My first time doing baby backs and I would like input
All... I have smoked zillions of St Louis style ribs and have that process dialed in. For grins I am going to do baby backs SUnday in part because the timing is going to be a little tight for STL and I am assuming BBR are faster. What should I do differently? Thanks
I’m in the other camp… many racks of baby backs and only a couple spares. I know, I know, they’re way tastier apparently but I never much liked eating around all the cartilage pieces. I guess that’s a debate for another day.
Anyways, my only suggestion is to find racks that are 2.5-2.75lbs as these will cook the most evenly. If you can only find “meaty” racks then cut off enough loin to make them as uniform end to end as possible. Other than that cook away, have a couple beers and be sure to post it.👍🏼
You can avoid the cartilage issue by trimming them into St. Louis style. Another benefit is twofold; no cartilage to gnaw on and you rib tips that can be barbequed or used in a bean pot.
I’d echo the size comment. Small baby backs in the 2.5 pound to 2.75 pound range are ideal. STL cut may take 5 hours but baby backs are usually done in about 3.5 to 4 hours.
Baby backs will be leaner than spares. And because of that, they take to sweeter/spicier rubs and sauces. They're sorta like a pork butt, in that the flavor is bland enough that its a blank canvas and you can do a lot with them.
I really like Steven Raichlen's First Timer Ribs, even though I'm far from a " first timer " . But this is a good treatment for baby backs. This recipe was in his first rib book " Ribs, Ribs, Outrageous Ribs " printed in 2005. I plan on doing this cook today.
Smoking Baby Back Ribs. 3-2-1 ribs is a starting place. 321 Ribs - Traeger Grills and other videos.
The Pit Master tends to the ribs. No matter the method it is important to tend to the cook.
I like to use a thumb nail version of 321, that is smoke, wrap, the finish. The best ribs I have smoked is due to tending to the cook. I refer this as 10-2 321
Getting done a little quicker is generally true, but in my experience each rack of ribs, of whichever kind, is its own animal. I've had BBs go quicker than STLs, and vice versa. The most important advice is about the loin meat on BB racks - getting them at the weight people have cited usually implies that there is not too much loin meat up top, but each rack must be inspected so you understand how much is there, since the loin meat and rib meat cook so very differently. Beware "extra meaty" baby backs (the Smithfield imprint sells those regularly) because all they do is cut 'em so there is a lot more loin meat up top and then charge you rib prices for it.
Large Big Green Egg, Weber Performer Deluxe, Weber Smokey Joe Silver, Fireboard Drive, 3 DigiQs, lots of Thermapens, and too much other stuff to mention.
I don’t differentiate. I’ve done spares and baby backs side by side, and whatever happens happens. Sometimes they take different times, but that’s true of two racks of spares side by side, or two racks of baby backs. If they’re different times it’s usually less than half an hour.
Well I did prepare them in a very similar way as to the rubs length of time wrapping saucing caramelizing the sauce et cetera there were certain differences Specifically I had no need to trim meat from the bottom of the ribs as sometimes you get quite a little flap of meat in St Louis style ribs also I didn’t remove any skin from the bottom of the baby back ribs but just scored it a little bit It was kind of nice to have relatively straight ribs without having to look through dozens of packages of St Louis style ribs to find some that were more or less straight Also since I live where there are two HEBS within a 2 mile radius I never really have to worry about the availability of either type of rib and I will be doing baby backs again because all the adults and children like them a lot and in fact I had to point out the differences to several of them.
Sorry I didn't take more pictures. This is just after a one hour dry brine and before the rub to give you an idea of what is a typical family cook.
Last edited by fracmeister; May 2, 2025, 09:24 AM.
Reason: update
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