Texas-Style Smoked Spare Ribs Recipe

Lots of spots in Texas aren't using just "Salt and Pepper." Typically it's salt, pepper, AND some form of seasoning salt + a simple syrup finish.

By Dylan Clay

December 19, 2024

Jump to the Recipe

Rack of Texas-style smoked spare ribs with a dark, peppery crust and a glossy, caramelized surface, resting on a blue cutting board. The ribs have a rich, smoky appearance with visible seasoning, highlighting their savory flavor

Take Ribs Out of Packaging and Score Membrane

Trimming isn’t as aggressive in Texas, the only stuff to remove are:

Breast bone (Sternum or “chine”)
Flap meat

Below is my diagram of a St. Louis Cut.

Instead of a St. Louis Cut the only “thing” you’re removing is the sternum (the dotted line) and the flap meat.

Raw Texas-style spare ribs laid out on butcher paper, with sections labeled for different cuts, including rib tip, center cut ribs, small bones, sternum, and flap meat. The image serves as a guide for trimming and identifying parts of the rib rack

Not all full racks of spare ribs will have the breast bone (mine for this recipe didn’t) but most will have the flap.

Just glide your knife under it, like this:

Close-up of a raw rack of ribs on butcher paper with a knife lifting the flap meat on the bone side, demonstrating the trimming process.

Then score or remove the membrane.

Rub for “Texas Style” Spare Ribs

This is enough for 2 racks of spare ribs:

2 tbsp 16 Mesh Black Pepper
2 tbsp Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
1/2 tbsp Celery Salt
1/2 tbsp Achiote Powder OR Paprika

Apply a light layer to the bone side and a heavy layer to the meat side.

Optionally, you could use a seasoned salt instead of the celery salt and achiote powder.

Use instead 1 tbsp of:

Lawry’s seasoned salt
Fiesta season-all
My copycat Lawry’s
My seasoned salt

Get Your Smoker to 225-250F and Put Ribs on Indirect

I used post oak and cherry.

I added a piece of post-oak every hour for 4 hours.

Rack of seasoned Texas-style spare ribs placed on a smoker grill over indirect heat, with charcoal and wood below to infuse a smoky flavor. The ribs have a dry rub coating, ready for slow smoking

Once Bark is Set and is Dark, Wrap Ribs

Use either foil or paper.

To either, spritz the surface with water.

Then return ribs to your smoker or your oven set to 250F for 1 hour.

After Being Wrapped for 60 Minutes, Start Tenderness Checking

If the ribs aren’t tender in 1 hour, check tenderness every 30 minutes.

I cooked the ribs wrapped for a total of 1 hour and 30 minutes.

When tenderness checking use:

Bend Test
Tear Test
Probe Test

Take the rack and bend it at about the 5th rib, if it flexes at a 45 degree angle, it’s tender.

A person holds a rack of smoked ribs with tongs, performing a bend test to check tenderness. The ribs have a dark, caramelized crust and are curved, indicating they are cooked to a tender, juicy consistency

Then tear meat near a bone – if it tears cleanly, it’s tender.

Then probe between the bones – if it feels like it’s sliding through softened butter, they’re tender.

If you like your ribs “fall off the bone” – cook wrapped until the internal temperature is 212F+ throughout the rack.

Then allow the ribs to rest 15 minutes before slicing and eating.

OPTIONAL: While the Ribs Rest, Finish With a Simple Syrup Glaze

In a pot over medium heat combine:

1/2 Cup Water
1/2 Cup White Sugar

You could also add 2 tbsp of your favorite BBQ sauce.

Whisk until the sugar dissolves.

Bring to a slight boil.

Once boiling, cut the heat.

Allow the syrup to cool and then transfer to a squeeze bottle.

While ribs rest, squeeze this mixture onto the ribs.

Lots of spots in Texas will do this – the sauce isn’t overly sweet, it’s just a nice compliment to the super peppery rub, pork, and smoke.

Print Pin Recipe