Barbecuing
intro
Tender, fall-off-the-bone pork ribs cooked low and slow over hickory smoke, coated in tangy-sweet sauce for iconic summer barbecue flavor.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep the rib racks
Pat the 1.8 kg of spare ribs completely dry with paper towels. Peel off the tough silver membrane from the bone side of each rack to ensure tender, evenly cooked meat. Trim any excess loose fat from the edges with a sharp paring knife.
Apply the dry rub
Mix 60g packed brown sugar, 2 tbsp smoked paprika, 1 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp onion powder, 1.5 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp cumin in a small bowl until evenly combined. Sprinkle the rub over every surface of the ribs, pressing gently to help it adhere, then let the ribs rest at room temperature for 30 minutes while you preheat the grill.
Prep grill for smoking
Set up a charcoal kettle grill for indirect heat, piling fully lit charcoal briquettes on only one side of the grill to create a cool, no-coal zone. Drain the 100g of pre-soaked hickory wood chips and scatter them directly over the hot coals. Adjust the top and bottom grill vents to maintain a steady internal grill temperature of 110°C (225°F), clipping a grill thermometer to the cool-side grate to monitor heat accurately.
Smoke ribs low and slow
Place the seasoned rib racks bone-side down on the cool indirect heat zone of the grill, positioned away from the hot coals. Close the grill lid, keeping vents partially open to hold a steady 110°C (225°F) temperature. Cook for 2.5 hours, spritzing the ribs with a mix of 60ml apple cider vinegar and 60ml water every 45 minutes to keep meat moist, adding 5-6 new charcoal briquettes every hour if the internal grill temperature drops below 105°C (220°F).
Sauce and finish ribs
After 2.5 hours of smoking, brush every surface of the ribs generously with the full 240ml of barbecue sauce, coating evenly. Wrap the sauced ribs tightly in two layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil, then return them to the indirect heat zone of the grill. Close the lid and cook for an additional 45 minutes at 110°C (225°F), until the meat pulls easily away from the bone when prodded with a fork (internal meat temperature should reach 95°C/203°F for ideal tenderness).
Rest and serve ribs
Remove the foil-wrapped ribs from the grill and transfer them to a cutting board. Let the ribs rest, still wrapped in foil, for 10 minutes to allow juices to redistribute through the meat. Unwrap the ribs, slice between the bones into individual 1-2 bone pieces, and pile onto a serving platter with extra sauce on the side if desired.
Tips
2.Skip dry wood chips! Soaking chips in cold water for 30 minutes before adding to coals prevents them from igniting into open flame, instead producing the thin, clean blue smoke that creates a smooth smoky flavor rather than bitter, burnt-tasting smoke.
3.Resist the urge to cut into ribs immediately after taking them off the grill. The 10-minute wrapped rest period lets muscle fibers reabsorb flavorful juices, so every bite is moist instead of having juices run all over your plate.
OMG y’all, these ribs were a total game changer for our Sunday family dinner! I was nervous to try smoking for the first time since I usually just do oven ribs, but the low-and-slow timing was spot on—they were fall-off-the-bone tender, and even my super picky 8 year old asked for seconds. I used sweet hickory wood like the recipe suggested and tossed on a little extra dry rub an hour before pulling them, SO good. Already planning to make a double batch for our neighborhood potluck next weekend!
Really solid rib recipe, cook time was almost exactly on point for my offset smoker. The only reason I’m knocking off a star is because I wish there was a little more guidance on what internal temp to pull them at— I ended up going a touch too long and they were a little more mushy than I like my ribs (I prefer that slight tug when you bite, not total fall apart). Flavor was 10/10 though, the dry rub ratio is perfect, not too salty not too sweet.
Who knew smoked ribs worked so well for meal prep? I made a full rack on Sunday, portioned them out with coleslaw and cornbread for lunches all week, and they reheated like an absolute dream in the air fryer. I was worried they’d get tough or rubbery when reheated, but no—still juicy, still that great smoky flavor. 10/10, will be adding this to my regular rotation for sure. Game changer for my work lunches, I’m the envy of the whole office!
Y’all I cannot believe I pulled this off as my first ever smoke on my new cheap electric smoker! I was so intimidated by all the fancy BBQ tutorials online that make low-and-slow sound like you need a $1000 rig and 10 years of experience, but this recipe broke every step down so simply. My ribs looked and tasted like they came from a legit BBQ joint, my roommate thought I ordered takeout lmao. 100% recommend for anyone who’s new to smoking and doesn’t know where to start.