The typical time to smoke ribs depends on the type of ribs and the smoking method, but generally:
- For baby back ribs, smoking at around 225°F (107°C) usually takes about 5 hours until the ribs are tender
- For spare ribs, smoking at 250°F can take about 4.5 to 5.5 hours. The ribs are done when they reach an internal temperature of about 200-205°F and the meat starts pulling back from the bones
- The popular 3-2-1 method for pork spare ribs involves smoking unwrapped for 3 hours, wrapped in foil for 2 hours, then unwrapped again for 1 hour, totaling about 6 hours at 225°F. This method ensures tender, fall-off-the-bone ribs
- For baby back ribs using a similar method, a 2-2-1 timing is recommended to avoid overcooking, meaning 2 hours unwrapped, 2 hours wrapped, then 1 hour unwrapped
- Some faster methods smoke ribs at higher temperatures (like 350°F) for about 3 hours with foil wrapping partway through to tenderize faster
In summary, smoking ribs low and slow at about 225-250°F usually takes between 4.5 to 6 hours depending on the cut and method, with the 3-2-1 method being a classic approach for spare ribs and about 5 hours being typical for baby back ribs
