Variation in cooking temperatures for ribs

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kryinggame

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
Nov 16, 2007
543
30
Charlotte, NC
In my WSM, I've done hundreds of racks of ribs, both baby back and St. Louis cuts.  My goto temperature has always been in the the 250* - 275*.  I've never tried anything above this range. 

On the Weber website, there are a lot of videos by Jamie Purviance, who is an expert chef at cooking/grilling/smoking.
The other day, I noticed that on some of videos, he suggest smoking ribs at the range of 250* - 300*  (the Basic Baby  back rib on the Weber site); however, on the same site, he recommends cooking spare ribs at the range of 350* - 450*  over direct heat  (spareribs with maple mustard glaze) and I've seen a recommendation of his to cook spareribs at the 225* - 250*  range.  

I understand that at a higher temperature, food will cook quicker; however, is there a difference in the final out come  of a higher temperature vs. lower temperature?  

Thanks much!
 
you are going to get opinions pointing to both high and low temps being the best way to do it

I have always liked goin by what my Tel Tru thermometers on my pit say


so maybe you are "bbq'in" your ribs, while I try and stay below 250 so I am "smoking" them  
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IMHO either is fine, just so long as you figure out what works for you and your taste and how you work your cooker

Heck, I've cooked pork ribs on a gas grill with no thermometer, that thing was probably running in the 375 range and the ribs came out great
 
I think bigred nailed it.  To me smoking is best below 250, in fact, I smoke almost everything at 235 including my ribs, baby backs as well as spares.  I believe there will be a big difference in taste between those smoked low and those effectively grilled.  I don't mean a bad taste just different.   
 
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