first smoke..

hmmmm i posted this last nite...and nobody wants to help out.....i thought there was more support here....or were these just stupid questions....B

Be patient, one or more of the Q experts will answer, they always have for me.
In my short experience about 4hrs for babybacks is about it. 3 hrs then check them to see if the meat is pulling from the bone. I then spray and wrap in foil for one more. You can then wrap in a towel and place in a cooler. They will keep for 3 or 4 hours till you need them.
There is soooo much more, this is just some basics I have found to work.

I too have an Amerique and baby back ribs are a favorite, i cook mine for 4.5 hours @ 240 with two pieces of applewood,and for me they come out just right,i then sauce them and broil them in the oven for 6-8 minutes to get a nice crispy outer texture,they always seem to come out juicy inside and tender enough so that you can easily pull them apart with your fingers. There is always temptation to open the door and check but at 3 hours & 200 your meat is just not done,each time you open the door i think that you can add about another 30 min to the total finished cook time so try not to open the door too early.Good luck and good eating !

thanks guys...thought i was crazy...but at 3 hours they seemed to not be cooking or rendering much juice/ drippings so was wondering if i had to start thinking about the thermostat being an issue.....have them in...given them 2 more hours ...will let you know...p.s. on every guide i read here it TOLD me to check after 3 hours...so i did ...add more cook time i guess B

Next time, I would try without foil going at least 4-5 hours before opening the door to check them. The meat should be starting to draw up off of the bone, one great tip I've picked up is the "toothpick test". If a wooden toothpick pushes easily through the meat between the bones they're done. Good luck!

yeah grateful i unfoiled em and turned up temp to 245 and figured i would let em work it out in there haha seems to be workin....thanks for the toothpick reminder...focused on the eating soon i hope...will update...Brian

It is never easy to be patient with a new toy,especially one that was researched,not inexpensive, and anxiously anticipated.

We have all been there.

Keep in mind that the AQ is new,and many folks have not had experience with it,nor are they "around the forum 24/7".

Smoking ribs is an art,and a several step process,so good notes are essential.

The "three hrs" you read about is basically a "not before three hrs"

Folks know it is not easy to look,so that is an easy time to pick.

Also ,if you cooked meat side down,you can flip them and dump the excess moisture off.

I'm not adamant about never opening the door,but use it to learn.

Have a work station set up,close the door quickly behind you.

Study the ribs,twist and bend them.

Try to stick a toothpick beween them,are they pulling back from the ends?

Take good notes-you will forget.

Get them back in and close the door quick.

Yep,it added 30 mins,so learn from it.

Is your cook rack a consistent 200*-225*?

On a mostly empty cooker,I've found that around 235* seems to give me better results,and sliding up to 250*,some,doesn't bother me.

The traditional CS is pretty moist and some folks open the door to let out moisture.

I'd not worry about wetting down the ribs,until it appeared necessary.

Hope this helps a little.

ths tom yeah i was hoping for a 24 hour hotline, not realistic, but didnt want to ruin the racks...have them in at 245 and making real progress now...will be eating soon....thanks for the input and understanding a newbie needs some guidance...thx all B