Smokin' Okie made reference to spare ribs having more mass. What does this mean re smoking? Is it best to have a lot of product in the smoker vs. a small piece?
Again, many thanks from this newbie.
Mary Jayne
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It will make a difference in time so when you see a report/recipe on ribs, make sure you note if they're talking
Baby Backs (smaller than 2.5 lbs)
Loin Backs (3 lbs and up
Trimmed Spares (St Louis) 2 to 4 lbs
Untrimmed Spares (3 to 5 lbs) per slab
The key is all ribs are not the same and mass will impact how they cook. Small BB (like 1.5 lbs and with not much meat) will just be hard to cook. That mass will also act as a heat sink and the larger ribs just can handle the heat better.
BUT, too large and they'll be tough unless you cook them a long time.
I always recommend know the weight of the racks and note the weights in your notes (you do take notes)?
That answer the question?
Baby Backs (smaller than 2.5 lbs)
Loin Backs (3 lbs and up
Trimmed Spares (St Louis) 2 to 4 lbs
Untrimmed Spares (3 to 5 lbs) per slab
The key is all ribs are not the same and mass will impact how they cook. Small BB (like 1.5 lbs and with not much meat) will just be hard to cook. That mass will also act as a heat sink and the larger ribs just can handle the heat better.
BUT, too large and they'll be tough unless you cook them a long time.
I always recommend know the weight of the racks and note the weights in your notes (you do take notes)?
That answer the question?
Yes, I take notes all the time. It is always a challenge when learning something new. The terminology is half the battle.
I have a 008 smoker and the ribs have been a little on the dry side. I was cooking babybacks, about 1 1/2# per slab. I am going to try spare ribs next.
I have learned to do a mean checken. Last time I cute the bird in half at the waist. I put the dark meat on the bottom shelf, the white on the middle. They both were done at the same time.
Thanks for all the great advice.
Mary Jayne
I have a 008 smoker and the ribs have been a little on the dry side. I was cooking babybacks, about 1 1/2# per slab. I am going to try spare ribs next.
I have learned to do a mean checken. Last time I cute the bird in half at the waist. I put the dark meat on the bottom shelf, the white on the middle. They both were done at the same time.
Thanks for all the great advice.
Mary Jayne