Refresher Please - Baby Backs

[illini40]

Good morning

I’ve got a few racks of baby backs thawing out to smoke tomorrow.

I’ll run the Traeger at 250*. I know there are many variables, but could I roughly estimate 5 ish hours of total cook time?

I do plan to wrap in foil and land more on the FOTB end of the spectrum.

It has been awhile since I’ve smoked ribs.

 

[Chasdev]

5 is not a bad guess but how much they weigh and/or how thick they are can change that number.
You should go after an internal temp (between the bones at the thickest area/s) from 195 to 200.
That might happen in 3 hours or it might take 7.
If you wrap in foil (with some liquid added inside the wrap) you can shorten the time and tenderize the meat at the same time.
Warning though, if you like "bite through" ribs then foil wrap may not be the way to go.
If you like "fall off the bone" ribs then the wrap will get you there.

 

[smokerjim]

As chasdev said 5 hours is a good estimate

 

[chef jimmyj]

Baby Back Ribs with foiling using 2-2-1, 5 hours total, will give FOTB at 225°F. Running at 250 for 5 hours will likely be Fall Apart Ribs you eat with a Fork, no Teeth needed. At 250, I would go 1.5-1.5-.5 or as needed....JJ

 

[sandyut]

as stated 5 hours is about right depending on thickness. the wrapping part - no idea. I never wrap mine.

 

[SmokinAl]

If your ribs are the extra meaty ones with the big chunk of loin on top. I would trim the loin off & smoke it separately until an IT of about 140. There is a layer of fat between the loin & the rib meat, just trim along that line. That would be a snack for the chef while the rest of the ribs go to 200-205, since your looking for FOTB ribs. The piece of loin meat should only take an hour or so to get done & snack on with a a beer while you wait for the ribs to get done!
Al

 

[TunaciousBBQ28]

The ribs the local stores carry where I live weigh about 3.1 pounds. On my Traegar Texas, I run control temp at 225, but that results in a real temp of 250. I use a Termo Works grill thermometer at far end, at grate level to monitor the smoker temp. My cook is 2.5-1.5-.5. I like a little more smoke and a shorter wrap. Most of the time gives FOTB. I like a shorter sauce time, as I use Sweet Baby Ray sauce and it does not need a long curing time.
BTW. I keep the control probe clean to help keep the selected temp and actual temp close to the same. There is an adjustment pot that allows fine tuning of temp. Factory setting is 2, I believe.

 

[mcokevin]

SmokinAl is on to something with the snack and a beer.