Smoked Pork Ribs with Show-Me® Bar-B-Q Rub and Classic Sauce

Low heat, a good rub and patience do most of the work with ribs. We season them with Show-Me® Bar-B-Q Rub, smoke them slowly, and brush on Show-Me® Classic Bar-B-Q Sauce only at the end, so the brown sugar in the sauce turns into a sticky glaze instead of burning. This works for spare ribs or baby backs. Baby backs simply finish sooner.

Prep: 20 min · Cook: 5 hr 30 min · Total: 5 hr 50 min · Serves: 4 to 6 servings (2 racks)

Ingredients

• 2 racks pork spare ribs or baby back ribs (5 to 6 lb total)
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard (optional, helps the rub stick)
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup Show-Me® Bar-B-Q Rub
• 1/2 cup apple juice or apple cider vinegar in a spray bottle
• 1 1/2 cups Show-Me® Classic Bar-B-Q Sauce, plus more for serving

Instructions

1. Heat your smoker to 250°F using hickory, oak, apple or cherry wood.
2. Pat the ribs dry. On the bone side, slide a butter knife under the thin membrane, grip it with a paper towel and pull it off.
3. Brush a thin coat of mustard over both sides, then season generously with Show-Me® Bar-B-Q Rub. Let the ribs sit for 15 minutes while the smoker comes up to temperature.
4. Smoke the ribs bone side down. After the first 2 hours, spritz them with apple juice or vinegar every 45 to 60 minutes.
5. Check for doneness after about 4 hours for baby backs and 5 hours for spare ribs. Lift a rack from one end with tongs. It is ready when it bends easily and the surface starts to crack, and a probe slides between the bones with little resistance (roughly 195 to 203°F).
6. For the last 30 minutes, brush the ribs with Show-Me® Classic Bar-B-Q Sauce. Add a second coat 15 minutes later to build the glaze.
7. Rest the ribs for 10 minutes, slice between the bones and serve with warm sauce on the side.

Tips

• Want more heat? Glaze with Show-Me® 'Some Heat' or Habanero Bar-B-Q Sauce instead, or mix a teaspoon of Show-Me® Heat Rub into the Bar-B-Q Rub.
• Oven method: wrap each seasoned rack tightly in foil and bake at 275°F for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Unwrap, brush with sauce and finish under the broiler or on a hot grill for a few minutes per side.
• Sauce goes on late because sugary sauces scorch over long cooks.