Smoking ribs to perfection is an art. When done right, smoked ribs are tender, juicy, and packed with savory barbecue flavor. While smoking ribs may seem intimidating to barbecue novices, the process is easier to master than you think. With the right techniques, equipment, and patience, you can make competition-worthy smoked ribs in your own backyard. This comprehensive guide will teach you everything you need to know about how to smoke bbq ribs like a pro.
Getting Started with Smoking Ribs
Before you even think about firing up your smoker, there are a few key things you need to know to ensure success when smoking ribs:
Choosing the Right Rib Cut
There are several different rib cuts to choose from when smoking ribs:
- Baby back ribs – Taken from the upper rack and loin area close to the spine. They have the most tender meat and are the most expensive cut.
- Spare ribs – From the belly and side section of the pig. They have more fat and connective tissue so can take longer to cook.
- St. Louis style ribs – The spare rib tips are trimmed off to create a rectangular rack. Great compromise between baby backs and spares.
- Beef ribs – Usually taken from the plate section. Massive ribs requiring longer cook times.
For beginners, baby back ribs or St. Louis style ribs are easiest to work with. Make sure the membrane is removed from the back of the rack for maximum tenderness.
Choosing a Wood Type
The wood you use to smoke the ribs will greatly impact flavor. Fruit woods like apple, cherry, and pecan give a milder, sweeter taste. Woods like hickory, oak, and mesquite have a stronger, smokier flavor.
Use milder fruit woods for pork ribs and stronger woods for beef. Combining woods can give a balanced flavor.
Removing the Membrane
There is a papery membrane on the backside of the ribs that can cause them to curl up while cooking. Remove it before seasoning by sliding a spoon handle under the membrane until you can grab a corner and peel it off.
Applying a Dry Rub
A dry rub adds tons of flavor and creates a tasty bark when smoked. Make your own or use store-bought. Apply it lightly over both sides of the rack at least 4 hours before smoking.
Let it sit in the fridge so the spice mix can really penetrate the meat.
Setting Up Your Smoker
To smoke ribs properly, you need to control and maintain an optimal temperature in your smoker for an extended period. Here are some smoker tips:
Types of Smokers
There are several smoker options, including:
- Charcoal – Provides great smoke flavor. Temperature can be tricky to control. Best for experienced smokers.
- Electric – Maintains a steady temp. Wood chips provide smoke flavor. Great choice for beginners.
- Offset – Uses an offset firebox attached to the main chamber. Allures of traditional smoking but can be difficult to master.
- Pellet – Automatically feeds wood pellets from a hopper. Easiest to use but doesn’t provide as much smoke.
Smoker Prep
Properly prepare your smoker before lighting it up:
- Open vents fully to maximize airflow
- Clean out ash from previous cooks
- Soak wood chips 30 mins before use
- Consider adding a water pan for extra moisture
Achieving Correct Temperature
- Ideal temp for smoking ribs is 225-275°F
- Make small vent and damper adjustments to dial in the right temp
- Give your smoker 30-60 mins to preheat before adding ribs
- Use a quality thermometer to monitor the internal temp
- Maintain consistency throughout the entire cook
Maintaining proper temperature control is essential for tender, fall-off-the-bone ribs.
Step-By-Step Smoking Method
Once your equipment is prepped, it’s time for the fun part – smoking those ribs! Follow these steps:
1. Prep the Ribs
- Start with high-quality, meaty racks of ribs
- Peel off membrane from back of racks
- Trim any excess hard fat or flap meat
- Apply a light coating of mustard to help rub stick
- Generously season both sides with favorite dry rub
- Allow rub to penetrate meat in fridge for 4+ hours
2. Get the Smoker Heated Up
- With vents fully open, light your charcoal or turn smoker on to preheat
- Add your preferred smoking wood chunks or chips
- Let smoker come up to 225-275°F
- Maintain temp for 15-30 mins to stabilize before adding ribs
3. Add the Ribs
- Place ribs bone-side down on racks, meaty-side facing up
- Try not to overlap racks too much to allow smoke to circulate
- Add a drip pan filled with water, wine, cider, etc. for extra moisture
4. Monitor Progress
- Keep temp steady at 225-275°F
- Spritz ribs every hour with a mix of apple juice, vinegar, whiskey, etc. to keep moist
- Check tenderness each hour after the 3 hour mark
- Ribs normally take 5-7 hours total cook time
5. Wrap the Ribs
- Once ribs bend and crack slightly, wrap them tightly in foil
- Add moisture inside the foil packets – drippings, broth, juice, etc.
