BBQ Pork Ribs

Ingredients

• •1500 g Pork St. Louis ribs
• •50 g Brown sugar
• •15 g Paprika
• •10 g Garlic powder
• •10 g Onion powder
• •5 g Cayenne pepper
• •5 g Black pepper
• •15 g Salt
• •120 ml Apple cider vinegar
• •250 ml BBQ sauce
• •100 g Hickory wood chips

Instructions

1. 1

   Remove membrane from back of ribs: slide a butter knife under the silver skin at one end, work your fingers underneath, then peel off entirely. This critical step allows smoke and sauce to penetrate the meat.

   💡 The membrane is like plastic wrap - nothing gets through it. Remove it or face chewy, flavorless ribs.

2. 2

   Make dry rub: combine 50g brown sugar, 15g paprika, 10g garlic powder, 10g onion powder, 5g cayenne, 5g black pepper, and 15g salt. Mix thoroughly. Apply generously to both sides of ribs, pressing into the meat. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate overnight.

   💡 Overnight is best - the salt draws out moisture while the sugar creates a bark. The Maillard reaction on the surface is where 80% of flavor lives.

3. 3

   Soak hickory wood chips in water for 30 minutes. Preheat smoker to 225°F (107°C) OR if using oven, preheat to 250°F (121°C). Add soaked wood chips to smoker box or place in a foil packet with holes poked in it.

   💡 Low and slow breaks down collagen into gelatin. This is the transformation from tough to tender. Temperature precision matters - stick to 225-250°F.

4. 4

   Place ribs meat-side UP on the smoker grates or in a roasting pan. Smoke/cook for 3 hours, maintaining temperature between 225-250°F. The meat should pull back from the bones about 1/4 inch and have a deep mahogany color.

   💡 Meat-side up prevents the sauce from burning. The 3-hour mark is when the bark develops that perfect crust.

5. 5

   Mix apple cider vinegar with remaining dry rub to create a mopping liquid. After 3 hours, unwrap ribs and brush generously with this mixture. Return to smoker/oven for another 30 minutes. This adds moisture and tang.

   💡 The vinegar mop cuts through the fat and adds brightness. It is the secret technique that separates good BBQ from great.

6. 6

   Brush ribs generously with BBQ sauce on both sides. Return to smoker/oven for final 30-45 minutes until sauce has caramelized into a sticky glaze and internal temperature reaches 195-205°F (90-96°C). The meat should easily pull apart with tongs.

   💡 195-205°F is the collagen breaking point. At this temp, the meat transforms from chewy to melt-in-your-mouth tender.

7. 7

   Remove ribs from heat. Rest for 10 minutes - this allows juices to redistribute throughout the meat. Cut between bones into individual servings. Serve with extra BBQ sauce on the side.

   💡 The 10-minute rest is non-negotiable. Cutting too soon releases all those precious juices onto the cutting board.