Smoked St. Louis Style Ribs Recipe

Nothing better than a delicious rack of smoked St. Louis style spare ribs that are cooked slow and low for the ultimate BBQ flavor.

I believe that bbq requires two things, smoke and time.  With that being said there are several ways to prepare St. Louis style ribs, and everyone has their own way of doing it and if you listen long enough theirs is the only way and the best way.  Of course, it is…

If you’ve never smoked any food before, it’s definitely art form that requires some practice.  Like many famous BBQ chefs say, it takes a whole lot of making bad BBQ to finally make good BBQ.  The most important thing to smoking ribs, is well the fact that you will need a smoker or grill that you can smoke out of.

CHEF TIPS: You can absolutely use a standard charcoal grill to smoke food in, and if you like to grill and smoke then take a look at pellet grills like Traeger or even a stone style grill, the Big Green Egg.

WHAT ARE THE BEST RIBS FOR SMOKING

This question is a little bit controversial and will depend upon where you live in the US.  If you live in St. Louis, Kansas City or Austin you will most likely believe that spare ribs are the best for smoking.  However, if you live in Memphis then you are going to be all about baby back ribs.

In the end, choosing which ribs are best for smoking is going to be up to you.

ST. LOUIS STYLE RIBS VS. BABY BACK RIBS

The difference between spare ribs and baby back ribs is where the at the rib they are cut.  St. Louis style spare ribs are cut at the bottom part of the rib cage closer to the belly, while baby back ribs are cut higher towards the back.  Get it, baby BACK ribs?

CHEF NOTE: Baby back ribs are also known as loin ribs, just in case you hear someone call it that.

St. Louis style ribs are longer and tend to be meatier and a bit fattier which in the end can mean more flavor, since fat does equal flavor.  However, baby back ribs are shorter but are extremely tender.

If you know about cuts of meat, thing about the most tender cut on an animal.  If you guessed the tenderloin, then you would be right.  The baby back ribs are cut back in that similar spot which doesn’t get moved around or worked out that often, which is why they’re so tender.  Again, in the end the choice is yours on what to choose.

CHEF TIPS: As an FYI St. Louis style spare ribs take about 1 to 2 hours longer to cook because they are bigger.  If you are stretched on time, then I would recommend smoking baby back ribs.

BEST WOOD FOR SMOKING RIBS

When it comes to selecting wood for smoking ribs, you should often times think of fruit.  After all, pork and fruit go fantastic together so be sure to keep that in mind.  In addition, the wood used for smoking will depend upon where in the US you live.  For example, Texas is often known for pecan or oak while hickory is synonymous with Memphis BBQ.

• Alder Wood
• Cherry Wood
• Apple Wood
• Peach Wood
• Maple Wood
• Mesquite Wood

CHEF NOTE: While these woods are great for smoking ribs, don’t let this list limit you.  If you are already love smoking with a wood that is not on this list than I implore you to use it when making this ribs recipe.

HOW LONG DO RIBS TAKE TO SMOKE

St. Louis style spare ribs take roughly 6 hours to smoke and about 30-45 minutes to rest, so all in all plan your day well because with prep time you’re looking at about a total of 8 hours.  I know, that’s long but I promise it will be worth it.

CHEF NOTE: Baby back ribs take about 4 hours of smoking time plus 30-45 minutes of rest time.

3-2-1 RIBS

The ever popular 3-2-1 method of smoking ribs really works great and is pretty much full proof.  You simply smoke for 3 hours, wrap in foil and smoke for 2 hours, then finally unwrap and smoke for 1 hour.  It is really that simple and the smoking temperature throughout pretty much stays the same.

WHAT TEMPERATURE ARE RIBS DONE AT

It’s incredibly hard to probe ribs because of the thin cut of meat and bones so close in between, however ribs are done at 190° to 203°.  With that being said it is better to test the doneness by eye and feel.

1. If you pick up the ribs in the center do, they droop down into a u shape and slightly start to split
2. On the back side of the ribs is the meat pulling away from the bone.
3. When gently moving the ribs, the top skin should slightly crack.

CHEF TIPS: Learning these tricks come with time and reps for smoking ribs.  The safest way is definitely by temperature.

RIB MEMBRANE, ON OR OFF

Believe it or not, this part doesn’t matter.  I know that this is contrary to popular believe but the membrane isn’t thick enough to stop the rub, sauce or spritzer from getting through.  I actually kind of like it on because it can help seal in juices and help keep the ribs shape in tact.