- Put wrapped ribs back in smoker for 1-2 more hours
6. Finish on the Grill
- Carefully open foil packets and transfer ribs meaty-side down onto a hot grill
- Grill for 5-10 mins to caramelize the outside
- Brush with sauce in the last 2 minutes if desired
7. Rest and Serve
- Let ribs rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting or bones may slip out
- Slice ribs between each bone into individual pieces
- Serve while hot with extra barbecue sauce on the side
Patience and letting the ribs cook low and slow is the key to mouthwatering, fall-off-the-bone smoked bbq ribs. Dig in!
Smokey Rib Recipes to Try
Part of the fun with smoking ribs is experimenting with different wood, spice, and sauce combinations. Here are some outstanding recipes to try in your smoker:
Dry Rub Recipes
Cooking Channel’s Memphis Dry Rub:
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp paprika
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 1 Tbsp garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp black pepper
- 1 Tbsp ground cumin
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
All Recipes’ Pork Dry Rub:
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Food Network’s French Rub for Pork:
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 3 Tbsp light brown sugar
- 3 Tbsp sweet paprika
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp dry mustard
Sauces
Sweet & Tangy Barbecue Sauce:
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp molasses
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp liquid smoke
Spicy Sriracha Sauce:
- 1 cup sriracha
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3 Tbsp brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
Whiskey Barbecue Sauce:
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup bourbon
- 3 Tbsp brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp liquid smoke
Smoking Wood Combinations
- Apple + Hickory
- Maple + Cherry
- Pecan + Oak
- Mesquite + Peach
Don’t be afraid to mix flavors like bourbon, coffee, herbs, citrus, etc. into sauces or rubs to make your smoked ribs truly unique.
BBQ Rib Smoking FAQs
Smoking ribs for the first time? Get answers to the most common questions from our smoking experts:
What is the best temperature for smoking ribs?
Stick with a low and slow temperature between 225-275°F throughout the entire cook time for tender results. Higher heat will cause ribs to toughen up.
How long does it take to smoke ribs?
Most racks of baby back or St. Louis ribs take 5-7 hours to smoke at 225-250°F. Larger spares or beef ribs can take up to 8-10 hours due to more fat and connective tissue.
Should ribs be smoked meat side up or down?
Always place ribs bone side down first, to protect the meat from direct heat. Flip them meat side down on the grill at the end to char and caramelize the outside.
How can you tell when ribs are done smoking?
Check tenderness and use the bend test – meat should crack slightly and begin shrinking back from the bones. Internal temp should be 185-205°F.
Is it necessary to wrap ribs during smoking?
Wrapping isn’t mandatory, but it helps tenderize ribs and powers through any stubborn stall points in the cooking process. Keep unwrapped if you want a thicker bark.
Can you put sauce on ribs before smoking?
Never sauce ribs before smoking – the sugar will likely burn. Wait until the ribs come off the smoker and quickly brush on sauce at the very end if desired.
What wood is best for smoking ribs?
For pork ribs, lighter fruit woods like apple, cherry, and pecan give the best flavor. Avoid heavy mesquite smoke which may overpower the meat.
Conclusion
From selecting the right rib cut to experimenting with sauces and wood chips, smoking ribs is an incredibly rewarding craft to master. With the proper prep and patience, you can achieve competition-quality bbq ribs with mouthwatering tenderness and smoky flavor in your own backyard smoker. Just follow the advice in this guide for finger-lickin’ ribs that will impress any crowd. The only thing left to decide now is what rubs and sauces to try on your next smoking session. Dig in and enjoy your new go-to bbq obsession. Delicious smoked ribs are only a fire away.