Smoked ribs are a barbecue traditional, and we promise you don’t should be a pitmaster to make them at residence. With only a easy rub, a mustard binder, and loads of low-and-slow cooking time, you may get juicy, tender ribs which might be filled with smoky taste. A fast spritz each hour retains them moist and helps develop that excellent bark.
Make it a yard barbecue traditional with a facet of macaroni salad and watermelon.

Why Our Recipe
- A straightforward strategy to slow-smoked ribs that end up juicy, tender, and flavorful, even for those who’re simply beginning out.
- Easy seasoning rub with a mustard binder to assist it stick and construct taste.
- Spritzed with apple juice and vinegar for the right bark, served with or with out barbecue sauce.


Whether or not you want child again, spareribs, or St. Louis-style, this recipe will information you thru the entire course of. This recipe works for all of them. We’ll present you how one can season, smoke, spritz, and sauce (in order for you!) so you find yourself with ribs that look and style like they got here from an expert smoker. Plus, we’ve included pellet suggestions and suggestions for getting that signature smoky crust.
Ingredient Notes
- Pork Ribs: Child again, spareribs, or St. Louis-style ribs all work with this recipe. Child backs are a bit leaner and cook dinner a bit quicker. Spareribs and St. Louis-style have extra fats and meat, which might make them additional juicy and flavorful.
- Complete Grain Mustard: Acts as a binder to assist the rub stick and provides a slight tang to the flavour. You may as well use yellow mustard or Dijon for those who favor.
- Smoked Paprika: Provides a wealthy smoky taste and exquisite shade to the ribs.
- Salt: Common desk salt works nice. If utilizing kosher salt, enhance to about 1 tablespoon.
- Black Pepper: Freshly floor will give the very best taste, however pre-ground is ok too.
- Garlic Powder: Brings a pleasant savory, mellow garlic taste with out burning in the course of the lengthy cook dinner.
- Barbecue Sauce (Elective): Use your favourite bottled sauce or make your individual. Including sauce over the past hour caramelizes it right into a sticky glaze.
- Apple Juice & Apple Cider Vinegar: Blended collectively to spritz the ribs. This retains them moist and helps develop a flavorful bark.
Rib Choices
This recipe and technique works with all three of your fundamental pork rib choices. Use whichever one you favor (or whichever is on sale!)
Child Again Ribs: These are the smaller, leaner ribs that cook dinner up a bit quicker. They’re tremendous tender and an excellent selection for those who don’t need a number of additional fats.
Spare Ribs: Greater, meatier, and a bit fattier. That additional fats means extra taste and additional juicy ribs as soon as they’re finished.
St. Louis-Type Ribs: Principally spare ribs however trimmed into a pleasant rectangle so that they cook dinner evenly and are simpler to deal with. You get that very same huge taste however a cleaner feel and appear.
Pellet Suggestions
With regards to which woods you need to use for ribs, you’ve received choices. They usually all style nice!
Apple or Cherry Pellets: Gentle, candy, and a bit fruity. These offer you nice smoky taste with out taking up the pork.
Hickory Pellets: Go-to for that daring, traditional barbecue taste. Slightly heavier smoke, however excellent for those who like a stronger chunk.
Combine It Up: We love combining hickory and cherry. You get that daring smoke with a bit sweetness and a reasonably reddish shade on the ribs.


Why Spritz?
Spritzing retains the surface of the ribs from drying out. That offers the rub extra time to absorb smoky goodness earlier than it turns right into a crust.
Plus, that apple juice and vinegar combo provides a bit taste and helps you get that stunning bark and even a smoke ring. It’s not only for present. It actually does make a distinction.
The way to Know When Ribs are Executed
Right here’s the reality: ribs are finished after they really feel finished. You need them to bend simply while you carry them up with tongs, and the meat ought to pull again from the bones a bit.
In case you like numbers, search for an inner temp someplace between 195°F and 203°F. However belief your eyes and palms simply as a lot as your thermometer. Each rack is a bit totally different.
To Sauce, or To not Sauce
Completely your name! In case you love sticky ribs, slather in your favourite barbecue sauce over the past hour so it caramelizes with out burning.
In case you’re extra into dry ribs (so you may actually style that rub and smoke), skip the sauce. Both approach, they’re going to be scrumptious.
Storage & Reheating Directions
Refrigerate any leftover ribs in an hermetic container for as much as 4 days.
To Reheat within the Oven: Place the ribs in a baking dish and add a small quantity of apple juice to assist preserve them moist. Cowl the dish with foil and heat at 300°F for about 15 to twenty minutes, or till heated via. Control them so that they don’t dry out.
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