SHOULD SMOKED RIBS FALL OFF THE BONE

I’ve been cooking for a long time and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that you like what you like.  With that being said, properly smoked ribs should never fall off the bone.  They should easily pull away from the bone when taking a bite.  This procedure or texture in smoking ribs can also be known as competition ribs.

If you pick up the meat and the bones fall out, you’ve cooked them way too long.

THE BEST RUB FOR RIBS

I definitely recommend using a dry rub when it comes to smoking ribs.  Here is the rub that I used:

• sea salt
• black pepper
• garlic granules
• onion granules
• paprika

Yes, this is an incredibly simple rub but to me is the perfect savory and zesty combination for ribs since I like sweeter BBQ sauces and a spritzer to help balance out the overall flavor of ribs.

CHEF NOTES: You can absolutely use your favorite rub for this ribs recipe, or you can even add additional ingredients such as sugar, brown sugar, cumin, chili powder, or anything else you love and want to put in it.  Get creative!

SPRITZING RIBS

Spritzing ribs is simply spraying them every 30-45 minutes with some sort of liquid, usually vinegar, juice, beer or water, out of a spray bottle to help keep the ribs moist as well as flavor them.  Remember things like vinegar, a.k.a. acid, help breakdown to tenderize and season food.  Here’s what I used.

• 1/3 apple juice
• 1/3 apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 water

CHEF NOTES: This can also be enhanced with other ingredients such as pineapple juice, wine, apple cider or even beer.

CHEF TIPS: Avoid using BBQ sauce because there is so much sugar in it that it can cause your ribs to burn.

DO RIBS NEED TO BE WRAPPED 

Ribs definitely do not need to be wrapped when smoking, however it is recommended.  Wrapping rips in either peach paper or aluminum foil helps to break down the fat and protein while tenderizing it because it is essentially steaming in the foil.

This process will help provide a ton of flavor, tenderness and definitely juiciness to your rib’s recipe.  I am smoking for 3 hours unwrapped and then 3 hours wrapped for this spare ribs recipe.

BBQ SAUCE FOR SMOKED RIBS

As I mentioned earlier, it’s not recommended to use BBQ sauce while smoking because it can burn.  However, it is ok to use some of the sauce and then cut it with some sort of liquid.  I’m not going to add any sauce until it is time to wrap the spare ribs.  Here is what I do for the sauce.

• 1 cup Favorite BBQ Sauce
• 1 cup of the spritzer mixture
• 1 stick of melted unsalted butter

Once this is combined, use a bit of this mixture and rub it into the ribs on both sides and put a little bit on the foil before wrapping.

HOW TO SMOKE ST. LOUIS STYLE SPARE RIBS 

STEP 1: Preheat your smoker using your favorite flavored wood to 240° to 250°.

STEP 2: Remove any sinew, small chunks of fat and the skirt on the back side of the spare ribs it hasn’t already been removed by the butcher.  Set aside.

STEP 3: Make your dry rub and set aside.

STEP 4: Using a small amount of either yellow or Dijon mustard spread a thin layer of it on both sides of the ribs.

STEP 5: Evenly sprinkle your rub all over the rubs ensuring to completely cover it.  CHEF NOTE: Season, do not cake the rub on it.  It should not be a thickly coated rub.

STEP 6: Place the ribs bone side down evenly onto the smoker. CHEF TIP: Sort of scrunch the ribs together once on the smoker to sort of compact them.  This will help seal in juices similar to that of trussing.

STEP 7: Smoke for 1 hour and then spritz 8-10 sprays on the ribs.  Repeat this process every 30 minutes for the next 90 minutes.

STEP 8: After a total of 3 hours of smoking, remove the ribs from the smoker.  Pour about ½ cup of the mixed BBQ sauce all over the ribs and rub it in.

STEP 9: Add about ¼ cup of the mixed BBQ sauce onto the center of a large sheet of heavy-duty foil where the ribs are going to go.

STEP 10: Add the ribs bone side up to the top of the sauce on the foil and wrap them extremely tight by folding over and covering up the ribs.STEP 10: Place the ribs back on the smoker bone side up and cook for 2 ½ to 3 hours or until done.

STEP 11: Remove the ribs from the smoker and let rest in the foil for 30 to 45 minutes before slicing and serving.

