BBQ restaurants often serve smoked spare ribs because they are tasty, juicy, and easy to make. For the backyard, this recipe keeps things simple with a dry rub seasoning mix and a slow smoking method. Put these on mid-morning and you’ll have perfectly moist and tender ribs by dinnertime.
Smoking ribs can seem intimidating for many backyard barbecue enthusiasts. Getting fall-off-the-bone texture without drying out the meat takes skill. But with the right temperature, time, and technique, you can achieve competition-worthy ribs every time you fire up the smoker.
In particular, running your smoker at a low 200 degrees Fahrenheit produces incredibly tender and juicy pork ribs. It just requires patience In this article, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know to smoke mouthwatering ribs at 200 degrees, including
- Why 200 degrees is ideal for ribs
- Estimated cook times
- Helpful tools to have on hand
- Prepping and seasoning the ribs
- Maintaining proper temperature
- Basting and spritzing techniques
- Testing for doneness
- Resting, slicing, and serving
With the tips in this guide, you’ll gain the confidence and skill to smoke melty, delicious ribs like a pitmaster pro. Let’s get started!
Why Cook Ribs at 200 Degrees?
Ribs need low, even heat over an extended time to render fat and turn connective tissue into fork-tender gelatin Spare ribs especially, from the pig’s underside, are naturally tough cuts
Cooking between 200-250 degrees F breaks down collagen while letting fat baste the meat. If the heat is too high, ribs dry out before fully cooking through. But at 200 degrees, they transform beautifully.
The long smoke time also allows the pork to soak up maximum smoky flavor. And moisture is retained as collagen melts into the meat. For ultimate texture, 200 degrees can’t be beat.
Estimated Cook Times at 200°F
Due to the low temperature, ribs take longer to smoke at 200 degrees. But the payoff in tenderness makes the wait worthwhile.
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Baby back ribs – About 7 hours unwrapped, or 6 hours if wrapped in foil midway.
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Spare ribs or St. Louis cut – Around 8 hours unwrapped, or 6-7 hours wrapped.
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Meatier racks – Add 30-60 minutes to the times above.
Use an instant read thermometer to test doneness instead of relying solely on time. Pull the ribs off at 195-205°F internally.
Helpful Tools and Equipment
Having the right gear makes low and slow smoking much easier:
- Smoker able to hold 200-250°F steadily
- Dual probe thermometer to monitor food and smoker temp
- Spray bottle for spritzing
- Disposable foil pan
- Tongs, oven mitts, basting brush
- Cutting board, knife, and serving plates
Prepping the Ribs
Start by removing the membrane from the bone-side of the rack. This allows smoke and seasoning to penetrate better. Also, trim any excess fat or flap meat.
Rub the ribs all over with a dry seasoning blend. Let them sit overnight in the fridge so the rub permeates the meat.
Before smoking, let the ribs come closer to room temp so they don’t lower the smoker temp when first going on.
Maintaining Consistent 200°F Heat
The key is keeping your smoker at a steady 200 degrees for the full cook time. Use a calibrated thermometer and make vent adjustments as needed.
Add more lit coals or wood chunks if temperature starts dropping. For electric smokers, ensure the heating element cycles on properly.
Don’t open the smoker often, which causes heat loss. Spritz and mop ribs without fully removing the grate if possible.
Basting, Mopping, and Spritzing
Apply a sweet glaze or diluted sauce every hour or so with a brush. Also mist the ribs with apple juice or other liquids to moisten the outside.
The sugars will caramelize into a tasty bark at the low heat. But go easy – you don’t want to wash off the dry rub.
Testing Doneness of Ribs
Use these methods near the estimated finish time to identify perfect doneness:
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Temperature probe test – should slide in cleanly and hit 195-205°F.
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Bend test – slab should bend evenly but not fall apart.
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Toothpick test – slides smoothly when ribs are ready.
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Tenderness – meat has a little give but doesn’t fall off the bone.
