Sprig Originals's kitchen / Smoked St. Louis Ribs with Apple Juice Spritz
Smoked St. Louis Ribs with Apple Juice Spritz
By Sprig Originals · with credit
Adapted from heygrillhey.com
Worked out from this recipe's ingredients. If you're cooking for an allergy, always read the full ingredient list.
A rack of St. Louis spare ribs rubbed with brown sugar seasoning and smoked low and slow until the meat pulls clean off the bone with a gentle bite. Five ingredients, one long afternoon, and no foil wrap needed.
Ingredients
Ribs
- 1 rack St. Louis cut pork spare ribs
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons sweet brown sugar BBQ rub
For the cook
- 1 cup apple juice, in a spray bottle
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Set up your smoker or grill for indirect heat and bring it to a steady 275°F. Apple, cherry, or peach wood gives a sweeter smoke; hickory or oak will push it more savory and bold. Any of them work here.
- Pat the rack dry with paper towels. Trim off any thick flaps of surface fat, then flip the ribs bone side up and peel away the thin silverskin membrane — grip it with a paper towel and pull it off in one sheet.
- Smear a thin coat of yellow mustard over both sides of the rack, just enough to make the surface tacky. Season generously all over with the sweet BBQ rub, including the edges.
- Lay the ribs meat side up directly on the grates. Close the lid and leave it shut for a full hour — no peeking, that first hour is when the smoke sets the bark.
- After that hour, spritz the ribs all over with apple juice. Keep spritzing every 45 to 60 minutes for the rest of the cook, working quickly so the temperature stays put. Total cook time runs about 4 1/2 to 5 hours.
- In the last 30 minutes, brush a thin layer of BBQ sauce over the top and let it tighten up in the smoke. The ribs are ready when the rack bends and cracks slightly as you lift it with tongs and the meat between the bones reads 195–200°F for a clean bite-through, or 200–203°F if you want them falling off the bone.
- Pull the rack off the smoker and rest it, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Slice between the bones and serve with extra sauce.
Chef's tips
- A leave-in probe thermometer saves you from opening the lid to check. Push the tip into the meat between two bones, avoiding contact with the bone itself.
- If the bark looks dark early but the ribs aren't tender yet, wrap the rack in foil with a splash of apple juice for the next hour, then unwrap to firm the bark back up before saucing.
- Keep the smoker as close to 275°F as you can — big temperature swings are what turn a rack tough. Adjust vents in small increments and give the fire time to respond.
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
780calories
42gprotein
38gcarbs
48gfat
Estimates only — values vary with brands and portions.
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