Babybacks

A

AginAustin

Guest
Ok, so I am at home visiting my parents this weekend and making sausage. I was planning to cook some spare ribs tomorrow and my dad "surprised" me with both spares and baby backs. I've never cooked baby backs before so I have no clue how long to cook them. I usually cook spares for about 4 - 4.5 hours straight smoke...no foil. I don't plan to foil the baby backs either.

How long do I cook the babybacks? I plan to use the same rub/seasoning on both...Yardbird and Blue's Hog. Please let me know. Thanks guys, I'm sure you'll guide me through another cook.
 
when i do cook them which isnt often(and im probably the biggest newbie on here) i cook them about an hour less than spares. Remember they have less fat so the chances of them drying out are higher. Spritz(which doesnt do much, if anything) and use a thermometer for best results.
kris
 
I have cooked both and find that baby backs are typically faster than spares, but, there is a lot of variation here. If the BB's are thick and the spares are St. Loius, you might be looking at less than a 30 minute variation. If you do not trim the spares, it could be more like 2 hours. I would trim to St. Louis style and start them about 30 minutes apart. Eat the trimmings for a snack or something.
 
I like to mop them often to keep 'em moist. Low and slow is the way. When the meat pulls back from the bones 'bout 1/4" they're done.
 
landarc said:
I have cooked both and find that baby backs are typically faster than spares, but, there is a lot of variation here. If the BB's are thick and the spares are St. Loius, you might be looking at less than a 30 minute variation. If you do not trim the spares, it could be more like 2 hours. I would trim to St. Louis style and start them about 30 minutes apart. Eat the trimmings for a snack or something.
Click to expand...

What landarc said!
 
Here is a pic I took with my phone earlier. My dad purchased a whole hog from a FFA auction. It looks to me that the butcher has already trimmed the spares to st. louis style.
 
ok...nevermind, I guess I can't get the attachment to work
 
St Louis cut- look for ribs tips, the fatty end parts with a lot of little bones in it, if those are gone and the spares look like big versions of baby backs, you got St Loius cuts.
 
that's exactly what I have...I was planning to trim them down before the cook but I was surprised once we opened the packages...nothing to trim
 
Look for them to feel limp when lifted from one side. Thats when they're done.
 
just what landarc said, both should be done pretty close, and use the bend method Captain Dave mentions............ Good Luck
 
Loose the thermometer idea for ribs! Bend test and/or a small probe between the bones (like a toothpic) is a good test. There is a small window for the perfectly done rib so pay attention. Practice as each rack is different. Again, the termometer is useless. Let us know what works and keep good notes for future cooks.
Baby Backs will cook quicker. Depending on your smoker it could be an hour less. Try them and see how your cooker works. Good luck bro.
 
I will try to post some pics of the cook on Sunday. The smoker should get some "interesting" comments on here since it is a old washing machine turned into a smoker...
 
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