Help with ribs using the Texas crutch at 250-275
 

Hey all, I have another elementary Q question for the masters. I'm going to do some spareribs on my drum tomorrow using the 3-2-1 method. My question is MY smoker runs nice between 250-275 so how should I change my times of smoke, foil and glazing for the higher temps.

I use the 3-2-1 method at 225-240 for St. Louis ribs, and 2.5-1.5-1 for baby backs at the same temp. I would imagine try the 5 hour method at your temps if you're smoking the full spare cut.

Just skip the foil it aint required.

Foil is not required, but is a perfectly legitimate and useful tool.

3-2-1 was based on really low temps of 225 or so and St Louis trimmed spares. At 250-275 (a nice temp range), full spares may take just as long.
if SL trimmed or small ribs, less time.

Just watch the color of the ribs. When they are a color you like, foil them with some liquid and any additional flavors you want.
You may, or may not, see a pull back on the meat.

At 1.5 hours or so--see how they bend in the foil.
If they are not stiff and show some bending, open the top of the foil and check with a toothpick or other sharp probe. Or lift them for a better bend test.

When they are fully tender, sauce if you want (I don't) and put them on long enough for the sauce to set up.

YOU CAN NOT COOK RIBS BASED ON TIME--too many variables.

Watch and feel the meat and it will tell you what it is doing.

GOOD EATS!!

TIM

YOU CAN NOT COOKBBQ BASED ON TIME--too many variables.

Watch and feel the meat and it will tell you what it is doing

Follow those two rules and you will hit a home run every time!

^^^^^^What he said!!!

Do it 3-1-1. Adjust the last hour accordingly. They may feel overdone when you take them out of the foil but will firm back up.

Foiling in a uds is kinda like getting in the shower with a rain coat on! :mrgreen:

If you aren't afraid of cooking at 275 in your UDS, skip the foil, leave the thing closed, and just listen for the sizzling to die down. That means the stall is about over. Should take around 3.5 to 4.5 hours at 275 cooking temp, depending on meatiness of ribs.

People don't comment on this too much, but when you leave the foil in the kitchen and just cook straight up, you can listen to the meat cooking by keeping an ear close. Listen closely, you'll know exactly what's going on by the sizzling sound you hear.

At a higher temp, you may want to try to shorten the cook times. I do the first 2 hours unwrapped, 1 hour wrapped then unwrap for about an hour.

Ditto. Four hours is usually more than enough time at roughly 275 in my offset if I wrap. 2-1-one half to one, depending on the size of the rack and how the temps settle on the big cooker.