Rib cooking times

Hey,Mike.....My experience is that those 2# and downs will still take over 3 hrs. at 225�....I don't cook 1.25's so can't help....When I've done them that little I just grill them.

Hey Tom,

Had a feeling about that formula. Have never finished ribs in under 3 hours indirect. Think I'd best check it at 3 hours and expect longer.

The loin backs were the smallest I could find and commanded a heavy price. Going to smoke them, but suspect you are correct about grilling them. Maybe smoke an hour with chips instead of chunks and then finish on the grill. Worth a try.

Do you (or anyone else) have a good Q sauce recipe using black coffee as a base? Have seen and tried a couple, but neither suited us.

Regards, Mike

OK, I'm confused again.

I just left Sam's to stock up for the weekend. For ribs all they had were about 4# each. They looked a little bigger than I like so I had the meat cutter rip 'em in half for me. (Now they're the size of baby backs)

Then I read the "formula" for cookin' times.

If rib size equates in any way to cooking times should I expect these half-ribs to cook more quickly than their non-severed full-sized brothers?

Best part about this whole Q'in thing is that you get to eat your mistakes - no matter how great they are!

-Ron

I dunno about this logic, guys...

IMHO, you are either doing baby backs or spare ribs. When I get the spares I lop off the top section, resulting in a St. Louis cut, I think

In any case, those baby backs will take about 3 hours and those spares will take about 5 or six, all at 225. I believe that the basic type of rib you cook dictates how long they will take.

I agree with Woodburner and I think I understand trying to get the times down to a pattern and "formula" (you didn't read my Soap Box post last week DID you?) LOL

I've found that no rib will really be done in under 3 hours. But you have to define "done" also. I don't like the ribs to get to the point where they fall apart, because then they're hard to cut and all I hear all night long is how good the ribs are

I go for "tuggable" the point that when you pull with your teeth, the meat comes off clean and perfect to eat.

Yes WB, if you take spares, cut off at the chine bone, you'll get St. Louis. (next time I do some, I'll add a photo) I don't cut mine that way very often, I look at the spares and the meat and see what the meat looks like then cut if it's stringy looking.

Here's a low res photo of St. Louis and where to cut, I'll find a better one:


You DO cook the rib tips don't you?

As for the 4lb spares. Was there only 1 in a pack? The Sam's around here sell them in double and triple packs. I've found the best to be around 3lb each. As Stuart point out, bigger ribs come from older animals. Don't buy the big ones unless that's all they got.

I've found for 1/2 pound variances in weight can take an additional hour.

SuggestionNext time you try ribs, weigh each rack. Take notes, and see how much longer the heavier racks take. First time I did this, I noticed a lot that helps later. Now, when I do ribs, I weigh every rack. Helps out with my consistency when I'm doing a bunch.

Just Smokin' Okie

Hey,Ron....Go to your local Winn-Dixie down there and look at the spares they are running this week for $1.59/#....They are in 3 slab cryopacs....Those up here are nice and they came in fresh,rather than frozen.

Hey,Mike.....Go over to the recipes forum and look at where I posted the coffee recipes for Stogie...Go down the thread to where Smokin' cleaned it up for me. It might not be sweet enough for ribs ,but works well with beef.Hope this helps....I think Stogie is cooking in Michigan this weekend and he can tell how it worked for him.