How Long to Smoke Ribs at 250°

The low-and-slow method is the way to go when it comes to tender & juicy ribs. We love to smoke baby back ribs for the best fall-off-the-bone recipe. Cooking ribs at 250° in the smoker is the best way to make pork or beef ribs.

Lucky for me, my lovely husband has mastered the baby back rib smoking process over the years.  We worked together to come up with a method that we find is foolproof every time.  It takes about 4 hours to slow cook in the smoker but the level of effort is pretty minimal.  

It is so easy that Ian will get those ribs on the smoker, manage a game of baseball, and return home just in time to get dinner on the table.  I am one lucky gal.

Jump to:

• Which Ribs are Best for Smoking at 250°?
• Prepping the Ribs
• Prep the Smokers
• How Long to Smoke Ribs at 250°
• Do I need to Babysit the Smoker?
• How to Tell the Ribs Are Ready
• Internal-Temperature for Ribs
• Secret to the Best Juicy Smoked Ribs
• Pairing
• How Long to Smoke Ribs at 250°

Which Ribs are Best for Smoking at 250°?

We love pork ribs and baby back ribs are our favorite. Throughout this post that is what I will be referring to. However, St Louise style, spareribs, or beef ribs also are great to smoke at 250°. Many cuts of beef or pork ribs will work.

Ian starts off with the baby back ribs from Costco.  They are economical and the meat always turns out great.  They come shrunk-wrapped in the refrigerator section with 3 racks in a pack.  

We typically make 2-3 racks depending on what else we are making.  Our family of 5 finishes close to 2 racks. We love leftover ribs reheated in the air fryer the next day. If guests are coming, 3 racks are often perfect to feed 8-12 adults & kids with side dishes.

Prepping the Ribs

For this day, Ian prepared the ribs as always with a dry rub. My homemade sweet, savory, & spicy pork dry rub with brown sugar is our go-to recipe. It is great on any pork including chops & roasts.

Use whatever you like if you have a recipe for a dry rub or buy a prepared mix since there are many found in stores nowadays. He covered all sides of the ribs with the rub and put them directly on the racks in the smoker, bone side down.

Prep the Smokers

We have a Weber smoker, the medium-sized option.  It is great for smoking several racks of ribs or ribs and chicken at the same time.

Ian uses hickory wood chips along with the charcoal in the smoker and once it reaches 250°, the ribs go on.  Maintaining the heat in the 250-275° range is key. He has done it enough times that he knows what amount of chips and charcoal will maintain that heat range without having to tend to it and just lets it just go for hours like it is on cruise control.

How Long to Smoke Ribs at 250°

The baby back ribs take about 4 hours in total.  The best way to ensure the kids do not dry out and are not tough is to cook them in 2 different stages. Each method for smoking ribs takes 2 hours at 250°.

Here are the steps to making the best tender & moist ribs in your smoker.

Do I need to Babysit the Smoker?

Once the smoker is maintaining the heat, you can let the smoker do the magic. As long as you have enough fuel, the heat level should stay within the optimal range. If it goes a bit out of range say 225°-300° it is still fine. It just means the ribs will take longer or be done faster.

We have even gone to watch our kids' sports games for a few hours and came back to a perfect BBQ. One time, we watched Landon's Little league game & dinner was done when we returned. It was the first time he was taking the pitcher's mound so it was all around a great day!  

Win or lose, at this level in Little League they play Fun to Fun.  I will say that Landon did a great job on the mound and threw several strikes.  So enjoy time with your family & friends while dinner cooks almost all by itself.

How to Tell the Ribs Are Ready

The smoked baby back ribs will be done when the edges are a bit crispy and the sauce is caramelized. If you use tongs to grab them they will likely fall apart or the meat will start to flake off. It is a thing of beauty and hard to resist grabbing a few nibbles

Internal-Temperature for Ribs

An internal temperature of 190°-195° on an instant-read thermometer will tell you the ribs are done smoking and ready to come off. This high temperature allows the collagen & fat to break down & render a tender bite.

Let the ribs rest in the foil packets with the juices for 15-20 minutes. Then you can slice them into individual ribs or smaller racks to serve.

Secret to the Best Juicy Smoked Ribs

When we open the packets and put the racks of meat on the cutting board, I save the drippings from the foil into a glass measuring cup.  You DO NOT want to waste that liquid goodness.  

Once the ribs are cut up, I pour the juices back over the ribs. This not only ensures all the flavor remains on every bite but helps keep the meat juicy and tender.

Get out your wet naps and dig in!  You now have all the makings for amazing baby back ribs.  Feel confident that you can do this.  Would love to hear how you like to make your baby back ribs.

Pairing

Here are some great sides to serve with smoked baby back ribs:

• Old-Fashioned Baked Mac & Cheese
• Slow Cooker Collard Greens
• Air Fryer Green Beans
• Jiffy Corn Casserole