This Smoked Ribs Recipe will show you how easy it is to make juicy, fall-off-the-bone ribs right at home. These ribs are seasoned and smoked to perfection.
If you love barbecue, try our tasty 4 ingredient BBQ sauce and grilled barbecue chicken wings.
Table Of Contents
Smoked Ribs Details
- Taste: Since Traeger ribs are smoked, they have that amazing hickory smoked flavor that all the bbq restaurants have. When dipped in bbq sauce, its a match made in heaven!
- Texture: These ribs are juicy and fall off the bone tender. Like seriously! They’re perfectly smoked for a melt-in-your-mouth texture! Simply incredible.
- Ease: This recipe is very easy to make. Just remove the membrane, season the ribs, and let the smoked do all the hard work.
- Time: The prep time for this recipe is incredibly fast, but the smoking takes hours though. Low and slow is that way to go for smoked ribs. So, It’s definitely something you want to make ahead of time.
What you’ll need
- Rack of spare ribs– I get mine at costco
- Seasonings- Kosher salt and Coarse ground black pepper or a combination of the two
- Barbecue sauce- use your favorite (optional)
- Hickory pellets– for the smoker
How to make Smoked Ribs
This is a quick breakdown of this recipe. For more detailed instructions head down to the Full Recipe.
- Prep the spare ribs. First, pat the ribs dry with a paper towel. Then flip them so they are bone-side up and, using a paper towel for grip, pull the membrane off the ribs. Discard.
- Season them. Generously season the ribs with salt and pepper.
- Heat your smoker. Add the hickory pellets to the smoker (I used a Traeger). Then bring the temperature to 225 degrees Fahrenheit and place the ribs on, meat side down, and close the lid.
- Cook. Cook them for 4 1/2 hours, until they have a burnt orange color to the outside.
- Foil wrap the Traeger smoked ribs. Take the spare ribs off the smoker and wrap them in several layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil or butcher paper. Then put them back on the smoker for another 2 hours. If you want to add barbecue sauce, unwrap the ribs 30 minutes before they’re done and coat them with your favorite sauce.
- Rest the ribs. Take the meat off the smoker and let it rest in the foil for at least an hour before serving to allow the meat to reabsorb the juices and make it tender.
- Serve. Serve hot with more barbecue sauce and enjoy!
How long to smoke ribs
The total time to smoke ribs is about 6 1/2 hours. This is done in two stages. First, the ribs are smoked for about 4 1/2 hours, until they reach an orange/barn red color. Then they’re wrapped and put back in the smoker for another 2 hours. This ensures that they are fully cooked and tender.
What is the smoked ribs temperature?
The smoked ribs temperature when done is anywhere from 175-180 degrees Fahrenheit, up to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. While the typical finished temperature for pork is 145 degrees, this is too low for the collagen inside the ribs to melt to a gelatin, which is what gives ribs their delicious texture and chew. So smoking them at 225 degrees Fahrenheit for about 6 1/2 hours will bring them into this perfect smoked ribs temperature range.
Tips for the best Smoked Ribs
- Perfect seasoning- If you want to get the perfect blend of seasoning, try a mix sold at your local barbecue restaurant (that’s what I do).
- Cook until the ribs are orange/red colored- The first half of the cooking lasts for about 4 1/2 hours. Look for a nice barn orange/red color on the outside of the ribs before moving on to the next step.
- Wrap the ribs before finishing the smoking process- This limits the amount of smoke on the surface of the ribs, which gives it better flavor and color in the end, as well as adding moisture and speeding up the time needing to fully cook them.
- Add your sauce at the end– Wait until the last 30 minutes of cooking before you add the barbecue sauce. Otherwise, it will dry and become gummy on the ribs.
- Let it rest- Letting the ribs rest after cooking lets all the juices reabsorb into the meat, adding moisture and making them fall-off-the-bone tender.
What to Serve them with
- Vegetables- Corn on the cob, Crispy Air Fryer Broccoli, Avocado Corn Salad, or Bacon Wrapped Asparagus, among others.
- Bread- Cornbread is always a favorite. Try this Southern Hot Water Cornbread or Moist Buttermilk Cornbread Recipe.
- Other meats- BBQ Wings, BBQ Air Fryer Chicken Legs, Slow Cooker Beef Brisket Sandwiches, or Crispy Air Fryer Bacon are all great options.
How to Store and Reheat Smoked Ribs
Store these smoked ribs in the refrigerator wrapped in foil or in an airtight container (for best results). They will last for 3-5 days. To reheat them, just wrap the ribs in foil and place them back on the smoker or in a 225 degree Fahrenheit oven until warmed through. Then remove the foil and reapply the barbecue sauce before serving.
More savory recipes to enjoy!
- Easy BBQ Wings Recipe
- Easy Homemade Barbecue Meatballs
- BBQ Air Fryer Chicken Legs
- Crispy Air Fryer Bacon
- Ribeye Steak Recipe
Full Recipe Instructions
Smoked Ribs Recipe
This Smoked Ribs Recipe is easy and utterly delicious. These tender smoked spare ribs are so juicy, they just fall off the bone.
Print Pin Rate Servings: 8
Calories: 27kcal
Ingredients
- 1 rack of spare ribs
- Kosher salt
- Coarse ground black pepper
- BBQ sauce of choice optional
- Hickory pellets
Instructions
- Start off by patting the ribs dry with a paper towel. Then flip the ribs so they are bone-side up. Use a sheet of paper towel to help grip the membrane as you pull it off of the ribs. Then discard the membrane.
- Now generously season the ribs with kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper. I just buy a blend of salt and pepper from a local barbecue restaurant.
- Add your hickory pellets to the smoker (I use a Traeger). Then bring the temperature to 225 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the ribs on (meat side down) and close the lid. Cook for about 4 1/2 hours. You want to look for a burnt orange color on the outside of the ribs.
- Now take the spareribs off of the smoker and wrap them in several layers of heavy-duty foil or butcher paper. Then put the wrapped ribs back onto the smoker at the same temperature for another 2 hours. Tip: if you want to add barbecue sauce, unwrap the ribs at the last 30 minutes and generously coat them in your favorite barbecue sauce.
- Then take the meat off the smoker and let it rest in foil for at least 1 hour before serving. This will allow the meat to reabsorb the juices and moisture and make it fall off the bone tender.
- Serve hot with more barbecue sauce.
Notes
RECIPE TIPS
- Perfect seasoning- If you want to get the perfect blend of seasoning, try a mix sold at your local barbecue restaurant (that’s what I do).
- Cook until the ribs are orange colored- The first half of the cooking lasts for about 4 1/2 hours. Look for a nice burnt orange color on the outside of the ribs before moving on to the next step.
- Wrap the ribs before finishing the smoking process- This limits the amount of smoke on the surface of the ribs, which gives it better flavor and color in the end, as well as adding moisture and speeding up the time needing to fully cook them.
- Add your sauce at the end– Wait until the last 30 minutes of cooking before you add the barbecue sauce. Otherwise, it will dry and become gummy on the ribs.
- Let it rest- Letting the ribs rest after cooking lets all the juices reabsorb into the meat, adding moisture and making them fall-off-the-bone tender.
Nutrition
Calories: 27kcal | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 8mg | Potassium: 24mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 1mg
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Hi, I’m Dina, so glad you stopped by! I believe life is too short for bad coffee and boring meals. With my easy to follow step-by-step recipes, you’ll be surprised at how quickly a wholesome and delicious meal can come together. I hope you find something you enjoy!
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