Finger licking tender ribs with a hint of smoke and pull-off-the-bone perfection is what these Smoked St. Louis Ribs are all about. Loaded with flavor and sauced just right, you’d better make extra because these will disappear fast!
Table of contents
- What Are St. Louis Ribs?
- What You’ll Need
- The Best Rib Rub For Smoked Ribs
- How Many St. Loius Ribs Per Person
- What’s The Best Wood for Smoking Ribs?
- How To Make The Best Smoked St. Louis Ribs
- How Long Do Ribs Take To Smoke?
- What Goes With Smoked St. Louis Style Ribs?
- Recipe Tips
- Storage Instructions
- More Delicious Smoked Ribs Recipes
- 📖 Full Recipe
- 💬 Drop a comment
It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of smoked meats, and these ribs are some of the best I’ve ever made. They’re tender and pull away from the bone in a satisfying way that lets you mop up all the sauce from the bones.
And, with just the right amount of smoked, these slow-cooked Smoked St. Louis Ribs are just about as good as ribs can get.
What Are St. Louis Ribs?
St. Louis style spare ribs are cut from the pork belly, and the hard breastbone is removed, and while these ribs are flatter and longer than baby back ribs, they’re also fattier, making them some of the tastiest pork ribs around.
These smoked pork ribs also benefit from being less expensive than baby back ribs, so if you’re a baby back rib fan, give these a try!
What You’ll Need
- St. Louis style ribs – 2 racks.
- Salt – Kosher – don’t use too fine a grain or too flakey a salt. Kosher is perfect for this recipe.
- GirlsCanGrill Pork Rub – If you can’t get these spices, see my comments below and my alternative recipe in the recipe card.
- OverTheFireCooking Adobo Honey – See my notes below.
- Sasquatch Fire Rib – See my notes below.
- Mustard – Yellow mustard is fine.
- BBQ sauce – Use your favorite BBQ sauce.
- Wood chips or chunks
The Best Rib Rub For Smoked Ribs
I love using my signature spice blends which are available at Spiceology, but if you can’t get those, you can swap out the spice blends and rubs for brown sugar, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, and black pepper in this recipe.
How Many St. Loius Ribs Per Person
St. Louis style ribs are larger and heavier than baby back ribs, so look for about 1 pound of raw ribs per person (bones included) or about 4-5 rib bones.
What’s The Best Wood for Smoking Ribs?
Delicious ribs pair best with a sweeter, less assertive wood. I love using post oak, pecan, or hickory.
How To Make The Best Smoked St. Louis Ribs
Smoking ribs isn’t difficult; it just takes some time! Start the day before by rubbing the ribs with the spices and letting them sit in the fridge overnight. Then, start smoking the pork ribs a few hours before you plan on eating.
Trim the ribs to remove excess fat and oddly shaped end pieces.
Remove the membrane on the back side of the ribs. Cut a corner of it away from the meat with a sharp knife, then grab the corner with a paper towel and pull it off.
Rub the mustard over the ribs, then mix the spices and spread this dry rub evenly over the ribs.
Wrap the ribs in plastic and refrigerate them overnight.
Heat the grill to 225-250F, and add wood chunks.
Hang the ribs in the smoker and smoke them until they reach 195-200F.
Remove the ribs from the smoker and add coals to heat the grill. Add the grill grate and let it heat up.
Remove the hooks from the ribs, brush the ribs with the BBQ sauce, and sear them meat-side down until the barbecue sauce is thick, tacky, and caramelized.
Take the ribs off the grill, let them rest a few minutes, then cut along the bones to serve.
How Long Do Ribs Take To Smoke?
Every smoker is different as are the racks of ribs. If they’re super cold (just from the fridge) they’ll take longer, too. Give yourself between 5 and 6 hours to make the best smoked pork ribs.
What Goes With Smoked St. Louis Style Ribs?
Anything you want! Seriously though, my favorites are baked potatoes, mac and cheese, corn on the cob (give me all the carbs!) and even fries. Coleslaw, tangy pickles to cut through the richness, and a tasty veggie-packed salad will also pair nicely with this smoked ribs recipe.
Recipe Tips
- When using wood chunks or chips, don’t soak them first.
- If using wood chips, use a smoker box, or for a barrel cooker, put them into a foil pan and replace them with fresh chips every 35 minutes or so.
