Instructions

Instructions for Smoked Ribs

1. Preheat your smoker to 250℉.
2. While your smoker comes to temperature, prepare your ribs. (I prefer spare ribs, but this recipe works just as well for baby back.) Either way, place your ribs on a work surface and remove the thin, tape-like membrane from the back of the rack. You can slide the tip of a knife under one end of the membrane to get started, then grip it with a paper towel and pull it the rest of the way off the bone.
3. Generously season your ribs with the pork rub, making sure to coat all sides. A binder such as olive oil, mustard, or hot sauce isn’t required to make the seasoning stick, but feel free to add that layer first if that’s how you normally prep ribs. Binder or no binder, let the ribs sit at room temperature for 30 minutes so the seasoning can draw out moisture from the meat to help it better adhere to the ribs.
4. Once your smoker is at 250℉ and your ribs have sat out for 30 minutes, place them in your smoker and shut the lid.
5. If you intend to spritz the ribs with water, apple juice, or soda, wait 30 minutes before you open the lid to spritz. After that, hit the ribs with a fresh spray every 30 minutes. You can also skip the spritz if you’d prefer, though I find it helps the ribs form a tasty bark.
6. About 3½ hours in, check the internal temperature of the ribs with a BBQ thermometer. The goal is 195°F, which they should hit around 4 hours into the smoke. If you’re putting BBQ sauce on the ribs, apply it now and cook for an additional 5–10 minutes to let the sauce set. (Should you want completely fall-off-the-bone ribs, shoot for around 203–205°F internal before saucing.)
7. After the ribs have reached your target temperature, remove them from the smoker to slice and serve immediately. Enjoy!