5 from 51 votes
Smoked St. Louis Style Ribs Recipe
This recipe details how to prepare Smoked St. Louis Style Ribs using a coarse rub made from salt, black pepper, garlic and onion granules, and paprika. The ribs are coated with mustard before applying the rub and then smoked low and slow at 240° to 250° for three hours, with regular spritzes of an apple cider vinegar and apple juice mixture to maintain moisture. A warm butter and barbecue sauce blend is applied toward the end for flavor and tenderness.
Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
6 hrs
Additional Time
45 mins
Total Time
7 hrs 30 mins
Servings:
8
Calories:
64542 kcal
Course:
Main Course, Lunch
Cuisine:
American
Ingredients
For the Rub:
- 2 tablespoons salt coarse
- 2 tablespoons black pepper ground
- 1 tablespoon garlic granules
- 1 tablespoon onion granules
- 2 tablespoons paprika
For the Spritzer and Sauce:
- 1 cup apple juice
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup barbecue sauce your favorite
- 1 unsalted butter stick, melted
For the Ribs:
- 2 3 to 3 ½ pound spare ribs trimmed
- 4 tablespoons yellow mustard or dijon mustard
Instructions
- Preheat the smoker to 240° to 250°.
- Rub: Combine all of the ingredients and set aside.
- Spritzer: Add the apple juice, cider, and water to a spray bottle and shake. Set aside.
- Sauce: In a small saucepot, add the BBQ sauce, butter, and 1 cup of the spitzer mix. Keep warm.
- Rub the mustard all over both sides of the ribs creating a thin layer.
- Next, generously season the ribs on both sides with the rub. See Notes.
- Add the ribs to the smoker and cook for 1 hour. Spray the ribs with 8-10 sprays of the spritzer.
- Repeat this process for the next 90 minutes then cook for 30 more minutes.
- After 3 hours total of smoking time, remove the ribs.
- Pour about ½ cup of the mixed sauce over the ribs and rub it in on all sides.
- 1Add about ¼ cup of the mixed BBQ sauce onto the center of a large sheet of heavy-duty foil or peach paper where the ribs are going to go and place ribs bone side up to the top of the sauce on the foil and wrap them extremely tight by folding over and covering up the ribs.
- 1Place the ribs back on the smoker bone side up and cook for 3 hours or until they are done. See Notes.
- 1Remove the ribs from the smoker and let rest in the foil for 30-45 minutes before slicing and serving.
- 1Serve ribs with BBQ sauce on the side.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Apply the rub generously over mustard-coated ribs to develop a good bark during smoking.
- Use a spray bottle with the apple juice, cider vinegar, and water mixture to spritz the ribs regularly to retain moisture.
- Cook the ribs at a steady 240° to 250° Fahrenheit to achieve tender and flavorful results.
- Wrap ribs tightly in foil or peach paper with sauce after smoking to lock in juices and flavor.
- Ribs can be kept warm in the oven covered with foil at low temperature for serving later.
Nutrition Information
Serving
8g
Calories
645.42kcal
(32%)
Carbohydrates
8.31g
(3%)
Protein
34.84g
(70%)
Fat
51.76g
(80%)
Saturated Fat
16.54g
(83%)
Cholesterol
174.7mg
(58%)
Sodium
2102.82mg
(88%)
Potassium
653.01mg
(14%)
Fiber
1.54g
(6%)
Sugar
4.08g
(8%)
Vitamin A
890.17IU
(18%)
Vitamin C
0.32mg
(0%)
Calcium
54.06mg
(5%)
Iron
2.76mg
(15%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 64542
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 8g | |
| Calories | 645.42kcal | 32% |
| Carbohydrates | 8.31g | 3% |
| Protein | 34.84g | 70% |
| Fat | 51.76g | 80% |
| Saturated Fat | 16.54g | 83% |
| Cholesterol | 174.7mg | 58% |
| Sodium | 2102.82mg | 88% |
| Potassium | 653.01mg | 14% |
| Fiber | 1.54g | 6% |
| Sugar | 4.08g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 890.17IU | 18% |
| Vitamin C | 0.32mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 54.06mg | 5% |
| Iron | 2.76mg | 15% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.