# Needing help with Spare Ribs



## WhyMe (Apr 21, 2013)

I just picked up Spare Ribs ( not baby back Ribs ) I never cooked Spare Ribs before. I need help with on how to prepare them and how long to cook them. They will be cooked on the BGE. When I cook Baby Back Ribs I use the 2-2-1 method and with great results.
Thx in advance.
Whyme


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## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

I've never cooked Spare Ribs but they can't be too far off from the others.
And I've never cooked on an egg type cooker.

I'd cook'em low-n-slow over indirect heat, with a water pan.
Maybe a spritz or baste after about 3-4 hours.
No crutch.
Pop, Bend and Crack test for doneness.


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## meatballtn (Jan 14, 2018)

Spare are cooked with 3-2-1 method , but I use 2 1/2/ - 1 1/2/ - 1 . my smoker runs about 250 average don't forget to take the membrane off the back . rub then let set out for 1/2 hr then cook . rub can go on any tim but allow at least 1/2 hr , I like all nite for mine.


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## Snagged Line (Sep 30, 2007)

WhyMe said:


> I just picked up Spare Ribs ( not baby back Ribs ) I never cooked Spare Ribs before. I need help with on how to prepare them and how long to cook them. They will be cooked on the BGE. When I cook Baby Back Ribs I use the 2-2-1 method and with great results.
> Thx in advance.
> Whyme





Following along here for Copy Cat Reasons... Never cooked ANY ribs, but always wanted to...For those of us that might not know any of the methods, What does "2-2-1" mean???








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## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

Cook 2 hour
Crutch 2 hours
Cook 1 hour


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## boomshakalaka (Dec 4, 2012)

I would just do them the same way you have always done your baby backs and they will be fine. As someone mentioned above though, you could do 3-2-1. I always try and remove the membrane as well, but sometimes it's just more of a pain in the butt and there are conflicting "expert opinions" out there on the removal or not of the membrane.


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## Bodupp (Oct 3, 2007)

"Crutch"?


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## lastcast (Oct 12, 2007)

Crutch- wrap in foil and cook.


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## stevenattsu (Apr 24, 2009)

Cut the country ribs off of them and remove the membrane and you can’t go wrong


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## Breeze (Mar 23, 2012)

I use the 3-2-1 method and my wife really likes them that way. Me personally though, I prefer not using the foil and just smoking them straight until they are done. But have to keep the wife happy.. LOL. She doesn't like some of the rubs I use so when I do them the 3-2-1 method, I put bar-b-que sauce on them after I take them out of the foil for the last hour. She says they are the best ribs she has ever had when I do it that way so I guess I am doing something right. I smoke mine on an electric smoker at 250, dont see why it would be any different on a BGE though.

If I were doing them just for myself though, I would skip the foil.


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## John B. (Oct 2, 2007)

I seared some in a pan this morning, and put em in the crockpot t get right for 8 hours. Carrots, shrooms, onions garlic, and a red wine reduction. My first time cooking them as well, I'll report back.

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## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

John B. said:


> ... and put em in the crockpot...


Heresy! Hang him!


Do'em however works for ya.


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## John B. (Oct 2, 2007)

ChileRelleno said:


> Heresy! Hang him!
> 
> 
> Do'em however works for ya.


Lmao. Honestly I hate cooking in a crockpot, but I had a lot of running around to do today... it smells good anyways. 

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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

Crock pot ribs. smdh


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## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

I've been running around today too.
I hit five different gun shops, fingering every Ruger GP100 and S&W 686 in 357/38 that I could find, I wanted a 3"-4" barrel and 7rd cylinder.
Found a few too, really liked a S&W 686 Plus Combat Magnum.

But a rifle I saw at one store kept nagging at the back of my mind.
It ended coming home with me at the end of the day.
Colt AR15A2 (R6550) Government Model, 20" Rifle, .223 1/7 twist
One of only 8000 made back in the Pre-Ban days from '88-'90.
Serial number begins with GS007***
It is 99%, danged near immaculate, I wouldn't hesitate to say the only rounds fired through it were Colt's test rounds.

