240 minutes
Tender and flavorful Memphis-style barbecue ribs with a tangy vinegar mop sauce.
St. Louis–style Spareribs, trimmed
0 lb
cups
tablespoons
Wood Chips, soaked in water for 15 minutes and drained
cups
tablespoons
Light brown sugar, packed
tablespoons
tablespoons
teaspoons
teaspoons
teaspoons
teaspoons
teaspoons
teaspoons
1. Preparing the Ribs and Mop Sauce
Begin by mixing all the spice rub ingredients in a bowl: paprika, light brown sugar, salt, chili powder, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and dried thyme. Sprinkle this spice rub generously over both sides of the ribs, pressing it in to ensure it adheres well. Set the ribs aside to let the spices do their magic. In a small bowl, combine the apple juice and cider vinegar to create your mop sauce. Set this aside for later use.
2. Setting up the Grill
For a charcoal grill, open the bottom vent halfway and arrange about 15 unlit briquettes on one side of the grill. Place a disposable aluminum roasting pan filled with one inch of water on the other side. Light a chimney starter filled with about a third of the briquettes, and once they are hot and ashy, spread them over the unlit coals. Add the soaked wood chips directly onto the coals, set the cooking grate in place, cover the grill, and adjust the vents to maintain a temperature of 250-275°F. Let the grill preheat until it is hot and smoking, about five minutes. For a gas grill, place the soaked wood chips in a disposable pie plate with ¼ cup of water and position it over the primary burner. Place another pie plate filled with one inch of water over the other burners. Preheat the grill on high until the wood chips start to smoke. Then, adjust the burners to maintain a temperature of 250-275°F.
3. Grilling the Ribs
Clean and oil the cooking grate to prevent sticking. Place the ribs, meat side down, on the cool side of the grill directly over the water pan, and cover the grill. Cook the ribs for about 1.5 hours, basting them with the apple juice mixture and flipping and rotating them halfway through to ensure even cooking.
4. Finishing in the Oven
Preheat your oven to 300°F during the last 20 minutes of grilling. Transfer the ribs, meat side up, to a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. Brush them with the apple juice mixture and add a bit of water to the baking sheet to keep the ribs moist. Bake the ribs in the oven for about 1 hour, then brush them with the remaining apple juice mixture. Continue baking for another 1 to 2 hours until the ribs are tender and the meat reaches an internal temperature of 195-200°F.
5. Resting and Serving
Once the ribs are done, transfer them to a cutting board and tent them with foil. Let them rest for about 15 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. Finally, cut the ribs between the bones and serve them up to your eagerly waiting guests.
The slow cooking process used for the ribs is fundamental and can be applied to various cuts of meat. Whether you're using a smoker, grill, or oven, the key is to maintain a consistent low temperature to ensure the meat is tender and juicy. You can use this technique with pork shoulder for pulled pork, beef brisket, or even chicken.
Use the same rub and slow-cook a pork shoulder, then shred it and mix with a modified mop sauce that's thicker and sweeter.
The dry rub you've learned for the ribs can be altered for different meats. For example, you can add more sugar for cuts that can handle a sweeter profile like pork belly, or increase the heat with additional cayenne for a spicier kick suitable for chicken wings.
The tangy vinegar sauce can be personalized by adjusting the level of sweetness, acidity, or spice. You can also infuse it with different herbs or substitute the vinegar with citrus for a fresher twist. This sauce can be used not only on ribs but also as a basting sauce for grilled vegetables or as a dressing for a barbecue-inspired salad.
After the ribs are smoked and tender, give them a quick char on a hot grill to caramelize the exterior for a crispy, burnt-end effect.
Select pork spare ribs for authentic Memphis-style barbecue, as they are meatier and have more fat for flavor and tenderness after long cooking.
Cook the ribs using indirect heat at a consistent temperature of 225°F to 250°F for even cooking and tender meat.
Let the ribs rest wrapped in foil for 10 to 15 minutes after cooking to allow juices to redistribute for a juicy, flavorful bite.
Always remove the membrane from the back of the ribs to allow flavors to penetrate and to avoid chewiness, and trim excess fat.
Ribs are done when meat has shrunk back from the bones about half an inch and the rack bends at the contact point when lifted with tongs.
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