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Easy to follow directions for Smoked Pork Ribs using a Traeger or other style pellet grill. St. Louis style pork spareribs come out tender and juicy when cooked low and slow with a homemade sweet and spicy dry rub and smothered with your favorite BBQ sauce.
These Ribs Mean Business
Smoked pork ribs are one of our favorite weekend meals—tender, juicy, full of smoky flavor, and totally worth the time.
We make these when we’re craving something extra satisfying, when we’ve got friends coming over, or just because it’s a good day to fire up the smoker.
They’re messy, flavorful, fall-off-the-bone good… and always the first thing to disappear.
Why These Are the Best Smoked Pork Ribs
- The Rub: A slightly sweet rub that pairs perfectly with pork and lets the smoky flavor shine.
- Beginner-Friendly: This is an easy, foolproof recipe—perfect if you’re new to smoking. The key is knowing when to pull the ribs off, and I’ll walk you through exactly how to tell.
- Tender and Juicy: Spritzing the ribs as they cook helps keep the meat moist and flavorful all the way through.
→ Check out our collection of BBQ side dishes for a complete meal!
Smoked Pork Ribs
Flavorful, and tender, this fool proof recipe for Smoked Pork Ribs is easy to make and always pleases!
Ingredients
- 2 racks St. Louis Style Pork Ribs (these are meatier ribs, cut from the belly, usually are nicely trimmed before packing)
- ⅓ cup mustard
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar OR diluted apple juice (for spritzing)
- ⅔ cup BBQ Sauce
Sweet Rub
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cayenne
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat Grill: follow instructions for your particular grill or smoker to preheat to 225℉.
- Prepare Meat: Trim the meat if needed, typically it comes trimmed.
- Remove the membrane from the back, simply peel up a corner with your fingers (the skin with a silver shine to it) and using your hands, peel the layer of membrane off the bones.
- Binder: place the meat on a large baking sheet, meat side facing up. Brush the mustard over the meat. Then flip the ribs and brush mustard on the back side of the ribs also.
- Season: Evenly sprinkle the sweet rub over the back of the ribs, then carefully flip and do the same to the top of the ribs. Press the rub into the mustard to help ensure the rub stays on the meat.
- Smoke: Place the ribs on the grill so that the meat part is facing up, the bones are on the bottom. Smoke at 225℉ for 2 hours undisturbed. After 2 hours, spritz the ribs with the apple cider vinegar (or diluted apple juice) every 30 minutes for the next hour. (3 hours total on the smoker at this point..spritzing twice)
- Slather: Flip the ribs, so the meat side is down and bone side is up, spritz the ribs, then brush the BBQ sauce on the ribs, close the smoker and let this cook for 15 minutes. Then flip the ribs so that the meat side is up, spritz the ribs again and brush the remaining sauce on the top of the ribs, close the smoker and let this cook another 15 minutes.
- Wrap: Remove the ribs from the smoker and wrap tightly in aluminum foil. Easiest method is to lay a sheet of foil flat on a large baking sheet, lay the ribs on this, fold the edges in over the ribs, then use another sheet of foil over the top. This helps ensure that the juices stay inside the foil and don’t leak out the bottom.
- Continue Cooking: Place the ribs back on the smoker (or in an oven at 225℉, at this point we have the smoke flavor, we’re just braising the meat). Continue to cook the ribs at 225℉ for another 2 hours.
- Set Sauce: Remove the ribs from the foil and place the ribs back on the grill. Smoke for an additional 30-45 minutes until the ribs are done. (careful opening the foil, there will be a lot of liquid in there. Carefully remove the foil packets to a large baking sheet and open and remove the ribs there, this helps contain the liquid that will spill out).
- Rest: once done cooking, test for done-ness (information below), remove the ribs from the smoker and place on a clean baking tray. Cover tightly with foil and let the ribs rest for at least 30 minutes before serving. (Smoke Pork Ribs at 225 degrees F until the ribs reach an internal temperature of 203 degrees F.)
Equipment
Notes
Handling
- Gloves: When handling the ribs avoid tongs, since this can damage the crust forming on the ribs. Use BBQ gloves to protect your hands.
- Keep the lid closed: For the first 2 hours, don’t open the smoker. This is when the ribs absorb the most smoke flavor.
- Cut ribs upside down: Flip the rack over to see the bones clearly, then slice between them for even portions.
- Plan for 1 rack of ribs for 2-3 adults.
- Meat will be pulled up, exposing the bones on the end of the ribs.
- When you pick up the entire rack of ribs, one hand on each end, you will notice the meat start to crack in the center of the rack.
- If you grab a bone and twist it will start to pull away from the meat.
- Overcooked ribs will have bones falling out of the meat..we want the meat to still cling to the bone.
- Use a combination of a classic and a sweeter, fruity wood. Options include: Hickory, Oak, Mesquite, Apple, Cherry, Pecan and Maple.
- Fridge: Store leftover ribs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Let ribs cool completely, then wrap tightly in foil and place in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 2 months.
- Reheat: Warm in the oven at 300°F, wrapped in foil to keep them moist, until heated through. You can also reheat on the grill or in a skillet with a splash of broth or BBQ sauce to bring back moisture.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 712kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 54g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 182mg | Sodium: 1423mg | Potassium: 675mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 671IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Texas BBQ Recipes:
- Looking for something bigger? Try this Texas Smoked Pulled Pork.
- If you want a lighter meal, this Smoked Turkey Breast is perfect!
- This German Potato Salad is a great side dish option for these ribs.
- Or if you prefer a classic, thisTexas Style Potato Salad is creamy and flavorful.
- Step up your skills as a backyard Pitmaster with this Texas Style Brisket Recipe.
Photography done by @KJandCompany.co
Recipe first published March 19, 2021 updated February 15, 2023. Recipe is unchanged.
