Smoked Spare Ribs

Competition-quality St Louis spare ribs on a Weber kettle. Membrane off, a sweet and savory rub, smoked at 275°F then wrapped with honey and butter until tender.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American BBQ

Keyword smoked spare ribs, st louis ribs, weber kettle ribs

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 3

Total Time 3 20

Servings 3 Servings

Equipment

Weber kettle
Slow and Sear or charcoal baskets
Boning knife
Instant-read thermometer

Ingredients

Ribs

1 rack St Louis cut spare ribs, about 3.5 lb
your favorite BBQ rub something sweet and savory with a little heat

Wrap

honey
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1-2 oz apple juice
1 oz vinegar sauce such as Blues Hog

Instructions

Trim

Trim the brisket bone and excess fat. Remove the membrane from the back, pulling it off in one piece across the first bone.
Square up the rack so it fits the kettle and the bones cook even.

Season

Apply a medium coat of your favorite BBQ rub on the back, let it set 15 minutes, flip and season the top. No binder.
Let it set another 15 minutes so the rub rehydrates.

Smoke

Set the Weber kettle at 275°F with small chunks of hickory or pecan, no soaking.
Smoke about an hour, flip, and cook another 20 minutes or so until the bark sets and does not come off on your finger.

Wrap and Finish

Lay out foil with honey, the half stick of butter, 1 to 2 oz apple juice and about 1 oz vinegar sauce. Set the ribs bone side up and wrap tight.
Back on at 275°F for 40 minutes to an hour.
Unwrap and let the ribs set a few minutes. Look for pullback on the bones and a clean bite, not falling off the bone. Slice and serve.

Video

Notes

Tenderness, not fall off the bone. You want a clean bite with a little pullback. Keep the kettle steady at 275°F, small swings are fine, big swings are not.