Smoked Pork Back Ribs

Use this easy recipe for tender, meaty smoked pork ribs. Use back ribs, side ribs or St Louis ribs.

4.23 from 9 votes

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 5 30

Total Time 5 40

Preheat your smoker to 185f.
With 2 racks pork back ribs meat side down, use a rounded butter knife to work between to ribs to pull up the silver skin membrane. Do this on both sets of ribs.
Combine 1 tablespoon coarse ground black pepper, ½ tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, and ½ cup packed brown sugar, in a medium bowl and sprinkle the spices onto the ribs.
Flip the ribs and combine 1 tablespoon coarse ground black pepper, ½ tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon paprika, and ⅓ cup packed brown sugar, before sprinkling on the meaty side of the ribs.
Place your ribs on the smoker meat side down and smoke for 3 hours at 185f.
After 3 hours, flip the ribs meat side up, and increase the temperature to 225f for 1 hour.
Once the ribs have cooked meat side up at 225f for 1 hour, use about a third of the½ cup BBQ sauce to give them a light baste of sauce on the bone side. Cook for another hour at 225f.
Flip the ribs again, meat side up, and give them a quick baste with sauce on the meat side, then turn up your grill to 325f for 30 minutes.
Remove the ribs from the smoker, place them meat side up, and allow them to sit for 5-10 minutes before cutting in between the bones and serving.

I prefer pork back ribs, but this recipe will work with back ribs, side ribs, and St Louis style ribs as well.