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These Smoked Ribs are rubbed with a homemade spice blend before being cooked to tender perfection, then basted with your favorite BBQ sauce!
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Smoked Ribs
This Smoked Ribs recipe is one dish the whole family gets excited for in the summer! My kids enjoy this recipe so much that I often have to make 2 or 3 slabs of ribs just so we can have leftovers the next day for lunch!
With the 4th of July just a few days away, this is the perfect time to share this recipe with y’all! Pair it with all of your favorite side dishes – potato salad, macaroni salad, coleslaw, baked beans, corn on the cob, and watermelon for the perfect summer meal.
Fire up the smoker or grill and let’s make some yummy BBQ Smoked Ribs!
Recipe for Smoked Ribs
- baby back ribs
- paprika
- brown sugar
- black pepper
- salt
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- celery seed
- cayenne pepper
- apple juice
- BBQ sauce
How to Smoke Ribs
- Take the membrane off of the ribs.
- Combine the paprika, brown sugar, pepper, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, celery seed, and cayenne pepper in a bowl and mix well.
- Liberally coat both sides of the ribs with the seasoning mixture.
- Place some newspaper at the bottom of a chimney starter (a tool used to ignite charcoal). Place the charcoal on top of the newspaper. Light the newspaper on fire. Leave coals to burn for about half an hour. At this point, they will be ready to place in the smoker.
- Once the coals are in the smoker, place 1-2 splits of hickory on top of the charcoal. Bring temperature to 225-250 degrees Fahrenheit. You want your smoke to appear blue-ish instead of a thicker white smoke.
- Fill up one or two mini loaf pans with water and place it in the smoker, anywhere you can fit it. We have an offset smoker, so we placed the water in the smaller housing, and the meat in the large housing. However, if you don’t have this, you can place it with the meat.
- Place the rack of ribs inside the smoker and monitor the temperature for 3 hours. Try to leave it closed as much as possible.
- Place the ribs in a large sheet of aluminum foil, cover with half of the BBQ sauce, and pour the apple juice inside the tin foil around the meat. Finish sealing up the meat completely (airtight), and place back in the smoker for another 2 hours.
- Remove the foil, cover with the rest of the BBQ sauce, and place the ribs back in the smoker for 30 minutes to another hour. When the BBQ sauce looks thick and sticky, this is a good indicator that the ribs are ready to be pulled from the smoker.
A few tips for making Pork Smoked Ribs
If you have questions about making this Smoked Ribs recipe, I have answers! Take a look at this section before leaving a comment if you run into trouble or just want some suggestions.
- Why are my ribs tough?
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Most likely, you did not cook them long enough. This can also happen when cooking at too high of a temperature. If you follow this recipe, they won’t be tough!
- Why are my ribs dry?
You probably cooked them too hot and too fast. Follow this recipe for perfectly moist and tender ribs!
- What is the temperature when smoked ribs are done?
The internal temperature should read between 185 – 190 degrees Farenheight.
- Can you freeze smoked ribs?
Yes, you can! The ribs need to be wrapped in aluminum foil, freezer paper, or put into airtight containers. Place foil-wrapped or freezer paper-wrapped ribs into a freezer-safe ziptop bag making sure to remove all of the air. They will be good for 3 months in the freezer.
- How long do smoked ribs last in the refrigerator?
Properly stored fully cooked ribs will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
- How do you reheat smoked ribs?
Preheat your oven to 250˚F. If you cooked your ribs in a sauce, add another layer of sauce to keep the meat moist or add a little liquid, like coke, broth, or beer. Place the ribs in a baking pan and cover with foil. Cook your leftover ribs until their internal temperature comes up to a safe 145˚F. Remove the foil and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes to let the sauce caramelize and add a little crispness back to the bark.
Other recipes you may enjoy
- Grilled Chicken Marinade
- Grilled Shrimp
- Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches
- Grilled Chicken Fresco Tacos
- Spicy Maple Chicken Wings
Smoked Ribs
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 rack baby back ribs
- ¼ cup paprika
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons black pepper
- 3 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons onion powder
- 2 tablespoons celery seed
- 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
- 1 cup apple juice
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Take the membrane off of the ribs.
- Combine the paprika, brown sugar, pepper, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, celery seed, and cayenne pepper in a bowl and mix well.
- Liberally coat both sides of the ribs with the seasoning mixture.
- Place some newspaper at the bottom of a chimney starter (a tool used to ignite charcoal). Place the charcoal on top of the newspaper. Light the newspaper on fire. Leave coals to burn for about half an hour. At this point, they will be ready to place in the smoker.
- Once the coals are in the smoker, place 1-2 splits of hickory on top of the charcoal. Bring temperature to 225-250 degrees Fahrenheit. You want your smoke to appear blue-ish instead of a thicker white smoke.
- Fill up one or two mini loaf pans with water and place it in the smoker, anywhere you can fit it. We have an offset smoker, so we placed the water in the smaller housing, and the meat in the large housing. However, if you don’t have this, you can place it with the meat.
- Place the rack of ribs inside the smoker and monitor the temperature for 3 hours. Try to leave it closed as much as possible.
- Place the ribs in a large sheet of aluminum foil, cover with half of the BBQ sauce, and pour the apple juice inside the tin foil around the meat. Finish sealing up the meat completely (airtight), and place back in the smoker for another 2 hours.
- Remove the foil, cover with the rest of the BBQ sauce, and place the ribs back in the smoker for 30 minutes to another hour. When the BBQ sauce looks thick and sticky, this is a good indicator that the ribs are ready to be pulled from the smoker.
Notes
- I highly recommend using dry rubs like this to add flavor to meat.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