But I digress, dinner will be Prime New York Strips smoked over Hickory and reverse seared.


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## Wahoo (Oct 5, 2007)

boomshakalaka said:


> I would just do them the same way you have always done your baby backs and they will be fine. As someone mentioned above though, you could do 3-2-1. I always try and remove the membrane as well, but sometimes it's just more of a pain in the butt and there are conflicting "expert opinions" out there on the removal or not of the membrane.


Use a knife or get a small corner piece of the membrane loose. Grab any standard paper towel and use that to grab the membrane. It should peel right off. The paper towel provides tremendous grip and the membrane won't tear apart. I used to fight these things trying to pull if off by hand. Saw somebody use the paper towel on Youtube and was amazed at how much easier it was. I'm a firm believer in always removing the membrane with spare ribs. 

I do a modified 3-2-1, but i often cook at higher temps like 375 or 400 as I do a lot of whole chickens. I do 1.5-2 hours, foil for an hour (pineapple and onion inside the foil is amazing), and then sometimes do a little direct heat for a few minutes (or not). I don't get too hung up on exact times with ribs. When the meat pulls away from the end of the bone and it passes the poke test I'm good to go.


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## WhyMe (Apr 21, 2013)

Thanks for the input.
I will be cooking them real soon and post results.
Whyme


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## FelixH (Sep 28, 2007)

boomshakalaka said:


> I always try and remove the membrane as well, but sometimes it's just more of a pain in the butt and there are conflicting "expert opinions" out there on the removal or not of the membrane.


If you have trouble getting the membrane off, use a damp paper towel to improve your grip. Makes it SO much easier to pull the membrane off without fighting it.


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## smooth move (Sep 25, 2012)

i'm so confused.


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## zodiac470 (Oct 2, 2007)

Personally I cut my spares into St Loius style. There is some good meat at the big end but also a lot of inedible crap too. Sometimes I'll smoke the trimmings and put them into beans. I run my OK Joe at 250 and usually do the 3-1-1. I've found over the years that 2 hours in the foil and they're too tender. I know I'll get some flack for that last sentence.


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## Splittine (Nov 24, 2007)

John B. said:


> I seared some in a pan this morning, and put em in the crockpot t get right for 8 hours. Carrots, shrooms, onions garlic, and a red wine reduction. My first time cooking them as well, I'll report back.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


Shoot yourself.


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## John B. (Oct 2, 2007)

Splittine said:


> Shoot yourself.


Lmao. To be honest, I hate ribs... turned out like pot roast. Pretty damn good. 

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## Snagged Line (Sep 30, 2007)

I cheated…… Ate at Copeland‘s last night, I ordered the half rack of ribs.........


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## Sirhc (Sep 23, 2014)

zodiac470 said:


> Personally I cut my spares into St Loius style. There is some good meat at the big end but also a lot of inedible crap too. Sometimes I'll smoke the trimmings and put them into beans. I run my OK Joe at 250 and usually do the 3-1-1. I've found over the years that 2 hours in the foil and they're too tender. I know I'll get some flack for that last sentence.


Not from me you wont because your exactly right they are too tender. The 3-2-1 method is so damn overrated. It's so talked about on the internet that people are brain washed thinking 3-2-1 is the holy grail of cooking ribs. A 3-1-1 or 2-2-1 will yield a much better product. I also recommend not putting any juice or liquid in the foil during the crutch if using the 2-2-1.


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## zodiac470 (Oct 2, 2007)

Sirhc said:


> Not from me you wont because your exactly right they are too tender. The 3-2-1 method is so damn overrated. It's so talked about on the internet that people are brain washed thinking 3-2-1 is the holy grail of cooking ribs. A 3-1-1 or 2-2-1 will yield a much better product. I also recommend not putting any juice or liquid in the foil during the crutch if using the 2-2-1.


It took me a lot of weekends and a lot of ribs to get the timing right. Sometimes I use it, sometimes I don't. Depends on my mood.


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