First attempt at ribs coming up any pointers?

[nomad_archer]

So this weekend I'll be attempting to do baby back ribs for the first time. In the past we have cooked the ribs in the oven in a roasting pan with apple juice/water and then finished on the grill and the ribs were good. Now that I have a smoker the oven is just not going to cut it. Reading online everyone seems to have their own way of doing ribs.

So I figured I'd ask for some advice from the group here. I'm aiming for fall off the bone ribs which is what everyone in the house seems to like. But I'm not sure how to pull that off with the smoker. So any tips or advice for getting me there from cooking temps, to when to wrap, and when to pull as well as when to add the sauce, type of wood etc.

Thanks in advance.

 

[uncle eddie]

Ribs in the smoker, whether baby back, spares, or St. Louis style are one of the easier smokes in my opinion.

What sort of smoker are you using?

I normally do pork ribs at 225F -250F - depending on how fast I want them to be done.
I use an MES40 smoker (a glorified smoker/oven), so I have no water in the pan (ever!)
If they are not getting done fast enough, I will wrap them but otherwise I don't wrap and smoke them naked and serve with sauce on the side.
Most of the time Baby Backs get done in about 5 hours +/-
If you want to sauce/wrap them...do it. They will still be delicious and I would wrap them in the stall at the earliest.

Good luck and post picture!

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

Since you want FOTB ribs, use the 3-2-1 method.
Apply rub and let the ribs sit until they develope a sheen. You can use mustard if you want the rub to stick better.
Smoker temp: 225-250
3 hours unwrapped, start with bone side down then flip every hour. You can use an instant read thermo toward the end of the 3 hours to check IT. Your looking for a temp between 165-175 before wrapping. Just make sure the thermo doesn't touch any bone.
2 hours wrapped in foil with whatever liquid you desire.
1 hour unwrapped - apply the sauce during this time so it gets a chance to set.
The ribs should be done when they pass the bend test.

Or you could do as Eddie says above.

Personally, for BBs, I do a 3-1-1 because the wife and I like our ribs to have some tug opposed to FOTB.

 

[SmokinVOLfan]

You have gotten some great advice above and you are correct in the statement that everyone likes to do them their own way. Personally if I am going to FOTB baby backs I am going to use the 2-2-1 method. 2 hours in the smoker, two hours wrap in foil, and 1 hour back on the smoker to firm things up. Smoker temp around 250.

The first two hours I just let mine ride with just the rub on them. When I foil I like to put them meat side down with brown sugar, butter, more rub, and your choice of sauce. The foil really helps them become tender IMO. The last hour you can add sauce if you choose to.

After hour 5 check for tenderness. If you pick the rack up and it starts to break in the middle you know its done. Check for IT with an instant read thermometer. 195 will get you tender but not quite FOTB and 200+ will get you in the FOTB range.

Here is a post on some I did this past weekend hope it helps. Good luck and post some pics!

Sunday Afternoon Ribs w pics

Was going through a couple of my freezers this past Saturday and found about 6 racks of ribs...4 BB's and 2 STL's. Decided since we were having unseasonably warm weather in East TN for this time of year it would be a great time to throw some on the smoker. 74 degrees outside and 4 racks of BB's...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

 

[smokerjim]

I put my rub on the night before smoking, I usually smoke at 225 with smoke going the whole time, I don't wrap or spritz, it usually takes 6-7 hours for me, I do usually smoke them the day before we want to eat them rest them in the fridge overnight and heat in the oven in a covered dish (250-275 for 45-60 minutes) with some water. ( I think they taste better when they sit over night) also it's easier to plan a time you want to eat. but as you are seeing everyone does do them different.

 

[thirdeye]

Did you happen to buy loin back ribs that are either marked "extra meaty" or marked "moist & tender" or wording to that effect? The extra meaty ribs contain an additional strip of loin meat which actually gets done at around 150°, long before the remainder of the rib meat is cooked tender. Some cooks will fillet off that strip, and others will inject liquid into the thick areas.... you can do this before and during the cook to stop it from drying out. The moist & tender ribs have been enhanced with a 10% to 12% solution intended to lengthen the shelf life, and provide moisture. If you have enhanced ribs, you could consider using a rub with less salt, as salt is an ingredient in the injected solution.

I smoke loin back ribs at higher pit temps since they come from 'high on the hog' and are leaner than belly ribs. Just wait for them to get a nice color, a spray of water after hour 1 will help set the bark. Wrapping is how you control the tenderness, and this will take between 1 and 2 hours back on the pit, or in the oven. I start them meat down with some honey, butter and some thinned sauce or apple juice in the foil. When you check after an hour, poke with a toothpick to gauge tenderness, and turn them meat side up. Continue to cook until they tender up to your liking. After resting, save the foil juices as they can be added to a sauce if you want to return to the pit to glaze, or jazz up your sauce and serve at the table. This is about the color you want before wrapping.

 

[nomad_archer]

Thanks everyone you are the best. What is everyone choice wood to use when smoking ribs?

 

[SmokinVOLfan]

Did you happen to buy loin back ribs

Very good point on the loin back ribs. A lot of the ones you see in the grocery store nowadays have that strip and for that reason I have been smoking a lot more STL's the past couple years.

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

The moist & tender ribs have been enhanced with a 10% to 12% solution intended to lengthen the shelf life, and provide moisture.

That is another good thing to point out.
Those injected ribs can get mushy.
I avoid those and go for the "natural" non enhanced ribs.

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

Thanks everyone you are the best. What is everyone choice wood to use when smoking ribs?

Now, you just had to go and ask that!

You'll get excellent results with hickory, apple, or pecan.

 

[thirdeye]

I like a mix of fruit wood and nut wood, so for me it's cherry and hickory.

 

[SmokinVOLfan]

I like apple and hickory. The ones I did this past weekend I used char-hickory pellets with great results.

 

[texomakid]

All great ideas. I cook a LOT of ribs. I've tried the 3-2-1, 2-2-1, and many variations as well as spritzing and other tricks. I no longer do any of them. I simply wash & rinse my ribs, apply a generous coat of what ever rub I'm gonna use on that particular day, set the smoker on 230 and cook them a minimum of 5 hours. I typically use the "bend test" but it's rare to see them done in less than 5 hours.

 

[smokerjim]

hickory for me

 

[nomad_archer]

All great ideas. I cook a LOT of ribs. I've tried the 3-2-1, 2-2-1, and many variations as well as spritzing and other tricks. I no longer do any of them. I simply wash & rinse my ribs, apply a generous coat of what ever rub I'm gonna use on that particular day, set the smoker on 230 and cook them a minimum of 5 hours. I typically use the "bend test" but it's rare to see them done in less than 5 hours.

I'm a fan of simpler is better. Did you find limited advantages of the various methods?

 

[Mastercaster]

I used to do FOTB ribs using the 3-2-1 method until I tried Smokin Al’s way...

PERFECT RIBS EVERY TIME! This really works!

Many of you who knew me in the past know that I have been tinkering with my rib recipe for years. This comes from the fact that everybody around here likes fall off the bone ribs except me. I like tender juicy ribs, but what I don't like is taking a bite & having the bone slip out & a big chunk...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

You might want to try it one of these days. Pretty good.