If you’re a die-hard, smoke-em-if-you-got-em rib fan, you’re in the right place. You are also in the right place if you’re getting all kinds of different advice on how long those baby-back beauties should stay on the smoker. Fortunately, we’ve got some answers for you.
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How Long To Smoke Ribs?
There are a lot of answers to this question because there are a lot of variables that go into perfectly smoked ribs. If you want succulent ribs with perfect texture, then 225-250 degrees is your go-to temperature.
Our guide outlines the best methods for smoking baby back and spare ribs at 225 degrees. Since everything we smoke tends to stay in that temperature range, the primary variable is the type of ribs you use, followed by the type of smoker you are using.
If you take all of those variables into account (and we will discuss them all here), you should still plan on spending about 5 hours for baby backs or six if you’re smoking spare ribs.
As for leaving them naked or wrapping them, If you’re going to wrap the ribs, we would suggest the 3-2-1 method for spare ribs and the 2-2-1 or 3-1-1 method for baby backs. We will cover a few different methods for preparing and cooking. Hopefully, we’ve got you fired up so you can clear the smoke on this topic by reading on.
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Let’s Talk About The Difference In Ribs
If you love ribs, you know how important it is to understand the different types of pork ribs. It’s not just about how they look; each type of rib has its own unique flavor and texture that can only be achieved if it’s cooked correctly. Let’s take a look at the three main types of pork ribs so that you can choose the one that best fits your needs.
Spare Ribs
Spare ribs come from the lower section of the rib cage, near the belly. They are thick and meaty and often contain a lot of fat which makes them especially flavorful.
One interesting fact about spare ribs is that bacon is cut from this same region — which should give you an idea about their fat content! Spare ribs are one of the most popular types of pork ribs because they are juicy and flavorful when cooked correctly.
St. Louis-Style Ribs
St. Louis-style ribs are a variation on spareribs — they have been trimmed to remove any excess cartilage or breastbone, giving them a rectangular shape, and making them easier to handle than regular spareribs.
The uniform shape also allows these ribs to brown up beautifully on the smoker, giving them an attractive presentation value as well as great flavor.
You may see the St. Louis cut sold as “Kansas City Style” ribs. This is just another name for spare ribs that have been trimmed, although the cartilage is still included. Be careful, however, this term also refers to the preparation technique that includes mopping sweet, smokey, tomato-based sauce as the last step in the process.
Baby Back Ribs
Baby back ribs come from higher up on the rib cage near the backbone and are much smaller than their other two counterparts. They are also referred to as “loin-back ribs” because they come from the same area where butchers get the pork loins.
They have less fat and less meat compared to regular spare ribs or St Louis-style ribs but still deliver plenty of flavor with every bite! Baby back ribs are ideal for those who want a lighter meal but don’t want to compromise on taste or texture.
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Rib Tips
These are the pieces one cuts off of the spare ribs to get a St. Louis cut. These are amazing for flavor and texture. If you buy spare ribs and trim them to a St. Louis cut yourself, you get these succulent, flavorful pieces of meat as an added bonus.
Country-Style Ribs
There are not actually ribs at all. They come from the blade end that is close to the shoulder. Sometimes, they have shoulder meat as part of the ribs. They are tasty but not prepared the same way as ribs, so we won’t be covering them in this article.
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The Tale of Two Rib Styles
While there are more ways to serve ribs than one can count, there are two incredibly popular styles the BBQ community (especially on the competition circuit) tends to use.
When most people think of ribs, they tend to look at the falling-off-the-bone, sticky with sauce spare ribs. This is generally known as the Kansas City Style. They are smoked to perfection and mopped with sauce at the end. And yes, incredibly delicious.
The other style that is also popular is called “Memphis Style” ribs. Memphis Style ribs involve an intricate dry rub that pushes sweet flavors (brown sugar base) up front but finishes with a spicy (cayenne) twang in the back of your throat.
These ribs are usually smoked naked, and sauce is not part of the process. In fact, in Memphis, they believe if you have to put sauce on the ribs, you did something wrong.
225 or 250? It Makes A Difference
People often ask about which temperature one should smoke ribs. There is a hot debate about smoking ribs at 225 degrees or 250. In the interest of full disclosure, I smoke everything at 225, and for all the competitions I’ve been part of (Memphis in May and KCBS), I have rarely seen anyone deviate from 225 degrees.
That being said, 250 degrees is still smoking the ribs at low and slow you just need to be careful about your cook time because the higher temperature puts you at risk of drying out the ribs before they are done. If you smoke ribs at 250 degrees, then plan on 3 to 4 hours only, and keep an eye on them.
At 225 Degrees, This Is How Long You Will Need To Smoke Ribs
Spare Ribs
If you’re looking to tackle something bigger and more flavorful than baby back ribs, spare ribs are the way to go! The 3-2-1 technique gives an unbeatable smoky flavor – just smoke them at 225 degrees for three hours before wrapping them in foil or butcher paper. Return it to the smoker for two extra hours of smoking, then unwrap them up during the final hour.
If you want to finish these in the Kansas City style, mop them with sauce for the last hour and let them carmelize to a nice glaze on the meat. If you’re a fan of Memphis ribs, don’t sauce them at all.
Altogether that’s 6 hours (give or take a few minutes) with an internal temperature target of 195°F when they come off heat. You also need to plan 10 minutes of resting time before serving.
All the details you need for the 3-2-1 method can be found in our article, 321 Ribs Method for Tender Smoked Ribs (The Easy Way)
Baby Back Ribs
At 225 degrees, 5 hours should be enough time for Baby Back ribs. You will need to adjust your times for the different phases of smoking them.
We recommend the 2-2-1 method, which, as you probably guessed, is a slight alteration from the 3-2-1 described above. Simply smoke them naked for 2 hours, wrap them for 1 hour and then unwrap them for the final hour. If you want to sauce the ribs, the final hour is when you should do that.
Should They Fall Off The Bone? Yes and No.
Tender, juicy ribs (especially those cooked using the 3-2-1) method are delicious, and people love the ease with which the meat separates from the bone. The watch-out for cooking to this level of doneness is getting mushy meat that almost feels like day-old pot roast. It will still have the smokey goodness of BBQ ribs, but the texture will suffer.
Many pitmasters will smoke their ribs to the point just before the meat is falling off the bone. The goal is to hit a texture that separates from the bone cleanly but still requires a slight “bite” from the person eating the rib.
They call it “having a little tooth” to the rib. This is definitely a personal preference, but if you want to give this a try, reduce your 3-2-1 cook times by about 15 minutes at each stage in the process.
The Bottom Line
Nothing beats the flavor of smoked ribs, and they are one of the hallmarks of a true pitmaster. It does take some time and some trial and error. However, even slightly overcooked BBQ is still BBQ. So don’t be afraid to try a few different techniques and styles on your way to smoking the perfect set of bones.
