I’m reasonably sure that my dad could make a living cooking things. His tailored smoker has seen its fair share of cooking endeavors. For years the Mayfield-Fisher Fourth of July Hog Cookin’ was a must-attend for many of our friends. My earliest accounts of this party (it started when I was not yet 1) were two whole hogs thrown on a pit and cooked to pulled-pork perfection.
The interesting thing that Dad discovered around year 23 of this party was this: by cooking the whole hog all at once, you are basically ruining the ribs. Ribs cook much faster, and if they are still attached to said piggy . . . then they’ll be mired in drippings and rendered inedible. Needless to say, the Fourth of July party menu got even better when they decided to order the hog already quartered and cooked the ribs separately.
Some like ’em dry, some like ’em wet. If you have some wet revelers coming over for dinner, maybe whip up a batch of BBQ Sauce (recipe here) for them to pour over their ribs when you serve them.
3–4 pounds (2 kg) pork spare ribs
1 cup (240 ml) dry rub (see pages 118–119 for recipes)
- Begin by pulling the filmy membrane off the back of the ribs. Spread the dry rub all over.
- Once covered, place in refrigerator for 2–3 hours (you can leave them overnight if you want). Remove and allow to come to room temperature.
- Get your grill or smoker running at around 250°F (120°C) with no direct heat to the meat. If you have soaked wood chips, use them. Place a drip pan under your meat underneath your cooking rack filled halfway with water.
- Place ribs meaty side up onto your rack and over pan. After 1 hour of smoking, flip ribs over.
- Allow to cook for 1 more hour and then pull ribs from grill. Cover in aluminum foil and put back in the smoker for 1 more hour.
- Pull from grill and let sit for 10 minutes before cutting into serving sizes.
Variation—You can use baby back ribs for this recipe too.
Tips & Tricks—Don’t have a smoker yet? Use your oven with the heat set to the same specifications and follow instructions as if in a smoker.
Ingredient Notes—Use one of the dry rubs from our book or create your own. We always have some dry rub sitting around waiting for the smoker.
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Smokin' good pork spare ribs are a low-and-slow weekend project that pays off in full. The membrane comes off, a full cup of dry rub goes on, and the ribs spend hours over indirect heat with soaked wood chips until the meat pulls clean from the bone.
Pro Tips
- Pull the filmy membrane off the back of the ribs before anything else — it blocks smoke and seasoning from the meat and turns chewy instead of tender.
- Rub the ribs and refrigerate them 2–3 hours, or overnight if you have the time; the rub draws out moisture and forms a crust that becomes the bark.
- Keep the smoker at a steady 250°F (120°C) with no direct heat under the meat, and set a water-filled drip pan below the rack to keep the cooking chamber moist.
- The foil wrap for the final hour steams the ribs tender, while the first hour meaty side up and the flip keep the seasoning even on both sides.
- Rest the ribs 10 minutes before cutting into serving sizes — slicing straight off the smoker lets all the juices run out onto the board.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do these spare ribs take to smoke?
Plan for about 3 hours of hands-off smoking at 250°F (120°C): an hour unwrapped, a flip and another hour, then a final hour wrapped in foil before a 10-minute rest.
Can I use baby back ribs instead?
Yes, but they're leaner and smaller, so shorten the wrapped stage and watch the internal temperature — they can dry out faster than meaty spare ribs.
What's the best wood for smoking pork ribs?
Hickory and apple are classic for pork — hickory for a stronger, bacon-like smoke, apple for a sweeter, milder profile. Soak the chips so they smoulder rather than flare.
How do I keep the ribs from drying out?
The water-filled drip pan, the mid-cook foil wrap, and the final rest are the three keys. Keep the lid closed as much as possible so the humidity stays in the chamber.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- Once covered, place in refrigerator for 2–3 hours (you can leave them overnight if you want).
- Remove and allow to come to room temperature.
- Place ribs meaty side up onto your rack and over pan.
- After 1 hour of smoking, flip ribs over. Ingredient Notes—Use one of the dry rubs from our book or create your own. We always have some dry rub sitting around waiting for the smoker.
