Description
Pork spare ribs are cooked to tender perfection, the fat perfectly rendered and without a caked on, overpowering rub. Simple, well executed ribs will set you apart from the crowd.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 racks pork spare ribs
- 1/2 cup kosher salt
- 1/4 cup course ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp paprika
- Yellow Mustard
- 2 cups Apple Cider Vinegar (1 cup for sauce, another for spritzing ribs)
- 1 cup low-sugar BBQ sauce (homemade preferred)
Instructions
- PREP & RUB: Remove pork spare ribs from plastic and trim off any odd parts. In a spice shaker, combine salt, pepper and paprika. Flip over and lather back of ribs with yellow mustard. Season with spice blend by shaking it evenly across the ribs, going back and forth. Slip over and repeat on opposite site.
- START SMOKER: Preheat smoker to 265° using charcoal and peach wood. When the temperature is steady and the smoke from the stack is mostly clear (not white), place the ribs on the opposite side of the smoker from the firebox. Fill your water pan with warm water and close the lid for two hours, keeping the temp steady between 265° and 270°.
- CHECK AFTER 2 HOURS: At the 2 hour mark, open the lid and check the ribs. Spritz with apple cider vinegar. Close lid and cook for 30 more minutes.
- SAUCE RIBS: Heat BBQ sauce and add to a squirt bottle. Fill with equal amount of apple cider vinegar and shake to combine. Open lid to smoker and squirt on a light layer of sauce, spreading with your hand so that it evenly covers. Close lid for 10 minutes so that sauce sits. Flip over and cook repeat on backside, saucing then cooking for ten more minutes.
- WRAP: Tear off aluminium foil that's twice as large as a rack of the ribs. Squirt a little more sauce on the foil. Remove ribs with your hand (not tongs!) and place fat side down in the foil. To wrap, first fold in sides toward center. Then, fold top down running your hands along the edge so that they are wrapped tightly. Lastly, fold over so that bottom is fold over, again running your fingers along the edge so that they're tightly wrapped. Return ribs to grill and continue cooking for 2-3 more hours.
- PULL AND CUT: After two more hours, begin checking ribs. Using a kitchen towel, pick up the ribs at the third bone in from the thicker side. If the ribs are easily pliable at this spot, they are ready to be pulled. If not, return and check every 20 minutes. Let ribs sit for 30 minutes once pulled. Carefully unwrap and allow juices to pour over ribs. Cut between each bone and serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Smoker
- Cuisine: BBQ
Keywords: Part Food, BBQ food, award winning ribs