Smoked St. Louis Style Spare Ribs
Smoked St. Louis Style Spare Ribs
Ingredients
For the Ribs
- 1 rack St. Louis style spare ribs
- 1/4 cup molasses, plus 1 tablespoon for spritz
- 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning, or to taste
- 4 butter, small cubes
- 1/2 cup Texas Whiskey Glaze, or as needed
For the Spritz
- 16 fluid ounces Shiner Bock beer
- 1 tablespoon molasses
For Smoking and Garnish
- as needed post oak wood, chunks or splits
- 2 potatoes, optional, for side dish
- 2 tablespoons crunchy topping, such as crushed pork rinds, for garnish
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the ribs: Start by tenderizing the meat. Remove the membrane from the back of the St. Louis style spare ribs. Apply a layer of 1/4 cup molasses to the ribs, spreading it evenly to act as a binder for the seasonings. Season both sides of the ribs generously with 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning.
⏱️ 15 min
- 2
Prepare the spritz: Pour the 16 fluid ounces of Shiner Bock beer into a spray bottle. Add 1 tablespoon of molasses to the spray bottle. Shake the bottle well to combine the ingredients. This spritz will help give a malty flavor and a caramel touch, keep the ribs moist, and break down the salt.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Preheat your offset smoker to a steady temperature of 250°F. Use post oak wood for smoking. Once the smoker is at temperature, place the seasoned ribs directly on the grate.
⏱️ 30 min•🌡️ 250
- 4
Smoke the ribs unwrapped for the first 3 hours. Spritz the ribs with the Shiner Bock and molasses mixture every 40 minutes or so during this phase. The ribs should develop a nice mahogany color.
⏱️ 180 min•🌡️ 250
- 5
Once the internal temperature of the ribs reaches 165°F, it's time to wrap them. Lay out a large sheet of aluminum foil. Place the 4 small cubes of butter on the foil. Carefully place the ribs on top of the butter. Wrap the ribs tightly in the aluminum foil.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
Return the wrapped ribs to the smoker for another 2 hours. If desired, for the last 1 1/2 hours of this phase, you can also add foil-wrapped potatoes to the smoker (or directly in the firebox) to cook alongside the ribs.
⏱️ 120 min•🌡️ 250
- 7
Once the internal temperature of the ribs reaches 203°F or 205°F, remove them from the smoker. Unwrap the ribs from the foil. Flip the ribs over. Glaze the ribs generously with 1/2 cup Texas Whiskey Glaze, spreading it evenly with a brush.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Return the glazed ribs to the smoker (unwrapped) for the last 15 minutes to allow the glaze to set.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 250
- 9
Remove the ribs from the smoker. Let them rest for 15 minutes before cutting. Cut the ribs into individual portions. Garnish the ribs with 2 tablespoons crunchy topping and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or cilantro. Serve immediately.
⏱️ 15 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Smoked St. Louis Style Spare Ribs
For the Ribs
- 1 rack St. Louis style spare ribs
- 1/4 cup molasses, plus 1 tablespoon for spritz
- 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning, or to taste
- 4 butter, small cubes
- 1/2 cup Texas Whiskey Glaze, or as needed
For the Spritz
- 16 fluid ounces Shiner Bock beer
- 1 tablespoon molasses
For Smoking and Garnish
- as needed post oak wood, chunks or splits
- 2 potatoes, optional, for side dish
- 2 tablespoons crunchy topping, such as crushed pork rinds, for garnish
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the ribs: Start by tenderizing the meat. Remove the membrane from the back of the St. Louis style spare ribs. Apply a layer of 1/4 cup molasses to the ribs, spreading it evenly to act as a binder for the seasonings. Season both sides of the ribs generously with 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning.
⏱️ 15 min - 2
Prepare the spritz: Pour the 16 fluid ounces of Shiner Bock beer into a spray bottle. Add 1 tablespoon of molasses to the spray bottle. Shake the bottle well to combine the ingredients. This spritz will help give a malty flavor and a caramel touch, keep the ribs moist, and break down the salt.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Preheat your offset smoker to a steady temperature of 250°F. Use post oak wood for smoking. Once the smoker is at temperature, place the seasoned ribs directly on the grate.
⏱️ 30 min•🌡️ 250 - 4
Smoke the ribs unwrapped for the first 3 hours. Spritz the ribs with the Shiner Bock and molasses mixture every 40 minutes or so during this phase. The ribs should develop a nice mahogany color.
⏱️ 180 min•🌡️ 250 - 5
Once the internal temperature of the ribs reaches 165°F, it's time to wrap them. Lay out a large sheet of aluminum foil. Place the 4 small cubes of butter on the foil. Carefully place the ribs on top of the butter. Wrap the ribs tightly in the aluminum foil.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
Return the wrapped ribs to the smoker for another 2 hours. If desired, for the last 1 1/2 hours of this phase, you can also add foil-wrapped potatoes to the smoker (or directly in the firebox) to cook alongside the ribs.
⏱️ 120 min•🌡️ 250 - 7
Once the internal temperature of the ribs reaches 203°F or 205°F, remove them from the smoker. Unwrap the ribs from the foil. Flip the ribs over. Glaze the ribs generously with 1/2 cup Texas Whiskey Glaze, spreading it evenly with a brush.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Return the glazed ribs to the smoker (unwrapped) for the last 15 minutes to allow the glaze to set.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 250 - 9
Remove the ribs from the smoker. Let them rest for 15 minutes before cutting. Cut the ribs into individual portions. Garnish the ribs with 2 tablespoons crunchy topping and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or cilantro. Serve immediately.
⏱️ 15 min