Dang! These Smoked Rib Recipes Are Great! Enjoy Some Smoky Ribs Today! (2024)

When it comes to smoked rib recipes, there are three important things you need to know - how to prepare ‘em, how to season ‘em, and how to smoke ‘em. As far as eating them goes, I think everyone has that figured out!

There are not many things that people enjoy more than sitting down to a big plateof smoky, tender ribs... but first, you have to do the smoking.

Types of Ribs for Smoking

There are a few different types of ribs, and all are great when smoked.You have pork spare ribs, baby back ribs, and country style ribs.

Andthere are rib tips, and the trimmed-cuts of the whole spare rib slab -the St. Louis style and Kansas City style ribs.

And that’s just the porkribs. From beef you get the back ribs and several different types ofshort ribs.

Pork spare ribs and baby back ribs are best when cooked until tender,but not falling-off-the-bone. Sure, they taste good that way too, butperfectly cooked they should have a little “pull” to them- the meatseparates from the bone easily, but still holds it shape and has alittle bit of chew.

Pork country style ribs can be smoked until well done, or taken off sooner. Often these ribs are tender when the meat reaches its minimum safe done temperature of 145 degrees.

Beef ribs are best when well cooked. There’s more connective tissue in the beef ribs and the long cooking time really makes them tender. It also makes the ribs a lot more tasty.

To learn about smoking ribs, a good place to start is Preparing Pork Spare Ribs, where you'll learn how to get your pork ribs ready for the smoker.

A Few of My Favorite Smoked Rib Recipes

Baby Back Ribs Recipe
Fresh ground spices are the means to an end with this rib recipe. And it's a very happy ending, if you know what I mean.

Peppercorn Pork Ribs
Ifyou love black pepper, and you love pork ribs, this recipe is a matchmade in Heaven! A black pepper rib rub seasons spare ribs to give them aspicy-hot flavor that's out of this world.

Smoked Baby Back Ribs
Thesetender and juicy smoked ribs start with a marinade in apple juice andseasonings, then get a sprinkling of dry rib rub for the final touch offlavor.

Country Style Pork Rib Recipe
Anovernight rest in a flavorful rub mix adds a lot of flavor to theseribs. Smoke 'em until they are melt in your mouth tender!

Smoker Wood Choices For Your Ribs

Cherry Chips

Pork ribs can be smoked with about any kind of smoking wood, buthickory, pecan and oak are the most popular. I enjoy apple or cherrywood smoked pork ribs every now and then. But my usual method uses acombination of oak and hickory, at a ratio of two to one.

Hickory Smoker Wood Chips

I like the flavor hickory imparts to the smoked ribs, but I prefer it tobe on the light side. Oak adds a lighter smokiness to the meat. Apple tends to give the smoked meat a nicely browned look.

Mesquite Wood Chips

I've experimented with mesquite a couple of times. It creates a really strong flavored smoke, so if you try this one use it in moderation. Another option is to mix a small amount of the mesquite with one of the milder smoker woods.

Pecan Chips

Pecan is another great smoker wood for pork ribs. It adds a nice, mild flavor. And remember this - too little smoke flavor is a disappointment, but toomuch can make your food nearly inedible.

Start out using smaller amountsof smoker wood, and after smoking ribs a few times, you'll know howmany wood chips or chunks to use.

More Smoked Rib Recipes

Pork Rib Recipes

Beef Rib Recipes

Give one or two of these smoked rib recipes a try. And know that none of the recipes are set in stone - you can make adjustments to the seasoning ingredient amounts the next time around so the rib flavor is more to your taste.

Side Dishes For Your Smoked Pork Ribs

When it's time to sit down to those scrumptious ribs, you need a littlesomething on the side...maybe a nice garden salad, or some cornbread.

How about somesmoky baked beans ? I've always enjoyed a fewgrilled veggies beside my ribs, too.

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