Cooking Time for Pork Ribs

[cueball21]

Could someone please remind me? I have a vague recollection of 2-2-1 but don't remember what it stands for.


I've got ribs on the smoker for about 3 hours now. I'm thinking that it's probably about time to take them out, spray 'em down good with apple juice, wrap in foil and give them another hour.


What say ye?

 

[Maylar]

To 200-205°F internal.

 

[Headgear]

2-2-1 is just a general guideline for baby back ribs. 3-2-1 is more for spare ribs and St Louis cut ribs. So for BB, you would smoke them for 2 hours, wrap them and cook for two more hours, unwrap them to let them tighten back up a little, and allow you to sauce them towards the end if you wish.

Those are just guidelines though and more for low and slow smoking. But the type of cooker you are using, wood types, weather, and everything else under the sun can affect the outcome.

If you have an instant-read thermometer, try to get your final internal temp to @200-205 as was said above. Write down what you did so that you can make adjustments in the future if needed. Good Luck and enjoy!!!

 

[Vision]

Mine go about 4 1/2 hours at 275f unwrapped and spraying.

 

[ModelMaker]

I've had spares go 6 hrs. before getting the desired 90deg. bend in them.
Ed

 

[smoke ninja]

Ribs usually take me about 4 hrs at 275. I'll wrap them after two hours. After 45 minutes I'll unwrap and throw back on for about half hour to an hour...as long as needed to be done

 

[ElQueTraz]

Have you ever let them go full time on the smoker, no wrap?
Lower temp like 230, they can be quite tasty that way.

 

[Itsdone]

I can't remember the last time i went by time. I smoke till 165, wrap till 185, then hold at 150F for 12 to 15 hours.

 

[Headgear]

I was shocked to find out how much difference a smoker could make. After retiring, I finally got a good offset, reverse flow, stick-burner, and now do full spare ribs in 4 to 4.5 hours at 250 degrees. I was always around the 2-2-1 time-wise with gravity-fed, pellet smokers, WSM, etc before. I was scratching my head when my first batch on it was ready so quickly. I never heard of that before. Over all of the years that I have been Qing and been reading, watching videos, and such, and still missed that one, lol.

 

[SmittyJonz]

St Louis cut - I go Nekid for 4 -4.5 hours at 275*

 

[SweetHeatBBQnSC]

I know every rack of ribs will be different and I know that the 3-2-1 for St. Louis (which is what I mostly cook) is at 225*. I normally cook mine around 275* go 2 hours and then wrap for 1. Lay them on the cooker maybe 10 minutes and sauce.
So normally I have at most 3 1/2 hours in the cook and they are almost fall off the bone tender. I did 5 racks in my pellet smoker this Christmas and all of them were done with saucing and all within 4 hours.
Man I need to cook some ribs...y'all have me craving them now!

 

[Big George's BBQ]

How did the ribs turn out. I want some now too

 

[Tal/IL]

Now you've got me thinking about ribs. Local grocery store has St. Louis cuts on sale. Looks like it's gonna be ribs this weekend.

 

[shares]

Here's what works for me - assuming spares here...

Never cook spare ribs by any time/internal temp advise. Time/internal might work today but that technique will fail when you need it most in front of friends and family.

There are numerous ways to "done" your spares. You need to use some/all of them to make your judgment call - that's why BBQ both a skill and an art.

We all know the tests:
Bend, bone wiggle, appearance, blow-out, splitting, pullback.

BBQ spare ribs aren't a simple recipe. Embrace the learning curve. It takes time and experience.

 

[Harbormaster]

Have you ever let them go full time on the smoker, no wrap?

All the time. Rub them just before they go on and let them ride in the smoke the entire cook.