How Long to Smoke a Rack of Ribs

If it’s your first time using a smoker, it’s understandable that you’d be nervous or intimidated. It can seem like a huge process. You want to get that mouth-watering smoky flavor and tenderness just right.

There are a lot of things to think about to get it just right, and this guide will go over a few of those points you need to keep in mind.

About the Ribs

The type of ribs you choose really matters, at the end of the day.

For example, beef ribs are larger than pork ribs - just from the simple fact that cows are much larger than pigs.

Things can get even smaller for the pork side of things, if you opt for “baby back” ribs - also called “loin back” or just “back ribs”. Baby back ribs don’t come from baby piglets like the name suggests, they’re cut from a fully grown pig from the upper back. They’re called “baby back” because they’re smaller than spare ribs.

The fat content of the ribs is something you also need to keep in mind. The higher the fat content, the more effort you’ll have to put in to keep the rack of ribs from drying out through a lengthy low-heat cook.

The Basics of Smoking Ribs

How Long to Smoke a Rack of Ribs

The time you’ll be smoking the ribs for depends entirely on what type of ribs you’ve got.

A full rack of ribs should be on the heat for about 6 hours. The first few hours are key to getting that rich smoky flavor - so be sure there’s a ton of smoke produced during this time.

Baby back ribs are smaller, so they don’t need quite as long of a cooking time. 5 hours should do it.

What Temperature to Smoke a Rack of Ribs

To get the smoker to the right temperature, you’re going to need to start preparing it at least 6 hours before you cook your ribs.

The smoker should be at 225 degrees Fahrenheit before you start.

What is the 3-2-1 Method

The 3-2-1 method may seem confusing, but it's a simple shorthand for the different cooking times of each stage of your cooking process:

The first stage: you place uncovered ribs on the smoker and cook for 3 hours.
The second stage: remove the ribs from the smoker to wrap them in foil and cook for another hour.
The third stage: this is where you uncover the ribs and cook for one more hour.

If you’re preparing baby back ribs, you’ll need to adjust the cooking time. The first stage should be reduced to 2 hours - so it will be 2-2-1 instead.

Tips for Smoking a Rack of Ribs

The Wood Matters

The wood you choose when smoking a rack of ribs is very important. This is where that smoky flavor comes from. Ideally, you would choose a mild-flavored wood, especially if you’re new to the process and don’t really know how it works yet.

While you may be tempted to reach for the likes of hickory or mesquite wood, you run the risk of seriously overpowering your ribs and can even get an unpleasant bitter flavor instead of the succulent smokiness you were after. This is especially true for baby back ribs.

For your first time smoking ribs, try to stick with milder woods: cherry, apple, and pecan are great choices.

The Common Myth

Everyone’s probably heard the phrase “fall off the bone” which refers to perfectly cooked and tender ribs.

However, don’t be too literal with this. Ribs that literally fall off the bone are likely overcooked, meaning they’ll be dry.

The real key to perfectly cooked ribs is the meat sliding right off the bone with a gentle tug.

Little Known Mustard Trick

Even if you hate yellow mustard, you should probably listen to the recipes that suggest rubbing the ribs with this acrid sauce. Applying mustard to the ribs before smoking will help the seasonings of your rub stick to the meat, instead of just sticking to the grill and losing all that flavor.

For you mustard haters, don’t worry. The flavor will be gone by the time the ribs are done. A simple store brand bottle of yellow mustard is all you need - don’t go too fancy here.

The Sauce

The all-important, yet optional step: the barbeque sauce. When do you add it to your ribs?

If you’re gonna add some sauce to the ribs, don’t be tempted to slather it on too early. Save this delicious step for last. The sauce will burn onto the ribs and ruin them if you add it too early.

Wait until the final half-hour before you add the sauce. Skip the cheap sauces also, the higher quality sauces will bring out way more flavor and won’t overwhelm the ribs with sweetness.