We all know that the accepted temperature range for smoking low and slow is 225-275F (107-135C) but you may well have found yourself asking how long to smoke ribs at 350 or 300, and wondering what will happen if you increase the heat in your smoker.
Ribs take a long time in the smoker due to connective tissue that requires up to 6 hours low and slow cooking time to break down. The popular 3-2-1 method for smoking ribs requires 3 hours uncovered in the smoker, 2 hours wrapped in foil and 1 hour of final smoking unwrapped and sauced.
This leads to a fall off the bone texture which is desirable for some BBQ enthusiasts, but there’s no denying that it’s definitely time consuming. If you smoke Baby Back ribs rather than spare ribs or St Louis cut ribs it won’t take quite as long (maybe closer to 5 hours) but again that’s a long smoke.
Increasing the heat in your smoker to 300-350F or 149-177C will shorten the time you need to smoke the ribs for by almost half. In fact this approach is often used at BBQ competitions.
The important thing to realise however is that this approach won’t result in a fall off the bone texture – your ribs will have a firm bite.
Many BBQ enthusiasts find a fall off the bone texture to pork ribs to be undesirable, mushy and overcooked. Equally there are plenty of people who enjoy this texture. It’s up to you to find your preference, but it’s just important to know what the outcome will be.
How Long to Smoke Ribs at 350?
If you set your smoker to a temperature of 350F ( 177C) you can smoke ribs in around 3 hours using the 1-1-1 method for smoking ribs – 1 hour uncovered on the smoker, 1 hour tightly wrapped in foil and 1 hour unwrapped and sauced.
The ribs will have a firm bite with a pull off the bone texture rather than a fall off the bone temperature. If you are smoking Baby Back ribs (which are smaller than spare ribs or St Louis style ribs) you can do them in around 2 to 2 1/2 hours at 350F. Just make sure to spritz them every 45 minutes or so with apple cider vinegar to stop them drying out.
How Long to Smoke Ribs at 300?
If you want to smoke ribs at 300F it will take around 3 hours and 15 minutes for spare ribs and St Louis cut ribs. For the smaller and leaner Baby Back ribs it will take a little less time than this. Your target internal temperature should be 195-200F (91-93C).
How Long to Smoke Ribs at 375?
If you want to smoke ribs at a temperature of 375F ( 191C) it will take around 3 hours. Use the 1-1-1 method for BBQ ribs:
- 1 hour uncovered on the smoker
- 1 hour tightly wrapped in foil
- 1 hour unwrapped and sauced
- Rest for 5-10 minutes and serve
How Long to Smoke Ribs at 400?
If you get your smoker up to a temperature of 400F ( 204C) you will be able to smoke your ribs in about 3 hours if you use the 1-1-1 method for ribs – 1 hour unwrapped on the smoker, 1 hour wrapped and steamed in foil and a final 1 hour unwrapped and sauced with your favourite BBQ sauce.
If you enjoyed this article on smoking ribs let us know in the comments below or tag us on Instagram @bbqgrillshub.
For other approaches to smoking ribs you could check out our 2-2-1 ribs method article or our post on Competition Style Smoked BBQ Ribs.