Resting, Slicing, and Serving
After removing ribs from the smoker, let them rest 15-30 minutes so juices reabsorb. Slice between bones for easier serving.
Offer barbecue sauce on the side along with traditional sides like coleslaw, beans, cornbread or potatoes.
Mastering Low, Slow Ribs
Long smoking times at 200 degrees might seem intimidating at first. But the tantalizing, juicy ribs are worth the wait and extra effort.
With the right tools, preparation, temperature control, and tests for doneness, you can achieve outstanding results from your smoker.
So take your time with the process, relax, and enjoy the mouthwatering ribs that emerge after hours of perfecting your technique. The next cook will get easier each time as you master the art of low and slow ribs!
How to Smoke Spare Ribs
You can smoke spare ribs on whatever type of indirect smoke you have in your backyard. This is one of the simplest and clearest ways to smoke spare ribs, because sometimes simple is best. Here’s how to do it:
- Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees F. Use your favorite hardwood. I recommend fruit, hickory, or apple wood for these ribs.
- Trim. To trim your ribs and get them ready to smoke, do what was said above.
- Season. Season with something that has some heat, some sweetness, and a lot of salt. I’m putting together extra black pepper, Hey Grill Hey Rib Rub, and Hey Grill Hey Beef Rub.
- Smoke the ribs. You can’t spray, wrap, sauté, or peek at the ribs while they’re cooking. Put them on the smoker and let them smoke for at least 4 hours before you open the lid and start checking on them. When the ribs reach 200 to 205 degrees F, they are done.
- Rest then enjoy. When the ribs are done, take them off the smoker and let them rest for about 15 minutes. Then, cut them up and serve.
Can you Smoke Spare Ribs?
Of course! Spare ribs are perfect for the smoker. Connective tissue in spare ribs is very tight, which makes the meat tough. This kind of meat does well when cooked at low temperatures. As the ribs smoke and cook slowly, the meat gets softer and the tough tissues melt into a smooth, soft gelatin.
There are a few different ways to smoke spare ribs, but most of them involve either wrapping them in foil or sautéing them. You can find recipes for that kind of rib cook in my Pork Recipe Category. This one, on the other hand, keeps things simple. My husband Todd likes straight-up BBQ. He’d rather taste the ribs, the smoke, and a sprinkle of seasoning than the sauce and everything else. If you’re a no-sauce lover, this recipe is for you!.
With the smoke and seasoning, we want to keep the flavors clean, so we need to treat the smoke like another part of the recipe. I like using fruit woods with ribs, but hickory or oak is a good choice for a classic BBQ taste.
Tender, Juicy “Fall Off The Bone” Ribs
FAQ
Is 200 too low to smoke ribs?
Should I smoke pork ribs at 225 or 250?
How long does it take to smoke ribs?
Some low and slow methods, such as the dry rub or wet marinade techniques described above, may take up to 12 hours or longer to achieve optimal tenderness in your meat. On the other hand, quick-smoked ribs can be ready in just an hour or two using a smoker at around 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
Can you smoke ribs at 200 degrees?
In short, while it’s generally safe to smoke ribs at 200 degrees, we wouldn’t recommend setting the smoker temperature any lower. Going lower won’t improve your results, and it will take an exceptionally long time for the ribs to cook. On a related note, be sure to refrigerate any leftovers after 2 hours.
How do you smoke ribs in a smoker?
However, some basic guidelines for smoking ribs in a smoker include selecting high-quality cuts of meat, applying a dry rub or other complementary flavorings, placing the ribs into a smoker at low temperatures (e.g. 225-250 degrees Fahrenheit), and cooking them for several hours until they are tender and smoky.
How long does it take to cook ribs in an offset smoker?
About 4 hours and 30 minutes at a 240°F temperature. Different methods require different cooking time and that’s the time it required when you use an offset smoker. When they are ready, you will want to cut them parallel to the bone. Some of the meat will fall off the bone, some will have a tender bite to it. Either way, they will taste great.