I have some beef spare ribs, they are separate (i.e. not in a rack) and am open to any suggestions for rubs and sauces, methods etc. Also, how does one know when the meat is done in a smoker?
Cheers
There's more than one way to skin that cat - so to say! The most foolproof way for me would be to do like my last oxtails - along the same lines - tough meat, lots of fat and collagen. Rub and or marinade to your heart's desire. I usually stay simple (Sprinkle on salt, pepper, granulated garlic, cayenne just before putting into the smoker) or a rub (non-sweet for me especially with beef). Preheat oven to 260 or so. Put in the meat and reset to 225. Smoking wood? beef and mesquite go together, but so does hickory, oak, or pecan. Smoke for 2 or 3 hours or so. Then foil or boat them with a little liquid of your choice. Nothing wrong with beer, wine, whiskey, Dale's and Worsey sauce, beef broth, fruit juice - some like apple a lot, cherry juice, jalepeno juice, lemon juice.... basically anything you might like! Put them back in the Bradley at 250 or in the oven for them to play in their new sauna for a while until tender - might take an hour, might take 4 hours - they have been very variable for me - but usually 2 more hours. Then unfoil, and slather on you favorite BBQ sauce or not and put back in the oven or Bradley unwrapped for 30 mins or so to firm up the bark and/or the sauce.
How to tell if the meat is done. Easiest if by temp. by using a probe from a remote reading thermometer or using an instant read thermometer. What temperature is not only a matter of some debate, but is also dependent on how you want to use your meat (sliced or pulled), what cut, and what type of animal it came from. Anything in particular you are wondering about. Ribs (not short ribs) have their own built-in thermometer - when the meat pulls away from the bone 1/2" or so - they are done.
canney has set you stright, I have gotten to the point to where i wait till the meat starts to pull away from the bone, 1/2 inch there done.. more the more tender they become.. and not more then 225 box temp