Are Spare Ribs Typically Dry?

[Roger R.]

Today I am smoking my first "spare ribs".

I know how to bbq baby backs, but this is my
first doing spare ribs. I trimmed them down, St. Louis style.
They've been on almost 4 hours.

I placed the little pcs of scrap tips around the
ribs and took them off at 3.5 hrs. They are
tender, but dry. Is this typical?

I rolled the ribs and skewered them, as well as
the large skirts (correct name for the large pc
of scrap?)

Do these scrap pcs, large & small, tend to dry out?
Is dry meat typical for St. Louis ribs?

 

[K Kruger]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I placed the little pcs of scrap tips around theribs and took them off at 3.5 hrs. They aretender, but dry. Is this typical? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
No. The were overcooked.

Spares have more fat than backs (thankfully) and are thus more forgiving. In any case, with nearly any Q'd meat: tender-but-dry = overcooked.

 

[Roger R.]

So... I took the spare ribs off at 5.5 hrs. and
they are perfect!

I've got a neighbor with a Tragger and I gave him
some. He was absolutely amazed with the smoke
quality and the way the meat fell from the bone.

These WSM's are amazing!

 

[Mike R. (Heyworth)]

I agree with Kevin, the scraps were probably overcooked. On the trimmings, theres a lot of other junk in there besdies meat and fat, so they don't have to render too much to be done.

Great job on the ribs though!