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Smoked Ribs Recipe

Tender, smoky, and packed with bold BBQ flavor, these smoked ribs are infused with a rich spice rub and sweet apple barbeque sauce. Slowly cooked over fruitwood chips, each bite delivers juicy meat that pulls cleanly from the bone—a true backyard classic.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Additional Time 40 minutes
Total Time 5 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 10 people
Calories 827 kcal

Equipment

  • Smoker
  • Wire racks
  • Aluminum foil
  • Small mixing bowl
  • Basting brush
  • Measuring spoons
  • Tongs
  • Plastic wrap

Ingredients
  

Pork Ribs

  • 2 tbsp ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup salt
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 2 tbsp onion powder
  • ¼ cup white sugar
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 2 tbsp packed brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp ground white pepper
  • 1 tbsp ground paprika
  • 10 pounds baby back pork ribs

Sauce

  • ¼ cup barbeque sauce
  • 1 cup apple juice
  • ¼ cup packed brown sugar

Instructions
 

  • Combine salt, white sugar, brown sugar, black pepper, white pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, and cumin in a bowl to make the rub.
  • Generously coat the ribs with this spice blend, wrap them in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, mix apple juice, brown sugar, and barbeque sauce to make your basting sauce.
  • Remove the ribs from the fridge and place them in a single layer on the smoker’s wire racks.
  • Load the smoker pan with apple, grape, pear, or cherry wood chips, then heat it to 270°F (130°C).
  • Smoke the ribs for an hour, then begin basting them with the prepared sauce every 30 to 40 minutes.
  • Continue cooking until the meat shrinks back from the bones and is no longer pink, about 3 to 4 hours in total.
  • Brush on one final layer of sauce, remove the ribs, and wrap them tightly in foil.
  • Let them rest for 10 to 15 minutes so the juices can reabsorb before serving.

Notes

  • Use fruitwood chips for a milder, sweet smoke that complements pork.
  • A digital meat thermometer helps ensure the ribs reach ideal tenderness (around 195–203°F internally).
  • To boost flavor, let the ribs marinate overnight in the rub before smoking.