recommend cook time & temp for St Louis Spares?


 
Clint

Clint

TVWBB Olympian
I've only trimmed to St Louis style once & I don't remember how long it took or what temp I used.

I have 4 untrimmed racks of spares & need to trim them - I've been reading up but not really finding recommendations on how long or what temps, or at least anything that's making sense.

I'd appreciate any tips you can offer.
 
I would recommend cooking at 275, it should take between 4 to 6 hours. If ypu decide to cook them at a lower temp it will take longer. Keep in mind that cooking at a higher temp promotes better bark formation. Good luck and post pictures.
 
I guess it's like the loin backs in the BRITU method? I got confused in one thread that said to cook them like baby backs.

I just trimmed them & seasoned with penzey's Galena Street rub - seems to have trimmed about 50% of the rack! I left one trimming alone & it looks like I have 5 racks
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- a boneless rack lol
 
Spares/St. Louis have more fat in them and can benefit from lower temps than back ribs. I do them at 250 for 6hrs. Start checking at 4 to get a feel for tender.
 
I've found that 325-350 for St. Louis Spares works really well for me. The last ones I did took about 1 hr and 15 minutes to 1.5 hrs. I just start checking them at a little over an hour and when they're done they're done.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Glenn W:
Spares/St. Louis have more fat in them and can benefit from lower temps than back ribs. I do them at 250 for 6hrs. Start checking at 4 to get a feel for tender. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

What Glenn said. I don't cook ribs over 250 unless I plan on foiling for part of the cook. Otherwise, I don't find that cooking faster than 250* makes 'em any juicier. I just end up with more fat left and a thicker, harder bark....but everyone has their opinion, and that's ok.
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If done early, you can put in a paper sack after wrapping the slab in foil. That should keep 'em hot (but not too hot) for an hour or so until it's time to slice for the table. DON'T OVERCOOK, though. The slab should come off the cooker in one piece. They'll continue to cook some in the foil.
 
I try to shoot for 235* and I foil for part of the cook and have my St. Louis spares done in about 4 1/2 hours. This is the way I do for competitions. I do 2hrs 30 min bone down, foil for 1hr 15min, back on the cooker for 30 min to firm up and then sauce bone side up for 5 min.,flip then sauce meat side for 10 min.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Russell McNeely:
I've found that 325-350 for St. Louis Spares works really well for me. The last ones I did took about 1 hr and 15 minutes to 1.5 hrs. I just start checking them at a little over an hour and when they're done they're done. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>I do the same. I don't find tha commercial spares have enough fat to bother cooking low/slow, though that's certainly a fine approach. I always minion the start so timing is not as short as if one starts at full temp, but I am not a fan of starting at full temp for nearly anything.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by fred nevill:
I try to shoot for 235* and I foil for part of the cook and have my St. Louis spares done in about 4 1/2 hours. This is the way I do for competitions. I do 2hrs 30 min bone down, foil for 1hr 15min, back on the cooker for 30 min to firm up and then sauce bone side up for 5 min.,flip then sauce meat side for 10 min. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Fred, if you don't mind me asking, a couple queations come to mind:
What size slabs do you usually smoke in comps?
Also, do you foil with the meat side down, or up? Mine have ended up mushy when the meat side was down, and was wondering if the last half hour was needed because of that.

Thanks for the temps and times on your method.
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No prob, I cut the spares down to St. Louis cut, removing the rib tips(cook candy). When I cut them I usually remove the last bone or two also to try to make them as even as possible.

When I foil I have bone side down, usually but not always on some apple juice then I put butter on the meat so that ways it melts down into the meat.

Mine was a bit mushy sometimes also but I went to a BBQ class and in talking to the guy talking about ribs he suggested after foil put ribs back on smoker to firm up before doing anything else and I have been happy with things since.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by fred nevill:
No prob, I cut the spares down to St. Louis cut, removing the rib tips(cook candy). When I cut them I usually remove the last bone or two also to try to make them as even as possible.

When I foil I have bone side down, usually but not always on some apple juice then I put butter on the meat so that ways it melts down into the meat.

Mine was a bit mushy sometimes also but I went to a BBQ class and in talking to the guy talking about ribs he suggested after foil put ribs back on smoker to firm up before doing anything else and I have been happy with things since. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks, Fred, for the additional info.

I'll have to try the butter. I understand that it blackens at higher temps, but I just can't put Parkay on my ribs....and I don't smoke my spares fast, anyway.
 
I've been meaning to follow up on this since Sunday but I never got past the lurking stage until now....

So I went with the Galena Street rub, hickory & a little mesquite. I meant to minion the start but I took a little longer getting things on the smoker & the whole ring was glowing. Dry water pan, tried to crank the temp but my lid-mounted thermometer stayed around 235F the whole time with all vents 100% open & the door upside-down & slightly cracked.

I pulled the first rack @ 4.5 hours, the rest @ 5.5 hours, when they were tender. This was the first time I've rolled ribs, I can't say I'm a huge fan of the coiled ribs, but once sliced they were OK. I trimmed to STL style, on 3 of the racks I cut into ~5" sections, the last rack's trimmings I coiled so it almost looked like I had 5 racks.

All in all they came out pretty good, didn't sauce, the rub was unremarkable, and the texture pretty good but slightly......???gritty??? just a bit. I've never foiled ribs before but that is probably the next thing I'll try. Thanks for the help guys.

Oh yeah, I made up a double batch of #5 sauce w/ some habanero sauce, dried cherries & blueberries added.
 
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