Baby back or spare ribs?

[hilly42]

Gonna be trying my hand at some ribs this weekend for the first time!! What's the best way to cook these I'll be smoking at about 225

 

[fwismoker]

What type of cooker are you using?  BTW nothing special about 225*, the most important thing is clean smoke.

 

[hilly42]

Using an offset smoker with hickory...... whats this 3...2...1 method I keep hearing about?

 

[fwismoker]

Using an offset smoker with hickory...... whats this 3...2...1 method I keep hearing about?

It's a technique that's based on cooking spare ribs (not BB ribs) @ 225*  Botom line you have to still take ribs off the cooker when they're done.....NEVER rely on time based techniques.  When your ribs are done they're done. 

Look up bend test and toothpic test.  Personally I think the toothpic test is the way to go...fool proof.  When your ribs probe with very little resistance they're done.

If you want to experiment with the the time based and foiling and un foiling techniques that's fine but just don't rely on the times. Learn to check for tenderness.

 

[SmokinAl]

Everybody has their own method of smoking ribs.

I rely on the final meat temp not time.

Here is my method, it may help you.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/240916/perfect-ribs-every-time-this-really-works

Al

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Since no one has thrown out a time I'll bite!

As mentioned above time is just a guideline. Everything mentioned here will be based on a pit temp of 225-250° For BB back ribs I figure 4-5 hours total time. For spares and beef ribs I figure 5-6 hours. I prefer to smoke ribs naked (no foil wrap). With the exception of beef ribs. I feel that they benefit from the braise you get when wrapped in foil.

Like FW I use the bend test and toothpick method.

To throw out another method, which I have been using lately for pork ribs. 325° pit temp. 1 1/2 - 2 hours done.

My latest for beef ribs has been to separate the ribs, season all sides and cook in a 325° pit. Some of the best beef ribs I've ever had.

So how's that for muddying the water!

 

[hilly42]

I'm reading online that your shooting for an IT temperature of around the 200 mark now if I'm trying to achieve fall off the bone ribs where is the fine line between fall off the bone and old shoe leather lol

 

[slipaway]

Hilly42, A lot of good advice here but I see that no one really answered your question of "what's this 3...2...1 method" you have been hearing about.

Remember that these are just guidelines - the food is done when it is done...............

Using the 3...2...1 method means smoking your ribs naked for 3 hours, then wrapping them in foil for 2 hours and then unfoiling and finishing them naked for the last hour. For babybacks you would use more of 2...2....1 since they cook quicker.

You can get a lot of good ideas on this site about different things to put in your foil (juice, brown sugar, etc).

Now that you know what it is please understand that 1) a lot of people smoke the entire time naked; 2) these times are only approximations and you should use the bend test, or Al's temp guide, or the toothpick test to verify doneness. After you have done ribs this way a few times you will find where you might want to tweak the recipe for times, temps, etc. etc.

Good luck and post pics.................

 

[fwismoker]

I'm reading online that your shooting for an IT temperature of around the 200 mark now if I'm trying to achieve fall off the bone ribs where is the fine line between fall off the bone and old shoe leather lol

An instant read thermometer ( I use Javelin Pro- tooth pic thin probe) is an excellent thing to use for ribs but never once have I looked at the temp readout.  Why?   because It's not relevant.  Just feel for the ease of how the probe slides in between the bones.  Thicker half will take longer to get probe tender than the thin half...focus on the thick

 

[young j]

Hey Hilly, I noticed you said you are aiming for fall of the bone ribs, in that case I'd definitely recommend you get baby backs. Reason being that when they fall of the bone they are overdone, but the baby backs can still have great taste and texture, meanwhile spare ribs won't taste very good if they are falling off the bone. By the way whether you foil or not, I think you should mop them while they are naked (every hour naked or every 30 minutes if you are gonna add foil). It will really help them get a nice color on the ribs. Hope this advice helps you out [emoji]128077[/emoji][emoji]127996[/emoji]

 

[geezer]

Yeah, for babybacks 2-2-1 should be plenty of time. 250-275 is a good temp. 

Fall off the bone in my book is over cooked. Come away easily and tender is better IMO. 

 

[tuxbobble]

I'm going to agree with what a few of the others have said.  When I first cooked ribs I thought  I wanted fall off the bone.  That's what I had gotten from my oven ribs (when I lived in an apartment and didn't have anywhere to use a smoker or grill outdoors), and I thought I loved it.

The very first time I smoked ribs, I found out that when ribs truly fall off the bone, they're just losing that meaty "bite" that I find very satisfying.  My wife still wants them to fall apart, but that's why she likes baby backs and I like spares I guess.

I've mostly used 3-2-1 myself, and it's been good for me, although like it's been said, you may need to try and tweak a few times to get it right.  I went back and forth between falling apart and a little too tough the first few times before I dialed it in.  Since I use a sweeter sauce, I always leave an extra 5-10 minutes at the end to sauce them and put them over a hotter fire, to caramelize the sauce a bit--but this can burn very quickly if you're not careful.