Wicked Simple Smoked Spare Ribs Recipe with a Tangy, Sweet Glaze

This rib recipe uses a simple salt, pepper, and garlic rub.

BUT it finishes with a super flavor packed rib glaze that’s sweet, tangy, and perfect for fatty spare ribs.

Prep the Rib Glaze First

Combine in a mixing bowl:

• 1.5 cups Ketchup
• 3/4 cup Honey
• 1/2 cup Dark Brown Sugar
• 1 cup Distilled White Vinegar*
• 1.5 cups Water**
• 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup White Sugar
• 1 Tbsp 16 Mesh Black Pepper
• 1 Tbsp Cumin
• 1 Tbsp Granulated Onion
• 1 Tbsp Granulated Garlic

Ensure that the honey, dark brown sugar, and white sugar are fully dissolved; Honey will fall to the bottom so whisk thoroughly.

You also don’t need to heat it but if you do, do so at a low heat.

*If you like Cider Vinegar use instead: 1/2 cup cider vinegar and 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar instead.

**The water is used to thin the sauce; If you were to thin the sauce with vinegar, it would be far too strong.

Take Ribs Out of Package and Score Membrane; Trim as Needed

Pat ribs dry with a paper towel.

If you don’t like the rib membrane, remove it – I opted to score it.

These ribs were pre-trimmed but I trimmed further to how I like them.

Make Rib Rub

This rub is wicked simple but that’s the point of the glaze later.

For 1 rack of St. Louis Spare Ribs:

• 1 Tbsp 16 Mesh Black pepper
• 1/2 Tbsp Morton Kosher Salt
• 1/2 Tbsp Granulated Garlic

Apply this rub to both the meat and bone side of the ribs.

Get Smoker to 250F

Once at temperature, place ribs on the smoker meat side up.

Add your favorite hardwood – I love cherry with ribs so that’s what I used.

Add new chunks of wood every hour.

Smoke Until the Ribs have a Dark Bark (185-190F Internal)

For spare ribs, it will take around 4-5 hours until 185F at 250F.

The point here is to smoke the ribs until they’re near tender – but not entirely tender.

If you’re someone who does the bend test, you want to wrap them just before they start to bend.

If you use internal temperature, this is around 185-190F throughout the entire rack.

Once at this stage, take off the smoker to glaze.

Lay Out Foil to Wrap and Liberally Apply Glaze

Take your glaze and generously apply it to the meat side of the ribs.

Then lay the ribs meat side down in your foil.

Holding Overnight for MORE Tender, Juicy Ribs

Set your oven or smoker to 175F.

Place the wrapped ribs in the smoker/oven, meat side down.

This process “hot holds” the food safely and will allow more of the collagen to break down as they come down in internal temperature.

Dylan, I Don’t Want to Hold Overnight!

No sweat.

Return wrapped ribs to smoker or oven set to 250F.

Cook the ribs wrapped until they’re tender (roughly another hour) – internal temperature of around 200-205F.

Once tender, rest for 15 minutes and enjoy!

The Next Day, Unwrap the Ribs and Slice Between the Bones

Take the ribs out of the wrap.

Slice between the bones and enjoy moist, smoky, tender spare ribs.

Print Pin Recipe

Wicked Simple Smoked Spare Ribs

Simple Rub with a Flavor Packed Glaze

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Active Time4 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

Overnight Hot Hold16 hours hrs

Total Time21 hours hrs

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 rack St. Louis Spare Ribs

Rib Rub

• ▢ 1 tbsp 16 mesh black pepper
• ▢ 1/2 tbsp Morton kosher salt
• ▢ 1/2 tbsp granulated garlic

Rib Glaze

• ▢ 1.5 cups Ketchup
• ▢ 3/4 cup Honey
• ▢ 1/2 cup Dark Brown Sugar
• ▢ 1 cup Distilled White Vinegar
• ▢ 1.5 cups Water
• ▢ 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 1/2 cup White Sugar
• ▢ 1 Tbsp 16 Mesh Black Pepper
• ▢ 1 Tbsp Cumin
• ▢ 1 Tbsp Granulated Onion
• ▢ 1 Tbsp Granulated Garlic

Instructions

• Take ribs out of packaging and pat dry.

  Trim as necessary and score membrane – or remove it if you don't like it.
  1 rack St. Louis Spare Ribs
• Combine rub ingredients and apply to the meat and bone side of the ribs.
  1 tbsp 16 mesh black pepper, 1/2 tbsp Morton kosher salt, 1/2 tbsp granulated garlic

Make Rib Glaze

• In a mixing bowl, combine the ingredients in the specified quantities with a whisk. Ensure the sugars and honey are well combined.
  1.5 cups Ketchup, 3/4 cup Honey, 1/2 cup Dark Brown Sugar, 1 cup Distilled White Vinegar, 1.5 cups Water, 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 cup White Sugar, 1 Tbsp 16 Mesh Black Pepper, 1 Tbsp Cumin, 1 Tbsp Granulated Onion, 1 Tbsp Granulated Garlic

Smoke Ribs

• Get your smoker to 250F.
• Place your ribs on the smoker. Add a chunk of your favorite hardwood – I used cherry.

Take Off the Smoker to Glaze and Wrap

• Once the ribs have a dark bark and they're near tender (around 190F internal), take them off the smoke to glaze.
• Liberally apply rib glaze to the meat side of the ribs.
• Take out a large sheet of aluminum foil and place glazed ribs meat side down.
• Put more glaze on the bone side.
• Wrap tightly, ensuring no steam can escape.

Hot Holding Overnight OR Finishing the Same Day

• If hot holding: Set oven or smoker to 175F; Place wrapped ribs in the holding oven for 16+ hours.

  The next day, take the ribs out of the wrap and let cool for 5 minutes.

  Then slice between the bones and enjoy!

  If finishing the same day: Place wrapped ribs back on the smoker or in the oven set to 250F; Cook for 1 more hour and then check for tenderness (200-205F internal).

  When tender, take the ribs out of the wrap and rest for 15 minutes.

  Then slice between the bones and enjoy.

Notes

If you like Cider Vinegar use instead: 1/2 cup cider vinegar and 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar instead.

The water is used to thin the sauce; If you were to thin the sauce with vinegar, it would be far too strong.