Smoked Pork Ribs

5 from 3 votes

Taste bud-tantalizing sweet and savory flavors in these supremely delicious smoked ribs. Incredibly juicy and tender St. Louis-style pork ribs are smoked to perfection with apple, cherry or pecan wood for unbeatable smoky goodness.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 5

Resting time 30

Total Time 5 40

Servings

Calories 97kcal

Author Justin McChesney-Wachs

Ingredients

1 full rack of pork spare ribs (cleaned)
canola oil or mustard
1/4 cup dry rub (see below)
1/3 cup barbecue sauce

Rib Rub (Make about 1/4 rub cup per rack)

2 parts black pepper (coarse)
1 part Diamond kosher salt
Whatever other spices you want (paprika, granulated garlic, granulated onion, cayenne, chili)

Instructions

Prep the ribs: Coat the rib rack in a slather, then evenly coat with about 1/4 cup dry rub.
Preheat the smoker to 225 to 250° F setup for indirect heat cooking. Use apple wood, cherry, hickory or a combination for smoke.
Smoke: Place the ribs (bone-side down) in the smoker and smoke without opening the lid for about 3 hours. Check the color. If they look beautifully browned, they are ready for sauce.
Sauce: Remove the ribs from the smoker and place on a sheet pan. Brush BBQ sauce on both sides of the rib racks. Place back in the smoker for another 15 minutes to 25 minutes to slightly caramelize the sauce.
Wrap: Remove the ribs from the smoker and wrap them tightly with aluminum foil.
Continue Cooking: Place the wrapped ribs back in the smoker (or oven) and cook for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours more, or until they reach the desired tenderness (200-203° F).
Rest for 20 to 30 minutes wrapped in the foil before serving.

Video

Notes

The recipe is for a single rack of ribs, but it can easily be scaled up (which I would highly recommend).
You can use the simple 2:1 ratio of coarse ground pepper to kosher salt for the rub, or go with the full spice rub. Just don't use both or they will be over-seasoned.

Nutrition