Counter 05 · Low & Slow BBQ
Apple-Wood St. Louis Ribs Held in the Pan
St. Louis-cut spareribs smoked over apple wood with a brown sugar and mustard rub, then rested covered in a hotel pan so the bark stays set and the meat turns silky.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 5 hr 30 min
- Serves
- 6
- Level
- Medium
Pitmasters feeding a crowd rarely pull ribs off the smoker straight onto the board. They rest them in a covered pan, where the racks steam gently in their own juices for up to an hour and finish tenderizing without losing their bark. That hold is the secret here, and it also frees up your timing. Apple wood gives a mild, sweet smoke that suits pork; spritz with cider every hour to keep the edges from drying.
Method
-
Pull the membrane off the bone side of each rack. Brush both sides thinly with mustard.
-
Mix the brown sugar, salt, paprika, pepper, garlic powder and cayenne. Season the racks evenly on both sides and let them sit while the smoker heats.
-
Bring the smoker to 250 F and add the apple wood. Lay the ribs bone side down and smoke for 3 hours, spritzing with cider every hour once the rub has set.
-
Continue smoking until the bark is deep mahogany and a toothpick slides between the bones with little resistance, about 2 more hours. The meat should read around 200 F between the bones.
-
Transfer the racks to a steel hotel pan, stacking them loosely, and spritz once more. Cover tightly with foil and hold in a cooler or a 170 F oven for 45 to 60 minutes.
-
Uncover, move the racks to a cutting board and slice between the bones. Pour any juices from the pan over the cut ribs before serving.
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