Pork Spare Ribs

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southnjsmoke

Fire Starter
Original poster
Aug 15, 2016
63
22
Lindenwold, NJ
Trying to smoke pork spare ribs for my first time. I kept the membrane on and have them rubbed for smoking tomorrow.
I need suggestions on grill temp,wood selection, meat temp, foil or no foil, and anything else that will make these turn out amazing.. I'll be smoking on a WSM
 
Do you have any wood currently? If your buying I like a 50/50 mix of pecan and cherry. I take the membrane off personally but you can try that next time and choose for yourself. I can hold 225 pretty easy on my WSM but up to 250 is fine others may go even hotter. Cut the rack in half foil half half naked that's how you figure out what you like.Make small changes till you find the perfect ribs for you!! I often cut racks in thirds to try different sauces and rubs but mostly enjoy unwrapped dry ribs.
 
Do you have any wood currently? If your buying I like a 50/50 mix of pecan and cherry. I take the membrane off personally but you can try that next time and choose for yourself. I can hold 225 pretty easy on my WSM but up to 250 is fine others may go even hotter. Cut the rack in half foil half half naked that's how you figure out what you like.Make small changes till you find the perfect ribs for you!! I often cut racks in thirds to try different sauces and rubs but mostly enjoy unwrapped dry ribs.
Thanks for the info. I will try that with doing half the rack foil and other half not in foil. I have pecan, apple, and hickory. I was thinking about going with the hickory
 
I almost always use hickory or oak.

There are so many different techniques for smoking ribs.

For me it took years until I finally got them the way everyone around here likes them, including me.

Just keep experimenting.

Al
 
I almost always use hickory or oak.
There are so many different techniques for smoking ribs.
For me it took years until I finally got them the way everyone around here likes them, including me.
Just keep experimenting.

Al
Thanks All I will mess around with these ribs and see what comes out of it. I'm going to use hickory on them this time.. Fingers crossed we get something great
 
There is a growing number of people (myself included) who smoke ribs to temperature, like any other meat. This has several advantages. First, the results are consistent and repeatable. Secondly, there is no need for foil. Lastly, smoker temperature and timing are basically irrelevant. I've gotten consistent results anywhere from 250°-325°. Basically I set my smoker according to what time I wanna eat. At 325° it takes just a couple hours. At 250°, five or six.
The only caveat is meatier ribs work best for this technique. Badly trimmed "shiners" tend to be more difficult to get an accurate temp reading.
Look up Disco's "Ribs the way I like them" post for a step by step tutorial on how to do it. That's where I first learned of this and haven't done ribs any other way since.
 
There is a growing number of people (myself included) who smoke ribs to temperature, like any other meat. This has several advantages. First, the results are consistent and repeatable. Secondly, there is no need for foil. Lastly, smoker temperature and timing are basically irrelevant. I've gotten consistent results anywhere from 250°-325°. Basically I set my smoker according to what time I wanna eat. At 325° it takes just a couple hours. At 250°, five or six.
The only caveat is meatier ribs work best for this technique. Badly trimmed "shiners" tend to be more difficult to get an accurate temp reading.
Look up Disco's "Ribs the way I like them" post for a step by step tutorial on how to do it. That's where I first learned of this and haven't done ribs any other way since.
Blush!
 
There is a growing number of people (myself included) who smoke ribs to temperature, like any other meat. This has several advantages. First, the results are consistent and repeatable. Secondly, there is no need for foil. Lastly, smoker temperature and timing are basically irrelevant. I've gotten consistent results anywhere from 250°-325°. Basically I set my smoker according to what time I wanna eat. At 325° it takes just a couple hours. At 250°, five or six.
The only caveat is meatier ribs work best for this technique. Badly trimmed "shiners" tend to be more difficult to get an accurate temp reading.
Look up Disco's "Ribs the way I like them" post for a step by step tutorial on how to do it. That's where I first learned of this and haven't done ribs any other way since.
Thanks for the tip. I am doing ribs again this weekend, I will try this technique.
 
I prefer a combination of hickory and pecan.  Cherry is also great, as others have mentioned.  I have had the most success smoking between 250 and 275 for 6 hours.  The only time I wrap is for hour 5, which I guess would be called 4-1-1.  Then, I'll unwrap again for the 6th hour.  This helps make them very tender without being too steamed or mushy.  I'll also spray the ribs periodically to keep them from drying out.

I'll check out the referenced post and may give this a shot to see how it goes.
 
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