Doing beginner ribs - how long before it should be up to temp?


 
A

Aaron Buys

TVWBB Member
So I am finally taking my go at the ribs. They have been on about an hour and I'm up to about 170 on the thermometer. I've got the vents on the bottom at 33% as recommended and the top vent full open. It does seem to be climbing slowly but I'm wondering if I need to open the bottom vents a bit. Should I be patient or try to help it along?
 
There's no temp with ribs. Cook them until they are tender. Follow Chris' advice. He says start checking for tender at 3 hours, but could be 4 or so hours to be tender. He doesn't say anything about temping the ribs. Be patient. You don't want half cooked ribs because you hurried. Also note that Chris says this method allows you to concentrate on the tenderness of the ribs and not the temp of the cooker.
 
I guess I assumed they would at least be up in the 200 range at this point. Is there a "no-temp rule" with ribs in general?
 
170'F ?
w0w... i like cookin' my ribs between 225 and 250'F. Average time is 4 to 5 hours.
Aaron, how much charcoal are you using?
I believe at 170'F you'll be cookin' those ribs til the cows come home.
 
I put the first full chimney in unlit and put the half on top of it lit. I just checked inside and most of it seems to be going. Smoke wood is charred with some unburned wood still visible.
 
Yup still about 175. I'm wondering if I was a little shy on my half chimney. Should I start another half and put it in there or open my vents up until the temp gets in the 200's?
 
i'd open the vents, get the coals hotter than they are now.
UNLESS, you want to eet in 10 hours from now.
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Again, i believe the ideal temp is 225-250'F for baby backs AND spares.
I have a rack of spares on now for 50 minutes now at 235'F. (I like that temp)
Good Luck Aaron!
 
Okay I opened up the vents to about 80% and opened the door until the temp it 275 - closed the door and it seems to have settled in at a nice 225 at has been holding there for about 20 min. I setup the cooker just inside the polebarn with the door open to keep it out of direct wind...perhaps there wasn't enough air flow in there at 33% open. Anyways, I'm going to push the 3 hour check to 3.5 hours and then see how we are doing.

I have to say...these cookers really seem to hold their temp whether cool or hot!
 
Ok Aaron, sounds like you're on your way to some fine ribs...
once again, do not only go by the amount of time the meat has been on OR the temps... use the "pull the bone" technique... by pulling two ribs apart. If they separate easily, they're done. Or try using a toothpick and stick it in the meat between the bones, done when tender.
 
Aaron, I highly recommend that you don't do any BBQ in the polebarn.or the polebarn will be BBQ before the ribs are done. I know you are new and the Weber is new but the time will come when there will be a build up inside your smoker and I just don't want you to have a grease fire.Build a wind screen for outside.Many ideas on this site.Hope your first ribs turned out OK! Many great ideas on this site.Welcome to this web site.
Chuck
 
First ribs turned out great! Thanks for all the tips during the process. I'll get some pictures of them on here shortly!
 
Foe short cooks like this I put the unlit charcoal on top of the lit. For long cooks I do the opposite. I dont know if thats right or not but its what I do and it has worked so far.
 
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