CHEF TIP: I like to serve the BBQ sauce on the side instead of saucing them myself before serving.

Thanks, everyone so much for tuning into this smoked spare ribs recipe, I know it’s a lot.  Just remember that it takes a while to get good at smoking food so fail fast and have so much fun during the process.  Don’t forget that making and eating bad BBQ beats a day in the office any day of the week!

Try serving up these ribs with my amazing Vinegar Based Coleslaw Recipe!

STORING AND FREEZING: Store this ribs in a plastic container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.  The ribs also freeze well in a plastic container and can be reheated at low temperatures in the oven with a small amount of liquid and covered in foil.

*If you’re absolutely this loaf of bread then you have to check out my Smoked Country Style Ribs with Mustard BBQ Sauce and be sure to drop me a comment below and a rating if you’ve had the chance to make this amazing bread recipe* 

Don’t forget to watch my step by step video below!

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5 from 5 votes

Smoked St. Louis Style Ribs Recipe

Nothing better than a delicious rack of smoked St. Louis style spare ribs that are cooked slow and low for the ultimate BBQ flavor.

Prep Time45 mins

Cook Time6 hrs

Resting Time45 mins

Total Time7 hrs 30 mins

Course: lunch, Main

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4

Calories: 1415kcal

Author: Chef Billy Parisi

Equipment

• Smoker

Ingredients

For the Rub:

• 2 tablespoons sea salt
• 2 tablespoons black pepper
• 1 tablespoon garlic granules
• 1 tablespoon onion granules
• 2 tablespoons paprika

For the Spritzer and Sauce:

• 1 cup apple juice
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup your favorite BBQ sauce
• 1 stick melted unsalted butter

For the Ribs:

• 2 3 to 3 ½ pound spare ribs trimmed
• 4 tablespoons of yellow or Dijon mustard

Instructions

• Preheat the smoker to 240° to 250°.
• Rub: Combine all of the ingredients and set aside.
• Spritzer: Add the apple juice, cider and water to a spray bottle and shake. Set aside.
• Sauce: In a small sauce pot add in the BBQ sauce, butter and 1 cup of the spitzer mix. Keep warm.
• Rub the mustard all over both sides of the ribs creating a thin layer.
• Next, generously season the ribs on both sides with the rub. SEE NOTES.
• Add the ribs to the smoker and cook for 1 hour. Spray the ribs with 8-10 sprays of the spritzer.
• Repeat this process for the next 90 minutes then cook for 30 more minutes.
• After 3 hours total of smoking time, remove the ribs.
• 1Pour about a ½ cup of the mixed sauce over the ribs and rub it in on all sides.
• 1Add about ¼ cup of the mixed BBQ sauce onto the center of a large sheet of heavy-duty foil where the ribs are going to go and place ribs bone side up to the top of the sauce on the foil and wrap them extremely tight by folding over and covering up the ribs.
• 1Place the ribs back on the smoker bone side up and cook for 3 hours or until they are done. SEE NOTES.
• 1Remove the ribs from the smoker and let rest in the foil for 30-45 minutes before slicing and serving.
• 1Serve ribs with BBQ sauce on the side.

Notes

CHEF NOTES AND TIPS:

• You can absolutely use a standard charcoal grill to smoke food in, and if you like to grill and smoke then take a look at pellet grills like Traeger or even a stone style grill, the Big Green Egg.
• You can absolutely use your favorite rub for this ribs recipe, or you can even add additional ingredients such as sugar, brown sugar, cumin, chili powder, cumin or anything else you love and want to put in it. Get creative!
• SEASONING NOTE: Season, do not cake the rub on it. It should not be a thickly coated rub.
• Remember to scrunch the ribs together once on the smoker to sort of compact them. This will help seal in juices similar to that of trussing.
• DONE NOTE: Here is how you know your ribs are done:
• If you pick up the ribs in the center do, they droop down into a u shape and slightly start to split
• On the back side of the ribs is the meat pulling away from the bone.
• When gently moving the ribs, the top skin should slightly crack.

Nutrition

Serving: 4g | Calories: 1415kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 70g | Fat: 104g | Saturated Fat: 33g | Cholesterol: 350mg | Sodium: 4760mg | Potassium: 1510mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 1900IU | Vitamin C: 1.7mg | Calcium: 135mg | Iron: 6.1mg