Steve, by now you're probably a rib expert but what I do is this: I use spares trimmed to St. Louis style. I buy the biggest spares I can find. I put them on and at about 4 hours I look to see how much of the rib is showing. When they're about 1/4 inch exposed, I pick up the slab and try tearing along the thicker side. If it pulls easily - they're ready. I then sauce them and leave them on about 15 minutes more. I don't use foil during cooking - don't need to. I do foil if I have to hold them for more than 30 minutes before eating.

Rib Update!!!

I took another crack at this last Wednesday.

This time I used side ribs (spare ribs) 1 fist sized ball of apple wood chips (in foil)

Memphis magic dust rub and sauce No. 5 with extra added Honey for sweetness.

At the three hour mark I pulled the ribs off, foiled them, with a little apple juice in each foil pack, and tossed them back on for another 2 hours. After two hour I de-foiled them, and sauced and finished on my gas grill for about 15 minutes (this was cuz there was a lot of ribs and I was in a hurry at this point) The gas grill burned them a bit but not too bad.

The ribs were tender, tasty, and delicious!

almost perfect in my mind.

Thanks again for all your help guys!!!!!

(Sorry, no pics)

"If there ain't no pics, then it didn't happen." Congrats on a successful cook.

Mark

You mentioned in one of your posts that you had actually cooked baby backs instead of spares.
If you cooked for 4 1/2 hours, they might have been in smoker too long.
In my limited experience, 3 racks were done in about 3 hours.
I like using apple and pecan woods (I have a small orchard of apple, cherry and pear trees, so plenty of dry wood available).
I don't use chips and I don't soak the wood, just to get a nice "clean" smoke.

I had another spare rib cook.

Rib cook

1 fist sized ball of apple chips in foil. I put them on for three hours, pulled them off. Foiled with apple juice, put them back on for 2 hours, pulled off, sauced, another 30 minutes and Voila!

The ribs were overdone however. Some bones actually were falling out!

Is there a rule of thumb I should be following for cook times?

I have read on here 3-1-1 for spares 3 out out of foil, 1 in foil, and 1 back out of foil.

comments? How about for baby backs? Less time I assume? 2-1-1 perhaps?

Cook times varying are just something you need to get used too. Outdoor temperature ,wind,rain all affect your temperatures. Are you using a temp probe in the wsm to keep an eye on your cooking temps. I smoked for years flying by the seat of my pants temperature wise and finally broke down and bought a digital gauge this summer. It makes things much easier.

Darren, I see the pics, it really did happen! First, in a very friendly suggestion on presentation, wipe the empty area of the serving dish clean, your guests will be so impressed, no guests? You will be so impressed!

As far as doneness goes, check the rib meat with a temp probe or toothpick. Start early, like before you cook, check once an hour for three hrs then every 1/2 hr then every 15 min. This way yo will develop a feel for how long the ribs take and how they FEEL. You can cook them to any level of doneness that you like from fall off the bone to slight pull to **** hard to bite. This is just a lesson thing and might help to develop a feel for the meat rather than relying on final temps or time.

Mark

quote:

The ribs were overdone however. Some bones actually were falling out!Is there a rule of thumb I should be following for cook times?

Not really. Times can vary depending on actual cooktemps. If you establish a method of cooking you like, and temps you prefer, then repeating that approach each time, and using Mark's suggestion to learn tenderness by feel, you'll soon learn to estimate cook time fairly accurately based on your previous experiences along with any variations you note during the current cook. (Consistent-approach cooks don't vary all that much but they can and do vary.)

Me, I cook both spares and backs at substantially higher temps than most (325-350+) and ignore set times - I don't think in terms of time at all. I cook till the ribs are richly colored then, if foiling (which I often do, but not always, to add a flavor layer), I foil meat side down with a splash of reduced juice(s), the cook till tender while in the foil. Back on the grate for several minutes, unfoiled, to firm the bark: done. No need to watch a clock. Since the ribs are always cooked till tender the results - tender ribs - are the same from cook to cook, even if the time varies a bit.

Though I prefer higher temps the same or a similar approach can be used with any cooktemps you choose.

I just completed my first rib smoke as well. The doneness was perfect. 3 racks of bb a bit big 3 lbs a rack. Went for about 5 hours. As the OP I was a bit disappointed

I used a light dust of rub Marlowes
smoke 6 fist size chances of apple
The disappointment was the flavor, had a good looking smoke ring just didn't pop. I think I will use some oak or hickory with the apple next time and more rub. I have read so much on being careful not to over smoke and or rub I have missed the mark. But hey that is part of the fun in figuring it out.

Also i will use different rubs on the rack next time to help me narrow down my base. Using a single rub a smoke slows down the elimination process. Plus three different kinds to try after 6 hours of prep would be fun too!

Summit Gold-Performer-WSM 18.5

Jeff, congrats on your first rib cook. Flavor profiles that you like are sometimes difficult to find. Sounds like you cooked the ribs perfectly for color and tenderness. Keep up the good work.

Mark

Thanks! Really getting into this should have started smoking years ago! Just rubbed down some skinless sausages and put them on the Performer with with a small chunk of cherry. Making a memphis sausage and cheese platter, chunks of cheese, pickles, peppercini sprinkled with some rub served with saltiness....

Sounds good in theory

Jeff