Rib rub ingredients: for approximately 10 lbs
- 1/4 cup salt
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Optional: substitute for paprika according to taste
- 1 teaspoon sweet chili powder, or
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Technique:
1) Prepare ribs by trimming excess fat greater than 1/4 inch and removing membrane
2) Place rub on ribs, wrap in cellophane, and refrigerate 1-2 hours
3) Unwrap and place ribs on grill rack in smoker rib side down, meaty side up
4) Place apple wood chips in smoker tray with water pan for moisture
5) Smoke for 2 hours at 180-200 degrees, adding one cup of wood chips every ~30-45 min
6) Baste with sauce, turn over, smoke for 2 more hours at 200 degrees
7) Lightly sauce ribs again, wrap in foil meaty side down and place in smoker at 250 degrees for 1 hour
8) Reduce heat to 225 for the remaining hour
9) Remove from smoker and let rest in foil for 20-30 minutes to cool
Optional: Less juicy, more intense apple smoke flavor
8) Unwrap from foil and place meaty side up at 225 degrees. Add 1 cup of wood chips
9) Remove from smoker, sauce lightly, wrap in foil to absorb sauce, and let rest for 20 minutes
Total time is approximately 6 hours of heat and smoke and 20-30 minutes of rest. Variations around this technique will produce effects such as drier ribs with more intense smokey flavor, less pork flavor, and bring out more of the other optional spices if applied.
The sauce is a mixture of Bourbon BBQ sauce and apple juice to keep the ribs from drying out while in the smoking process.
NOTE: The temperature gauge is on the door of my smoker and not directly in the meat. Check the safe food temperature guide when using your smoker to achieve the proper temperature of the meat..
