Memphis BBQ
intro
Tender, slow-smoked pork ribs coated in a tangy, spiced dry rub, the iconic Memphis BBQ staple with bold, balanced smoky flavor and no heavy saucing.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep the rib racks
Lay each 900g pork spare rib rack bone-side up on a wooden cutting board. Slide a butter knife under the thin, papery white membrane at the third bone, grip the loose membrane with a paper towel for traction, and pull it off in one full sheet. Pat all surfaces of the ribs completely dry with paper towels to help the rub adhere.
Mix Memphis dry rub
In a small 1L mixing bowl, combine 3 tbsp sweet paprika, 4 tbsp packed light brown sugar, 1.5 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp onion powder, 1 tbsp kosher salt, 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp dry mustard powder, and 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper. Whisk continuously for 30 seconds until all ingredients are fully blended, breaking up any clumps of brown sugar with the whisk tines.
Season ribs evenly
Sprinkle two-thirds of the prepared dry rub over every surface of the dried rib racks, pressing the spice mixture firmly into the meat with your clean fingertips to create a thick, uniform coating. Let the seasoned ribs rest at room temperature (68-72°F / 20-22°C) for 30 minutes to allow the rub to penetrate the meat surface.
Preheat smoker to temp
Preheat your charcoal or electric smoker to a steady 225°F (107°C), add 200g of pre-soaked, drained hickory wood chips to the smoker box, and close the lid. Let the smoker build thin, blue hickory smoke for 10 minutes, and pour 120ml apple cider vinegar into a clean spray bottle to keep near the smoker for spritzing.
Smoke ribs low and slow
Arrange the seasoned ribs bone-side down on the smoker grates, leaving 2cm of space between racks for air flow. Close the lid and cook at a consistent 225°F (107°C) for 3 full hours. Spritz the rib surfaces lightly with apple cider vinegar every 45 minutes to prevent drying, and add 50g of fresh pre-soaked hickory wood chips to the smoker box every hour to maintain steady smoke output.
Wrap ribs to tenderize
After 3 hours of open smoking, carefully transfer the ribs to a clean work surface. Wrap each rack tightly in 2 layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil, crimping the edges to seal in steam. Return the wrapped ribs to the smoker, and continue cooking at 225°F (107°C) for 45 minutes, until the meat pulls back 1cm from the exposed bone ends and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part (not touching bone) reads 195°F (90°C).
Rest and serve ribs
Transfer the foil-wrapped ribs to a cutting board, and let them rest for 15 minutes at room temperature to allow meat juices to redistribute. Unwrap the ribs, sprinkle the remaining one-third of the dry rub lightly over the meaty top surface, then slice between each bone to serve, with no heavy BBQ sauce coating per traditional Memphis style.
Tips
2.Always remove the tough membrane from the bone side of the ribs: skipping this step leaves a chewy, rubbery layer that prevents the dry rub from penetrating the meat and ruins the final texture.
3.Traditional Memphis BBQ is served dry, without thick sauce slathered on the ribs, but you can offer a thin, tangy vinegar-based dipping sauce on the side if guests prefer extra moisture, rather than coating the ribs directly.
OMG these ribs are an absolute game changer! Made them for my Sunday family dinner yesterday and everyone was licking their fingers. I was a little worried about nailing the Memphis dry rub since I usually slather ribs in sauce, but the spice balance is perfect – not too salty, just the right hit of paprika and brown sugar. Cooked them low and slow on my offset smoker exactly as the recipe said, 3 hours 45 mins total and they were fall-off-the-bone tender without being mushy. My 10 year old said these are better than the ribs we get at our favorite BBQ joint downtown! 10/10 will be making these for every backyard cookout this summer.
Made these for my kid’s end-of-season soccer team potluck and they were the first dish gone! I was nervous because I have a pretty basic charcoal grill and I’m still pretty new to low-and-slow cooking, but the step-by-step instructions made it so easy even for a medium-difficulty recipe. I did end up adding a tiny drizzle of BBQ sauce on the side for the kids who are used to sauced ribs, but even most of them ate them dry! So many parents asked for the recipe, I already sent them the link. Can’t wait to make these again for our 4th of July party.
Took these camping last weekend and cooked them over a campfire with a grill grate, adjusted the cook time a little since the fire temp was harder to regulate, and they still slapped! The rub is so flavorful I didn’t even miss having sauce. My only tiny gripe is that the 3 hour 45 minute cook time feels a little long for a weeknight, but that’s on me – these are definitely a weekend meal, not a quick after-work dinner. Still 4 stars because the flavor is unbeatable.
SO good! I’ve been searching for a real Memphis dry rib recipe forever, so many online versions taste like plain seasoned salt. This rub has that perfect hint of celery seed I remember from ribs I had in Memphis when I visited years ago. I made these on my gas grill with a smoke box because I don’t have a dedicated smoker, and they still turned out incredible. Only note: I would recommend pulling the membrane off the back of the ribs like the recipe says, I forgot on one rack and it was definitely chewier! Will absolutely be adding this to my regular meal rotation.
I made these ribs for my neighborhood block party last weekend and I swear people were coming back for thirds! I was worried because I have an electric smoker and I wasn’t sure if I’d get that same smoky Memphis flavor, but following the recipe’s temp guide exactly gave me perfect bark and that juicy, pull-apart texture everyone loves. I did cut the cayenne in half because a lot of my neighbors have little kids who don’t like spicy food, and it was still packed with flavor. Already got three texts asking for the recipe this week!