Ideal Temp for Pork Ribs

carolinacue · 05-30-2014, 04:06 PM

I've been barbecuing at home for about 9 years now. Mainly stuck to pork shoulders, occasionally smoking a whole chicken or two.

I love ribs, and I've got a free weekend, so I figured what the heck I'll give ribs a shot. In doing some reading, I've seen some suggestions that recommend smoking baby backs for 6-7 hours, then others that suggest as little as 2 hours.

My primary smoker is a CG 5050 duo model w/ firebox, and I smoke with natural apple and cherry wood that I cut myself. After removing the membrane and applying the rub, are there any tips I should employ? Seen some suggestions about using a water/drip pan, also seen some that say to spray with apple juice every 30 minutes.

Any rib tips would be greatly appreciated.

frog13 · 05-30-2014, 04:17 PM

As always, many ways to cook ribs. I cook at 240, baby backs are probably about five hours for me if I don't use foil during the cook. I've cooked good ribs at temps from 225-275, depends on how long you want to cook and your patience. There are a ton of posts on cooking ribs.

Carbon · 05-30-2014, 04:28 PM

I'm not picky about temps so I'll smoke them at whatever smoking temp my UDS settles in at and let it ride til done.

Jorge · 05-30-2014, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carolinacue

I've been barbecuing at home for about 9 years now. Mainly stuck to pork shoulders, occasionally smoking a whole chicken or two.

I love ribs, and I've got a free weekend, so I figured what the heck I'll give ribs a shot. In doing some reading, I've seen some suggestions that recommend smoking baby backs for 6-7 hours, then others that suggest as little as 2 hours.

My primary smoker is a CG 5050 duo model w/ firebox, and I smoke with natural apple and cherry wood that I cut myself. After removing the membrane and applying the rub, are there any tips I should employ? Seen some suggestions about using a water/drip pan, also seen some that say to spray with apple juice every 30 minutes.

Any rib tips would be greatly appreciated.

I like 275, and 6-7 hours would be long unless there was a pork loin attached;) 4-5 hours is probably pretty close in my cooker. A water pan won't hurt and if it catches the drippings it reduces the chance of flares or grease fires. I like to spray, and I like to wrap in foil. Or, if I don't want to mess with it I don't do either.

Try a couple of methods if you like and find out what works for you. What works for me, in my cooker may not be your best option and it probably won't be the same. My BGE and FE just don't cook the same. One isn't better or worse, they are just different.

Tom Sellecks Mustache · 05-30-2014, 04:41 PM

I shoot for 250, but I can rarely keep it there with the weather here, so I generally settle for about 300. It will usually go about 4 hours, maybe less depending on how meaty they are. I do fill my water tray with a combo of apple juice and apple cider vinegar too, but I'm not entirely convinced it helps much.

dwfisk · 05-30-2014, 04:51 PM

Doing a single rack of BB's right now. These were on the meaty/large size. Went on the 26.75 OGT at 2:30 at about 275*, wrapped in foil with a glaze of Datil Pepper jelly, Datil Pepper hot sauce and sugar at 4:30, maintaining 275*, just took them out of foil at 5:30 for the last hour, the melted glaze was GREAT! I'll just wait until the meat pulls back from the bonr but I expect to take them off at 6:30, maybe 7:00.

carolinacue · 05-30-2014, 05:15 PM

Thanks for all the info. My smoker usually settles in at about 250, so I think I'll try that methodology. I also like the idea of wrapping in foil.

05-30-2014, 04:06 PM	#1
carolinacue Got rid of the matchlight. Join Date: 05-25-14 Location: Asheville, NC	Ideal Temp for Pork Ribs I've been barbecuing at home for about 9 years now. Mainly stuck to pork shoulders, occasionally smoking a whole chicken or two. I love ribs, and I've got a free weekend, so I figured what the heck I'll give ribs a shot. In doing some reading, I've seen some suggestions that recommend smoking baby backs for 6-7 hours, then others that suggest as little as 2 hours. My primary smoker is a CG 5050 duo model w/ firebox, and I smoke with natural apple and cherry wood that I cut myself. After removing the membrane and applying the rub, are there any tips I should employ? Seen some suggestions about using a water/drip pan, also seen some that say to spray with apple juice every 30 minutes. Any rib tips would be greatly appreciated.

05-30-2014, 04:17 PM	#2
frog13 On the road to being a farker Join Date: 04-02-14 Location: Frozen Tundra, WI	As always, many ways to cook ribs. I cook at 240, baby backs are probably about five hours for me if I don't use foil during the cook. I've cooked good ribs at temps from 225-275, depends on how long you want to cook and your patience. There are a ton of posts on cooking ribs. __________________ Ok, I admit it ......... "Hi, my name is Don and I'm a BBQ addict"

05-30-2014, 04:28 PM	#3
Carbon is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-24-08 Location: Los Angeles	I'm not picky about temps so I'll smoke them at whatever smoking temp my UDS settles in at and let it ride til done. __________________ ....UDS....Mini-WSM....Midi-WSM....Mod-ECB....22.5-OTG....34"wood fired pizza oven....

05-30-2014, 04:41 PM	#5
Tom Sellecks Mustache Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 05-08-14 Location: Phoenix, AZ	I shoot for 250, but I can rarely keep it there with the weather here, so I generally settle for about 300. It will usually go about 4 hours, maybe less depending on how meaty they are. I do fill my water tray with a combo of apple juice and apple cider vinegar too, but I'm not entirely convinced it helps much. __________________ The Nike swoosh logo would make an interesting mustache on a man who runs his mouth

05-30-2014, 04:51 PM	#6
dwfisk Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-01-12 Location: Fairfield, Florida Name/Nickname : Dave	Doing a single rack of BB's right now. These were on the meaty/large size. Went on the 26.75 OGT at 2:30 at about 275, wrapped in foil with a glaze of Datil Pepper jelly, Datil Pepper hot sauce and sugar at 4:30, maintaining 275, just took them out of foil at 5:30 for the last hour, the melted glaze was GREAT! I'll just wait until the meat pulls back from the bonr but I expect to take them off at 6:30, maybe 7:00. __________________ I'm Dave Got a bunch of cooking toys and a custom metal fabrication shop where I spend my time building all sorts of smokers & outdoor cooking gear.

05-30-2014, 05:15 PM	#7
carolinacue Got rid of the matchlight. Join Date: 05-25-14 Location: Asheville, NC	Thanks for all the info. My smoker usually settles in at about 250, so I think I'll try that methodology. I also like the idea of wrapping in foil.