Pork Spare Ribs

Pork Spare Ribs

Let’s talk barbecue. The best way to get good at smoking meat is to practice with ribs. At around $13.00 per rack, they are a good way to learn your techniques without messing up more expensive slabs of meat like brisket.

Today we are going to learn the “3, 2, 1 method” of smoking Pork Spare Ribs. The 3, 2, 1 method stands for 3 hours of smoking, 2 hours wrapped in foil, and 1 hour developing a good caramelized bark / crust.

If you’ve ever had ribs that were tough, it’s because they didn’t have the opportunity to braise in their own juices during the foil phase.

*Notes:

The colder the meat at the start of the smoke the better. In general, the smoke ring will stop developing in the meat somewhere around 135ºinternal meat temperature. Therefore you don’t want to bring the meat up to room temp prior to smoking (40ºmeat will have longer to absorb smoke to 135ºthan say… 70ºmeat).

There are endless flavor combinations / rubs / sauces / etc. (through experimentation my recipe below has a beautifully sweet and spicy flavor without being overpowered by either).

Once smoking, NO PEAKING!!!

Super Strength Reynolds Wrap is the only foil I have found that will consistently hold up to accidental tears and punctures.

Recipe

Pork Spare Ribs (3-4 servings per rack)

1 rack of Pork Spare Ribs
2 cups Vinegar
2-3 teaspoons Kosher Salt
Aluminum Foil (Super Strength Reynolds Wrap)
Apple Jelly
Sriracha Sauce
Barbecue Sauce (the sweeter the better for a good caramelized crust)

Instructions

• Set up your smoker for a 6 hour smoke.
• Keep ribs in refrigerator until the very last minute.
• Rinse ribs off with vinegar.
• Pat ribs dry with paper towels.
• Salt both sides of ribs liberally.
• Place ribs on smoker for 3 hours at 225º.
• Rip off 3 ft. of aluminum foil.
• Place 3 dollops of apple jelly.
• Drizzle with Sriracha Sauce.
• Remove ribs from smoker and place on aluminum foil bone side down.
• Place 3 more dollops of apple jelly and drizzle again with Sriracha Sauce.
• Roll long sides of aluminum foil together creating a good tight roll.
• Tightly roll open ends of aluminum foil toward rib ends.
• Place ribs back on smoker for 2 hours.
• Remove ribs from smoker and take out of aluminum foil.
• Slather ribs liberally with barbecue sauce.
• Place ribs back on smoker for 1 hour.
• Remove ribs from smoker and serve.

Three Racks Ready to Go 

Apple Jelly & Sriracha Sauce 

More Apple Jelly & Sriracha Sauce

Roll Long Side Together Tightly

Tightly Sealed