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A wooden cutting board topped with two rack of smoked pork ribs.
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4.67 / 3 votes

Smoked Pork Ribs

I like to go all out and serve some of the classic sides to go with the smoked meat: mac and cheese, braised collards or turnip greens, potato salad, coleslaw, beans, cornbread, and corn on the cob.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time4 hours 30 minutes
Course: Mains
Cuisine: American
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 1675

Equipment

  • Smoker, wood chips, chunks, or pellets (depending on your smoker), spray bottle

Ingredients

For the barbecue spice rub

  • 1/2 cup fine sea salt or kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup muscovado, turbinado, or light brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons sweet paprika
  • 2 tablespoons ground coriander
  • 2 tablespoons ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

For the smoked pork ribs

  • 2 tablespoons pork barbecue rub, or more, if needed
  • 1 rack pork ribs, spare or baby back, membranes removed
  • Water, cider vinegar, or a combination
  • 1/3 cup store bought or homemade barbecue sauce
US - Metric

Instructions

Make the barbecue spice rub

  • In an airtight container, mix the rub ingredients together. Cover and store in a cool, dry place for up to several months.

Make the smoked pork ribs

  • About an hour before smoking, sprinkle 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of the rub on each side of ribs and use your hands to spread it evenly, with the meat still visible beneath the rub. Reserve the remaining rub for other uses.
  • Prep your smoker per manufacturer’s directions for a temperature between 225° and 250°F (110° and 120°C). Toss the wood chips, chunks, or pellets in the smokebox or according to manufacturer’s directions.
  • Place your ribs, bone side down, in the smoker. Place a pan of water below or near the ribs to hydrate the environment. Fill a spray bottle with water or cider vinegar.
  • Smoke the ribs, maintaining the smoker temperature and adding wood as needed, until the ribs are a very deep reddish brown, 2 1/2 to 3 hours, depending on the exact temperature of your smoker and the thickness of the ribs. Occasionally spritz the ribs with the spray bottle.
  • When the ribs are done, lightly brush the top with barbecue sauce and smoke for 15 minutes more.
  • Flip the ribs, brush the top with barbecue sauce, and smoke for 15 minutes more.
  • Remove the ribs from the smoker and wrap the ribs in a couple layers of regular foil and crimp to seal. Return the ribs to the smoker and cook until they’re exceptionally tender and the internal temperature reaches 190°F (88°C), about 1 hour.
  • Keep the ribs wrapped in foil and let them rest for 30 minutes before unwrapping and serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, ~1/2 rack | Calories: 1675kcal | Carbohydrates: 93g | Protein: 84g | Fat: 115g | Saturated Fat: 36g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 364mg | Sodium: 7405mg | Fiber: 25g | Sugar: 29g