Smoked Pork Short Ribs Recipe: Brisket Bark-Style!

This recipe takes inspiration from Wilson’s BBQ who got the idea from Mum Foods in Austin, TX.

Instead of using regular Spare Ribs though, this recipe uses Pork Short Ribs – meaning they’re even fattier, juicier and bark-ier(?!).

Rub to Make for Pork Short Ribs (for a Brisket-like Bark)

Both of these are ingredients are eye-balled but these are safe amounts to measure:

• 1/2 tablespoon Morton Kosher salt*
• 2-3 Tablespoons 16 Mesh Black pepper**

Apply the salt first and then apply the pepper.

Don’t worry much about the bone side, almost all the meat is on top of the bones.

Get the Smoker to 225-250F

Once your smoker is at temperature, add a chunk of your favorite hardwood.

I prefer cherry with pork so I added a chunk every 60-90 minutes.

Wrap the Ribs When the Bark is Dark

All we’re waiting for is for the bark to be a dark mahogany color.

If you’re into internal temperature, this is at around 175-180F-ish.

Wrap tightly with foil (meat side facing up) and then return to the smoker or your oven set to 250F.

DON’T wrap with any liquids and don’t wrap meat side down.

Doing so will wash pepper off the bark; There will be more than enough moisture build-up within the wrap to do its job.

Checking for Tenderness

With a probe thermometer or a tooth pick, poke between the bones.

It should be like you’re gliding in and out of the meat with ZERO effort.

If there is any resistance, they need to keep cooking wrapped.

Typically ribs will finish within the internal temperature range of 195-205F to be bite off the bone.

While Resting, Glaze with Maple Syrup

Once probe tender, take the wrapped ribs off your smoker and then open the wrap.

On the meat side, apply a light layer of Maple Syrup.

If you can, look for “Last Run”, real maple syrup; This will have the strongest “maple” flavor.

Take a basting brush and brush the maple syrup all over the ribs and then re-wrap and rest for 15 minutes.

After resting, slice between the bones and enjoy!

You’ll notice these ribs look similar to Dino ribs when sliced and they have bark that’s similar to brisket.

The sugar from the syrup also helps cut through the richness of the meat and also tempers some of the peppery flavor that remains.

Print Pin Recipe

Smoked Pork Short Ribs

Brisket-like Bark with a Sweet Finish

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Active Time6 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Resting Time15 minutes mins

Total Time7 hours hrs

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 Rack Pork Short Ribs

Rub

• ▢ 1/2 tbsp Morton Kosher Salt
• ▢ 2 tbsp 16 Mesh Black Pepper

Rib Glaze

• ▢ 1 tbsp Real Maple Syrup

Instructions

• Take ribs out of packaging and pat dry with paper towel.
• Take your kosher salt and salt both sides (meat and bone). Roughly 1/2 tbsp is enough for 1 rack of pork short ribs.
• Take your 16 mesh black pepper and lightly apply to bone side and liberally apply to meat side. The goal with the 16 mesh is to completely cover the meat.

  Roughly 2-3 tablespoons is enough to cover the surface of the ribs.
• Get smoker to 225-250F.
• Once at temperature, place ribs on smoker. I used Cherry wood and added a new wood chunk every 60-90 minutes.
• Smoke the ribs until you're happy with the bark. OR until the internal is 175-180F.
• Once you're happy with the bark, wrap in foil, bone side down and return the wrapped ribs to the smoker, meat side up.

  Do not add any liquid to the wrap as it will wash away pepper. Simply wrap tightly in foil.
• After an hour, start checking for tenderness. Probe between the bones – the thermometer should go in and out with NO resistance.

  Typically ribs will be bite-off the bone tender at 195-205F.
• Once tender, grab some maple syrup and a basting brush and apply the syrup to the bark.

  Once applied, re-wrap with foil and rest for 15 minutes.
• After 15 minutes, slice between the bones and enjoy!