- Smoke ribs on a rib hook so they get even exposure to the smoke.
- Serve your ribs with additional sauce.
Storage Instructions
If, and that’s a big IF, you have leftover ribs, wrap them tightly and store them in the fridge for 4-5 days.
More Delicious Smoked Ribs Recipes
If you’ve tried my Smoked Bar-B-Q St Louis-Style Ribs recipe, or any other recipe on GirlCarnivore.com please don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know where you found it in the comments below. I get inspired by your feedback and comments! You can also FOLLOW ME on Instagram @girlcarnivore as well as on Twitter and Facebook.
📖 Full Recipe
Smoked St. Louis Style Ribs
Ingredients
- 2 racks St Louis Style Ribs
- 2 tablespoon Salt
- 2 tablespoon GirlsCanGrill Pk Pork Rub
- 1 teaspoon OvertheFireCooking Adobo Honey
- 1 teaspoon Sasquatch Fire Rib
- 4 tablespoon Mustard
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
Instructions
Prep the Ribs
- Trim the ribs to even out the ribs, removing the odd end pieces and any additional areas that need to be removed (untrtimmed fat, etc).2 racks St Louis Style Ribs
- Remove the membrane
- Rub the mustard over the ribs to coat4 tablespoon Mustard
- Mix the spices in a jar2 tablespoon Salt, 2 tablespoon GirlsCanGrill Pk Pork Rub, 1 teaspoon OvertheFireCooking Adobo Honey, 1 teaspoon Sasquatch Fire Rib
- Spread the spice mix over the ribs
- Wrap the ribs in plastic wrap and let sit overnight
Prep the Fire
- Prep the grill for 225 to 250
- Add the wood chunks (Post Oak, Pecan or Hickory)
- Using hooks, pierce the 2nd or 3rd rib down
Smoke the Ribs
- Hang the ribs in the smoker
- Smoke until the ribs reach 195 to 200 degrees F with an instant read thermometer, 2 ½ to 3 hous.
- Carefully remove the ribs from the smoker and add more coals to sear the meat. Add the grill grate and allow the grill to get hot.
Baste with Sauce
- Carefully remove the hooks from the ribs.
- Brush the ribs with the BBQ sauce and place, meat side down for 2 to 5 minutes.1 cup BBQ sauce
- Flip and sear the bone side, basting more bbq sauce on top.
- Allow the sauce to get thick and tacky.
Serve
- Remove the ribs from the smoker and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Slice the ribs along the bones to serve.
- Serve with additional BBQ sauce, if desired.
Diane says
OMG These look so good!!
Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie says
Oh god, I can imagine that smell right now and I think it’s the first time I’ve craved ribs before 9am.
MikeW says
You neglected your grill? How could you?
I remember a friend calling to tell me he was grilling steaks. I had just gotten home, work closed because of an impending blizzard. I drove across town, arrived just before the driving ban took effect. George was crouched over a hibachi on his front porch.
Delicious steaks.
MikeW says
I just noticed, this is from “Big Bob Gibson’s” book. His place is a half hour from us. we’ve been meaning to check it out, now I know I will. That looks delicious!
Kita says
I received this book for Christmas and have about 90 pages tabbed. If I were you I would be at that place tonight ;D
MikeW says
Yes, based on this recipe I have to try Big Bob’s.
I like my BBQ well seasoned & with a complex, spicy, slightly sweet & sticky sauce. That’s not the BBQ style common in Alabama, at least this area. Alabama BBQ that I’ve encountered is slightly smoked, lightly seasoned meats served with simple sauces: a white mayo based sauce; a hot vinegary sauce that is too one dimensional (also, I like vinegar based sauces for basting but not at the table); and a thin red sauce that lacks complexity. There’s nothing wrong with the BBQ places here, they provide a product made with quality ingredients & cooked with care, but their style isn’t what I like.
I have found some BBQ I like here — Mud Creek Fishing Camp Restaurant in Hollywood Alabama (NE Alabama just off of 72) is great, but about an hour from here. However, we can combine this with a stop at the Unclaimed Baggage in Scottsboro where you can buy stuff that people have left on planes — some of the more unusual items are on permanent display.
Jason Smith says
Alright, Ma’am. I actually bought the specific seasonings. I was impressed, the flavor was incredible! I will make these repeatedly!
THANKS!