Best 5 Smoked Pork Side Ribs Recipes

SMOKED PORK RIBS

Steps:

• Start by removing the silver skin from the back of the ribs by sliding your fingers or a sharp knife underneath it to get a hold of an edge and pull it off.
• Mix the spices together and generously coat the ribs on both sides, rubbing the spice mixture into the pork like you mean it.
• Smoke the ribs at 225℉ for 6 to 8 hours. The lower and slower you go the better the ribs will be.
• The ribs are done when the meat easily pulls away from the bone.
• To finish the ribs use the flip, fire, and paint method to sear the sauce onto the outside of the ribs without burning it or drying them out.
• Place the ribs on a medium-high grill, using a grill brush lightly paint the BBQ sauce across the ribs. Once the sauce is on, flip the ribs over and paint the other side, cooking them for 2 to 3 minutes a side before flipping them over and repeating the process three times for each side.
• Take the ribs off the grill and let them rest for a few minutes before slicing.
• To serve the ribs, slice them in ones or twos along the bone, and serve with a good barbecue sauce.

SMOKED RIB RUB RECIPE

Steps:

• Mix your dry spices together in a small bowl or other container.
• If it hasn't been done already, flip your ribs over and make a small cut into the white membrane cover the back closest to one of the ends.
• Using a paper towel to help grip, slowly and gently pull the membrane down until it separates from the ribs, using a knife to clean up any scraps.
• Liberally coat both sides of your ribs in spices, rubbing into the meat to ensure everything is covered.
• Wrap the rack in plastic wrap and place on a large baking tray in the refrigerator over night and up to a full 24 hours to let the flavors develop.
• Half an hour before cook time, take your ribs from the fridge and let them start to warm up at room temperature.
• This helps them to cook more evenly while they're smoking as the inside and outside will be roughly even in temperature, avoiding overcooking the outside with a raw inside.
• Additionally, soak your wood chips in hot water at this time if you're using them instead of chunks.
• Fill your smoker halfway with charcoal and light it.
• Close the lid and allow it to start heating up.
• If you're using a thermometer, it should read around 225 degrees Fahrenheit.
• When your charcoal has burnt down and your smoker is up to temperature, add more charcoal, toss on your wood, add the grate, fill the water tank, and close the lid once again.
• This gives the wood a chance to start smoking and the new material a chance to burn.
• After another ten minutes or so, you're finally ready to cook.
• Place your ribs meat side up into the center of your smoker and close the lid.
• Depending on the type of rib you use, it'll most likely take around four hours to cook fully (baby backs run shorter, St. Louis run longer).
• You can check this by sight if the meat has begun to pull away from the bones or by temperature when a rib measures 195 degrees Fahrenheit internally.
• As your ribs smoke, make sure to monitor the levels of wood, charcoal, and water in your smoker and add more of each as needed.
• Additionally, keep the temperature consistent by adjusting the air vents, especially when introducing new fuel to the fire.
• Every half hour, spray your ribs down with apple juice or apple cider from a spray bottle.
• This both flavors the meat and helps keep the outside moist during the long cooking process.
• In the last half hour of cooking, paint on a thick layer of barbecue sauce across the meat and allow it to caramelize on the outside, though be careful not to burn it.
• If it appears to be burning, remove the ribs from the heat or tent them in aluminum foil until they're fully cooked.
• After removing your ribs from the smoker, allow them to rest half an hour at minimum while wrapped loosely in aluminum foil.
• This gives the meat a chance to relax after being cooked and lets the juices redistribute throughout, making for a more tender, flavorful, and juicy rib.
• Use this time strategically to finish any side dishes or meal prep you hadn't to gotten yet.
• Once the ribs have rested, it's time to eat.

MELT-IN-YOUR-MOUTH SMOKED PORK BACK RIBS

Steps:

• Preheat smoker to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C).
• Mix paprika, chili powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl. Rub evenly over both sides of ribs. Place ribs, back-side down, on a wire rack.
• Place rack in the preheated smoker. Add apple wood chips according to manufacturer's instructions. Smoke ribs until meat shrinks away from the bones, about 5 1/2 hours.
• Remove ribs from smoker; cover with barbeque sauce. Wrap with aluminum foil. Let rest for 30 minutes.

SMOKED RIBS

Steps:

• Turn the ribs over onto its back and you will see a thin white covering on the bones all along the rack. Starting at one end, use a small knife to slide right under the membrane and gently pull up, but don't cut it. The easiest spot to get under the membrane is right on the bone and not on the meat.
• Grab the membrane with a paper towel. (Paper towel will give you a nice grip so you can hold onto it as you pull.) Gently but firmly pull the membrane off the entire rib.
• You can clean and season the ribs the night before or about an hour before smoking. If you will season the night before, make sure to place them on a metal rimmed tray and cover with plastic wrap air-tight. (Keep in refrigerator if holding them overnight.)(It's good to prepare the ribs the night before if you need to get them on the smoker bright and early the next day. Just take them out of the refrigerator before preparing the smoker.)
• Mix all ingredients for the rub together in a bowl. Pat ribs on all sides with a paper towel.
• Generously sprinkle the rub in an even layer over both sides of the rib so the meat is not showing. Gently pat and even out the seasoning with your hands. Let ribs sit while preparing the smoker.
• Set up your smoker and preheat it to 225°. I highly recommend including a water pan or water/drip pan to the smoker. Use a digital oven thermometer to track the temperature on the grill grate. Don't rely on the thermometer built into the lid of the smoker, they are always at least 20 degrees off.
• (If using wood or charcoal smoker, maintain the temperature right around 225° but don't let it get below 225° or over 250°)
• When the smoker temperature is at 225°, place ribs on the grate and close the lid.
• Smoke ribs for 5-7 hours, depending on their size. (Large, meaty racks could take a little longer and if you stack more than 2 racks in a rib holder, expect to add at least 1 more hour.)
• Use long metal tongues to gently lift the rib rack off the grate but hold it only about 1/3 -1/2 of the way up the rack. Give it a gentle bounce to see how easily the meat cracks. (See picture in the post.)If it cracks easily and right away, the ribs are ready. If the meat is having a bit of a hard time cracking and feels rubbery when bouncing, the ribs need at least another hour.
• If you plan to add the sauce, glaze ribs with BBQ sauce an hour before they are ready. Remember to keep the lid of the smoker open as little as possible so you don't let the heat out. This is especially important for wood and charcoal smokers.

SMOKED BBQ RIBS - TRAEGER GRILLS

Steps:

• Pat the ribs dry with paper towels and peel the membrane from the back of each rack.
• Apply an even coat of Traeger Pork & Poultry Rub to the front, back and sides of the ribs. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
• When ready to cook, set the Traeger temperature to 225℉ and preheat with the lid closed for 15 minutes. For optimal flavor, use Super Smoke, if available.
• Insert the probe into the center of a rack of ribs, avoiding the bones. Place the ribs, bone-side down, directly on the grill grates. Close the lid and smoke until the internal temperature reaches 201°F, about 4 1/2 hours. Add the apple juice to a spray bottle and spritz the ribs after 1 hour of cooking and every 45 minutes thereafter.
• Brush the ribs on both sides with a light layer of Traeger BBQ sauce. Continue cooking until the sauce sets, about 10 minutes.
• Remove the ribs from the grill and let rest for 10 minutes, then slice between the bones into individual ribs. Serve with more Traeger BBQ Sauce. Enjoy!