How Long Should You Smoke Baby Back Ribs?

Ribs are a delectable treat. Overcooked ribs, on the other hand, may be extremely nasty.

Overcooked ribs are tender, but they are also mushy, ruining the rib eating experience.

Even if you’ve cooked ribs 3-2-1 method before, understanding how long to smoke baby back ribs is essential so you don’t overcook your ribs.

What Are Baby Back Ribs?

There are two varieties of ribs available for smoking: baby back ribs and spareribs.

Baby back ribs are curving ribs sliced from the spine of a pig that runs down the animal’s back.

Baby back ribs are significantly smaller and less meaty than spareribs, and they cook in half the time.

Spareribs, on the other hand, run from the rear ribs down the side of the animal.

Spareribs, as opposed to baby back ribs, are flat and have bone and cartilage running throughout the rack.

Spareribs may be left as is or built into a different sort of rib.

St. Louis ribs are spareribs that have had their cartilage removed.

How To Buy Baby Back Ribs

Finally, you want a pack of ribs that is pink in hue and has marbling going through it. When the ribs are cooking, the marbling will render out.

Choose ribs with a good quantity of meat covering the bones. Purchase ribs without shiners.

Shiners indicate that the meat was chopped too near to the bone.

As our ribs are burning, exposed bones may fall out. Additionally, do not buy ribs that have been frozen or refrozen.

Sure, you will not always come home with a fresh pack of ribs from the grocery shop.

Also, it is difficult to tell if a pack of ribs has been frozen many times.

Others say that there is no difference between frozen and fresh ribs. Fresh ribs, on the other hand, will always outperform frozen ribs in terms of taste.

Cryovac containers containing 1-3 slabs of baby back ribs are a strong sign of unfrozen ribs.

These ribs are often fresh and might be difficult to get at your local grocery shop.

Packages with different forms of packaging, on the other hand, are often offered frozen.

Nevertheless, avoid purchasing ribs that are discolored or have dried out at the edges.

This is an indication of freezer burn.

If you bought ribs in a cryovac container, they may have a little odor, which is typical.

Nevertheless, if the stench is really rotten and lasts more than 10 minutes, toss the ribs.

A tiny quantity of liquid is released when the ribs rest in the box.

This liquid is known as the purge and is not a reason for worry if just a tiny quantity of liquid is present.

Yet, if there is a lot of liquid, the ribs have most likely been kept at the improper temperature for a long period or frozen a few times.

The weight and size of the ribs are determined by the number of persons you wish to feed.

Remember that each slab of ribs is unique, so choose ribs that are comparable in size and weight, and you will have a fantastic BBQ experience.

Best Woods for Smoking Baby Back Ribs

Fruit woods are the crème de la creme when it comes to smoking ribs. Apple and cherry woods, for example, provide a delightfully sweet taste to ribs.

In contrast, oak wood complements pork by enhancing its beefy taste.

How Long to Smoke Baby Back Ribs?

The length of time it takes to smoke ribs is determined on the size of the baby back ribs as well as the temperature at which they are smoked.

How Long Do You Smoke Bab Back Ribs at 200 Degrees?

If you smoke baby back ribs at 200 degrees Fahrenheit and keep them there for the entirety of the cook, the ribs will take around 7 hours.

How Long Do I Smoke Baby Back Ribs at 225 Degrees?

Baby back ribs will be done in 5 hours if you smoke them at 225 degrees Fahrenheit. The 25-degree rise in temperature will hasten the cooking process.

How Long to Smoke Baby Back Ribs at 250 Degrees?

Cooking time for baby smoked at 250F is roughly 4 hours. The greater the temperature, the faster the ribs will cook.

How Long to Smoke Baby Back Ribs per Pound?

Although most rib recipes provide a cooking time, this is just an estimate. You might be using a different smoker or grill, as well as a different sort of fuel than they used.

Cooking time may be determined on average by calculating an hour of cooking time for every pound of ribs.

Should I Wrap Baby Back Ribs in Foil?

When it comes to smoking ribs, the slow and low method is the way to go. Ribs usually take longer than 2 hours to smoke.

As a result, around midway through the smoking process, they should be covered in foil.

There is such a thing as excessive smoke. Covering the baby back ribs in foil protects them from excessive smoke absorption.

Covering the ribs in foil improves their color and taste, increases moisture, and shortens the smoking time.

How to Smoke Ribs

Ribs must be prepared before being placed on an offset smoker.

Put the ribs on a baking sheet or big butcher block, translucent and glossy membrane facing you.

If you need a butcher block, read our assessment of the top five best butcher blocks.

To remove the silver skin, slide a butter knife between the silver skin and the bone.

Separate the membrane with your fingers, then peel it away from the ribs.

This is a condensed version of the procedure for removing the silver skin off ribs.

The ribs should next be seasoned with a Barbecue rub.

Rub the BBQ rub all over the ribs, then cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight to marinate.

Let your baby back ribs to come to room temperature while you prepare your smoker.

Remove any ash from the grill’s base and turn the top and bottom vents to the open position to make your smoker or grill ready.

Fill a chimney starter with charcoal and a few pieces of paper.

Do you know how much charcoal to use? Check out our comprehensive how-to guide.

If you need a chimney starter, see our assessment of the finest charcoal chimneys.

Light your charcoal and wait for it to ash over for around 15-20 minutes.

Fill the smoker’s heating chamber with charcoal and wood chips.

As the grilling grates on the smoker begin to heat up, use a grill brush to remove any remaining food particles from the grates.

Let your smoker to reach 225 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the ribs on the grill’s grilling grates, giving enough space for air to flow around them.

Shut the dome of your smoker and cook them for 3-5 hours.

Remember to wrap your baby back ribs halfway through the cooking time.

So, how do I know if my ribs are done? As previously said, each rack of ribs is distinct, as is the style of smoker or grill used.

Electric smokers, for example, cook ribs quicker than offset smokers because the heat is better controlled.

Ribs are done when a toothpick readily slides into the meat with little resistance.

Also, when pulled, the flesh should readily separate from the bone. The bone should be as bare as it was the day you were born.

Nevertheless, the flesh should not slide off the bone, since this is an indication of overdone ribs.

After you’ve decided the ribs are tender, place them on a baking sheet and cover them in foil.

Let the ribs to rest for 20 minutes before slicing them into individual servings.

Before or after cutting, brush the ribs with BBQ sauce.

We have amazing recipes for homemade BBQ sauce, homemade spicy BBQ sauce, Carolina BBQ sauce, and Alabama whiteBBQ sauce.

If you want to skip the recipes and buy BBQ sauce online, see our assessment of the top BBQ sauces available online.

Final Thoughts

Overcooked ribs are no longer an option now that you know how long to smoke them.

You can confidently prepare succulent and juicy ribs.