What are pork spare ribs?
Pork spare ribs are ribs cut from the belly area of a pig. They’re surrounded by the belly meat where bacon is cut. Even though that belly fat is trimmed when spare ribs are being cut, they still have delicious marbling and flavor. St. Louis-style ribs are a type of spare rib that has the tips removed for more uniform cooking and less cartilage. Try our smoked pork spare rib recipe today.
What are baby back ribs?
Baby back ribs are cut from the back of the pig rather than the belly. They’re shorter than spare ribs (thus the name “baby”), and they’re leaner and more tender. As a result, they tend to be more expensive than spare ribs. We pride ourselves on having one of the best baby back ribs recipe in the game. Check it out today.
What are beef short ribs?
Short ribs are cut from the beef chuck part of the cow. They’re called short ribs because they’re too small (or “short") for quality steaks. Rather than being tender like ribs from farther back on the cow, they’re muscles that are heavily used. However, they have a lot of flavor when cooked low and slow. Try out our delicious BBQ beef short rib recipe and see what all the hype is about.
How to Cook Ribs
If you’re looking to master smoking pork ribs, look no further than this guide. All you need are some St. Louis spare ribs, our Pork & Poultry Rub for ribs, and some ingredients you probably already have at home.
How to Make the Best BBQ Ribs
How to Cut Ribs Evenly
St. Louis-style spare ribs are already cut to be mostly square and uniform, but you may want to cut along the highest rib in the rack (typically the third or fourth) and square off from there with your knife. You’ll also want to cut off the end ribs right along the bone so the ribs end on meat rather than bone.
How to Cut Ribs Evenly
St. Louis-style spare ribs are already cut to be mostly square and uniform, but you may want to cut along the highest rib in the rack (typically the third or fourth) and square off from there with your knife. You’ll also want to cut off the end ribs right along the bone so the ribs end on meat rather than bone.
Winning World Competition Ribs
How do your baby back ribs stack up against competition winners? In this guide, we explain exactly what judges look for when determining which ribs are going to get that award in a competition.
Winning Competition Ribs
Appearance:
When judges look at your ribs, they’re looking for that deep mahogany finish. That thin, dark, caramelized BBQ coating is achieved by regular mopping, spritzing, or saucing ribs throughout the smoking process. But that’s not all -- judges are also looking for a uniform, perfectly rectangular rack that comes from those perfect knife cuts.
Appearance:
When judges look at your ribs, they’re looking for that deep mahogany finish. That thin, dark, caramelized BBQ coating is achieved by regular mopping, spritzing, or saucing ribs throughout the smoking process. But that’s not all -- judges are also looking for a uniform, perfectly rectangular rack that comes from those perfect knife cuts.
How to Prep and Smoke Ribs on a Pellet Grill
Chad Ward, legendary BBQ competitor, 7-time grand champion, and owner of Whiskey Bent BBQ, is a self-taught BBQ pro. Below are a few tips from the pit master himself! But before you start smoking baby back ribs or spare ribs, you need to learn how to prep them.
How to buy ribs:
You can buy ribs either at a grocery store or a butcher shop. Find ribs that have uniform marbling, but not too much fat. Fat provides flavor, but more fat means less meat. Avoid ribs with blood spots.
How to buy ribs:
You can buy ribs either at a grocery store or a butcher shop. Find ribs that have uniform marbling, but not too much fat. Fat provides flavor, but more fat means less meat. Avoid ribs with blood spots.
3-2-1 Ribs Method
There are a lot of opinions about smoking ribs out there, but many swear by the 3-2-1 method.
3-2-1 Ribs Recipe
Prep time: 15 mins.
Cook time: 6 hrs.
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients:
- 2 Rack St. Louis-style ribs
- Traeger Pork & Poultry Rub as needed
- 1/2 Cup brown sugar, divided
- 1/3 Cup honey, divided
- 1 Cup Traeger BBQ Sauce or your preferred sauce
3 hours of smoke: Set your Traeger to 180 degrees Fahrenheit and place the ribs meat-side up on the grill. After 3 hours, your ribs should have an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
2 hours of low and slow: Remove the ribs from the grill and place in a rimmed baking sheet. Raise the grill temperature to 225 degrees. While waiting for the grill to heat up, wrap your ribs in two sheets of foil, crimping the foil together to prevent leaks. Grill for 2 more hours.
1 hour of final touches: Remove the foil from the ribs and place them directly on the grill grate until the internal temperature is 195 degrees. Slather with BBQ sauce and cook for 10 to 20 minutes longer or until your internal smoked ribs temperature is 203 degrees. Let them rest for a few minutes, and serve.
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Top Ribs Recipes
Smoked Spare Ribs
As if smoked spare ribs weren't hearty enough, adding a heaping helping of spices will thrill your eaters. Infused with rich smoky flavor, these Traeger spare ribs can be brined in apple juice, cider, or beer to enhance their flavor and tenderness. Fire these up for your next neighborhood gathering.
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What to Serve with Ribs
One of our favorite things about smoking ribs is that they pair well with so many foods. You can keep it simple with some mac and cheese and collard greens, or you can branch out with unique takes on other picnic-friendly foods like our grilled mango coleslaw.
What's the Best Wood for Smoking Ribs?
- Cherry and Pecan - Our favorite wood pellet combination is one-half cherry and one-half pecan wood pellets. The slight nuttiness paired with its rustic richness makes it a full-bodied smoke that we love wrapping our ribs with.
- Hickory - If you want your ribs to have a sweet, but hearty flavor, hickory is the best choice for you. However, be careful to not use too much hickory or you might overpower the flavor of the meat. Using a blend with hickory can get you that hickory taste without being overpowering.
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