Perfectly tender St. Louis spare ribs using the foolproof 3-2-1 method — 3 hours smoke, 2 hours wrapped, 1 hour sauced.
Prep
20 min
Cook
360 min
Total
390 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Medium
Instructions
Prep the ribs
Remove the membrane from the bone side of each rack by sliding a butter knife under it at one end and pulling it off with a paper towel for grip. Apply mustard as a binder and coat with the rub.
3 hours: Smoke
Set smoker to 225°F with hickory or a mix of hickory and apple wood. Place ribs meat side up on the grate. Smoke for 3 hours undisturbed, spritzing with apple juice every 45 minutes after the first hour.
Pro tip: The bark should be dark and dry to the touch after 3 hours — this is the sign to wrap.
2 hours: Wrap
Lay out two sheets of heavy-duty foil. Place butter slices, a drizzle of honey, and a splash of apple juice on the foil. Place ribs meat side down on top and wrap tightly. Return to smoker at 225°F for 2 hours.
1 hour: Sauce
Carefully unwrap the ribs (save the braising liquid for beans or sauce). Brush both sides with BBQ sauce. Return to the smoker unwrapped for 1 hour at 250°F. Apply a second coat of sauce after 30 minutes.
Check doneness
The ribs are done when the meat has pulled back from the bones about 1/4 inch, the rack bends easily when picked up with tongs (the bend test), and the sauce is tacky and set.
Rest and serve
Rest for 10 minutes. Cut between the bones and serve with extra sauce on the side.
Serving Suggestions
Nutrition per serving
560
Calories
38g
Protein
36g
Fat
20g
Carbs
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Kitchen & BBQ gear
What we use for recipes like this
Coffee & Drinks · French Press
KICHLY French Press, 34 oz Stainless Steel Coffee Press, Silver
$32.99
Kitchen Appliances · Toasters
Proctor Silex 2-Slice Toaster, Red, Wide-Slot Toaster with Bagel, Defrost and Cancel Buttons, 7 Shade Browning Control, Toast Boost, 22661
$32.66
Pit Boss Grills
Meat Probe
$12.99
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