Higer heat spare rib help


 
C

Chris B. K.

New member
Have had really good result with higher heat back ribs/brisket/pork but this spring (275-350)tried spares cut down to St. Lois style tonight, and they were good, but a little dry. Did them 2 hrs then 1:15 foiled then 30 min unfoiled. Foil earlier and longer?? Do to both time constraints, and success with backs, I would like to cook both at higher temp on one cooker. Reason for asking is I am doing a am comp next weekend where I will have to turn in 1 spare and 1 back rib. Thanks for your help!!
 
I did ribs last week with a brisket on a high heat cook.(325-350* target temp) Personally I feel that the time needs to be reduced with a higher cook when doing ribs. Less than 3 hours total if I had to guess. I would probably smoke for 1-1/2 hrs and then foil. I do like to put some apple juice in when I foil. Today I made 3 slabs of BB's @ 275ish target temp. Smoked for 2-1/2, foiled for one hour and sauced for about 15 minutes and they were great. Had a great pull off the bone, very tender and probably one of the better batch of ribs I have made to date. I would not say falling of the bone but I was trying to get a good pull of the bone. Wife had seconds so I think I did well. Vince
 
I did 6 racks of spares trimmed to St. Louis on Saturday. I did them on a medium high heat level, maintaining about 285-310 throughout the entire cook. I did about 2 1/2 unfoiled, and hour foiled, then 1/2 hour glazed and unfoiled. They came out awesome, had a real nice cling to the bone, but no real work to get the meat off. Best ribs I've made yet. If you spent more time on the higher end of your temp spectrum, that could have accounted for some of the dryness I bet. Little shorter overall time may have helped. I don't add anything to my foil and haven't had any problems with dry ribs yet.

If you guys haven't tried it, get yourself some Texas Pepper Jelly and slather that on your ribs. It takes them to a whole new level. texaspepperjelly.com.
 
Very timely . . .as I'm planning a few racks of St Louis ribs this Saturday!

Mike -- how did you start your WSM? Did you add the meat after the cooker was hot? I'm planning a Minion start with about 30 lit briqs and then add the meat immediately.

My plan is to go 2.5-3 hrs unfoiled (target 290-300 for temps), then foil til tender (45 minutes to an hour), then unfoiled to make a nice bark. Did you increase the temp when you foiled?

Thanks.
 
I always Minion and load immediately.

For spares I probably do as Mike does, maybe 2.5 hours (I just go by color) and for backs maybe 90 min (I do backs at 325 or so, spares lower, usually). I also cook till tender in the foil. I never sauce ribs but I do return them to the grate for a few min at higher temps (I bump temps up 25? or so during foiling) to firm the bark. Sometimes I glaze, painting on a thin veneer a few min after returning the ribs to the grate unfoiled, allowing the glaze to seize, then maybe making another application. After foiling the ribs are on the grate maybe 7-10 min tops.
 
Depends on the cook of course.

For high-heat stuff like this, I fill the charcoal ring with unlit. Then I light about 30 briqs and put them on top.

For low/slow, I use 15-20 lit briqs to start it.


Kevin -- thanks for your input as always. I'm doing spares so I'll plan on a 3.5-4 hr cook. Ever foil them while they're rolled or do you use rib rack?
 
Actually Kevin, I do like you do! You were here first!

I also go by color more than any other factor, when they look tasty and barky, I foil.

I minion the start, probably 20 briquettes, and load immediately, then let the temps ramp up at a reasonable rate, to be at target temp in maybe 45 mins or so of the loading of the cooker. At least that's how it went last time.
 
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