Sign in to see ingredients
Create a free account to unlock this content
Don't have an account? Sign up free
Per serving
Calculating nutrition...
- 1
Fire up the smoker
Get your smoker running steady at 250 degrees F. Wood matters here: hickory or oak for classic BBQ flavor, apple or cherry if you want it a touch sweeter. The smoke is an ingredient — treat it like one.
- 2
Trim the rack
Square up both ends and take off the tail where the meat thins out and the bones spread apart. Feel for the thick ridge of bone along the top edge and slide your knife under it to remove it at an angle. Flip the rack and pull the thin flap of meat off the back. Then work a butter knife under the membrane, grab it with a paper towel, and peel it off slow. Leave that membrane on and smoke can't get in — don't skip it.
- 3
Season all sides
Mix the brown sugar, paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Sprinkle it on every side of the rack — top, bottom, and edges. You want a little sweet, a little heat, and a good hit of salt. That's it. No slather needed on spares; they have enough surface moisture to hold the rub.
- 4
Smoke — no spritzing, no wrapping, no peeking
Put the ribs on the smoker bone side down and leave the lid shut for at least 4 hours. Every time you open that lid you dump your heat and stretch the cook. After 4 hours, start checking: you're looking for an internal temp of 200-205 degrees F in the meat between the bones. Total cook runs 4.5 to 5.5 hours at 250.
- 5
Check for doneness, then rest
Use the bend test — pick up the last three bones with tongs and give a slight bend. The surface should start to split and shred. You'll also see the meat pulled back from the bone ends. When they pass, pull them and rest 15 minutes on a cutting board before slicing between the bones.
Sign in to see all instructions
Create a free account to unlock this content
Don't have an account? Sign up free
No-Wrap Smoked Spare Ribs
Created by: SmokeRingSteve
Ingredients
- 1 rack pork spare ribs
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp coarse black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
Instructions
- Fire up the smokerGet your smoker running steady at 250 degrees F. Wood matters here: hickory or oak for classic BBQ flavor, apple or cherry if you want it a touch sweeter. The smoke is an ingredient — treat it like one.
- Trim the rackSquare up both ends and take off the tail where the meat thins out and the bones spread apart. Feel for the thick ridge of bone along the top edge and slide your knife under it to remove it at an angle. Flip the rack and pull the thin flap of meat off the back. Then work a butter knife under the membrane, grab it with a paper towel, and peel it off slow. Leave that membrane on and smoke can't get in — don't skip it.
- Season all sidesMix the brown sugar, paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Sprinkle it on every side of the rack — top, bottom, and edges. You want a little sweet, a little heat, and a good hit of salt. That's it. No slather needed on spares; they have enough surface moisture to hold the rub.
- Smoke — no spritzing, no wrapping, no peekingPut the ribs on the smoker bone side down and leave the lid shut for at least 4 hours. Every time you open that lid you dump your heat and stretch the cook. After 4 hours, start checking: you're looking for an internal temp of 200-205 degrees F in the meat between the bones. Total cook runs 4.5 to 5.5 hours at 250.
- Check for doneness, then restUse the bend test — pick up the last three bones with tongs and give a slight bend. The surface should start to split and shred. You'll also see the meat pulled back from the bone ends. When they pass, pull them and rest 15 minutes on a cutting board before slicing between the bones.