Oak-Smoked Greek Pork Ribs with Honey-Lemon Glaze

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Two racks of baby back ribs get a heavy oregano-garlic rub and five-plus hours over oak smoke at 250°F, then a quick honey, lemon and red wine vinegar glaze that sets sticky right on the grate. Everything in the rub is already in your cupboard, and the smoker does all the work while you get on with your day.

Ingredients

• 2 racks baby back pork ribs (about 4 lb total)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 4 chunks oak wood chunks (or apple wood)

• 2 lemons (zest of 1, juice of both)
• 1/3 cup honey
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter

Instructions

1. Pat the ribs dry and slide a butter knife under the papery membrane on the bone side of each rack, then pull it off with a paper towel. Rub the racks all over with the olive oil, then mix the oregano, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper and pack it onto both sides. Leave at room temperature while the smoker heats.
2. Set up your smoker for indirect cooking at 250°F (120°C) and add 2 oak wood chunks to the coals or wood tray. Wait for the smoke to run thin and blue-grey before the ribs go on — thick white smoke will make them bitter.
3. Lay the racks bone-side down on the grate, not touching, and smoke for 3 hours at 250°F, adding the remaining 2 oak chunks after the first hour. Don't open the lid otherwise; the bark needs the steady heat to set.
4. Tear off two large sheets of heavy foil. Put a rack on each, dot with the butter divided between them, drizzle over the juice of both lemons, and wrap tightly. Return to the smoker and cook another 2 hours, until a probe slides into the meat between the bones with almost no resistance and the internal temperature reads 200–203°F (93–95°C).
5. While they finish, whisk the honey, lemon zest, red wine vinegar and 1 tsp of the leftover rub (or a pinch each of oregano and salt) in a small bowl until smooth.
6. Carefully open the foil, pour the juices into a cup, and move the racks back onto the bare grate meat-side up. Brush generously with the honey-lemon glaze and smoke uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, until the glaze is tacky and no longer runs and the internal temperature holds at 203°F (95°C).
7. Rest the racks on a board for 15 minutes, brush with a spoonful of the reserved foil juices, then slice between the bones and serve.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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