RAY

 

[forktender]

Something sure ain't right, ribs smoked for 11 hrs even if it were at 180* would be shoe leather and drier than a popcorn fart.

 

[SmokinAl]

Something is wrong for sure.
Al

 

[NewHorizon]

Nice cooker.
What the others posted is a start.

You should be 6 hours +/- on spares.
Are you getting good air flow through the Horizon? An offset needs good airflow so yes you usually have to add more wood during the smoke/cook.

Is there a way to test for airflow? I keep the door wide open and the vent on the stack wide open too.

 

[chew2475]

Hey all,
So my spareribs take on average 11 hours to cook. I've tried different methods (wrapping, not wrapping, spritzing, not spritzing). Lately, I've been liking the no wrap/no spritz flavor the best. But it seems no matter what I change, they still take longer than what most people tell me they should. I like to cook at around 230-250 and run it a little hotter during the stall and pull them with they hit 190. Should I be cooking at a higher temp, 275 or so? I did that once and the bark wasn't bite-through at all.

Cooking on a 16" Horizon Classic Offset with post oak.

Are you referring to spareribs or a pork butt/shoulder as I have never heard anyone discuss a stall with spareribs. Mine usually take 5 hours.

 

[NewHorizon]

Are you referring to spareribs or a pork butt/shoulder as I have never heard anyone discuss a stall with spareribs. Mine usually take 5 hours.

What temp are you pulling them off at?

 

[HalfSmoked]

This is all confusing as asked you are for sure cooking spares and not something else. How often are you opening the top to spritz as this lets the heat out. If you are peaking your not cooking.

Warren

 

[NewHorizon]

This is all confusing as asked you are for sure cooking spares and not something else. How often are you opening the top to spritz as this lets the heat out. If you are peaking your not cooking.

Warren

Yeah, I'm 110% sure that these are spareribs. I don't spritz since I'm worried that will extend cooking times even longer and the only time I open the top is to make sure the water pan has water in it, maybe 2-3 times throughout the cook.

 

[NewHorizon]

Are you referring to spareribs or a pork butt/shoulder as I have never heard anyone discuss a stall with spareribs. Mine usually take 5 hours.

It's def spareribs. And from what I've read, it seems like what I'm dealing with is a stall. Around 160 or so, the temp just stops going up and even drops a degree or 2. It will VERY slowly climb but it takes hours. But, they usually get up to 150 within 3 hours or so.

 

[PulledPorkSandwich]

Just to add to N NewHorizon experience, I've struggled with spare ribs on my Smokin-it model 2. I've tried 5, 6, and 7 hours at 225 and, even at 7 hours, they aren't tender. They fail the "bend" test and the "toothpick" test. I don't use a probe in the meat but I I will next time. I'll also allow up to 10 hours, but will test for doneness every hour or so after about 6 hours.

I've calibrated my my Maverick thermometer, so I'm pretty sure it's accurate.

I get my spare ribs from Sam's and they tend to be very meaty, much more so than usual from the grocery store. Maybe that accounts for the long cook times.

 

[NewHorizon]

Just to add to N NewHorizon experience, I've struggled with spare ribs on my Smokin-it model 2. I've tried 5, 6, and 7 hours at 225 and, even at 7 hours, they aren't tender. They fail the "bend" test and the "toothpick" test. I don't use a probe in the meat but I I will next time. I'll also allow up to 10 hours, but will test for doneness every hour or so after about 6 hours.

I've calibrated my my Maverick thermometer, so I'm pretty sure it's accurate.

I get my spare ribs from Sam's and they tend to be very meaty, much more so than usual from the grocery store. Maybe that accounts for the long cook times.

Thanks for sharing your similar experience. And to be honest, everything else I've smoked has gone as I believe it should. It's just the ribs that are messing with me.

 

[PulledPorkSandwich]

Thanks for sharing your similar experience. And to be honest, everything else I've smoked has gone as I believe it should. It's just the ribs that are messing with me.

Same here. I've had my SI for about 6 months. I've cooked pork shoulder, brisket, and ribs. It's just ribs messing with me too.

 

[hawgrider]

For fool proof ribs try the 3, 2, 1 method.

225-250

3 hours uncovered
2 hours covered
1 hour uncovered