MEMPHIS SPARE RIBSMemphis Spare RibsMemphis Spare Ribs

Memphis Spare Ribs

Forget the barbecue sauce! It's all about the dry rub for these Tennessee style Pork Spare Ribs. And it's real easy to do "Low and Slow" on the old barbecue grill with these tips by the BBQ Pit Boys.

For this recipe you're gonna need the following ingredients:

  • Pork Spare Ribs – 3 racks, about 5lbs per rack
  • Your Favorite Pork Rub or one of our rubs you can find here: Sauce & Marinade
  • Brown Sugar - light
  • Hard wood Chunks – soaked in water – we used Hickory
  • Tin Foil
  • Foil Pan for drip pan
  • Water
For the Mop Sauce
  • Apple Juice – 1 cup
  • Apple Cider Vinegar – 1 cup
  • Prepared Mustard – 1 Tbs
  • Your favorite rub – 1 Tbs
  • Mop brush
Methods
  • Trim off the flap on the bone side of the ribs.
  • Trim up the racks of ribs of any excessive fat or connective tissue.
  • Trim up the ends of the ribs, squaring them off and trim off any excessive meat with no bone in it from along the bottom side of the rack - This allows the meat to cook more evenly. You can also trim them into St Louise Style ribs if you want.
  • Score the membrane on the bone side of the rack in a cross hatch pattern - This allows the rub to penetrate better. You can also remove it if you would like.
  • Place rub on liberally on all sides of each rack of ribs - Rub it in to get a good even coating.
  • Let the rub set on the ribs for 2 hours in the refrigerator.
  • Place small hardwood chunks in water to soak.
Setting up your grill
  • You will set up your grill for indirect grilling - Coals on one side of the grill and no coals on the other side.
  • You will set up the coals using the Minion method. Place a chimney of unlit coals on one side of the grill. Place 1/2 chimney of lit coals on top of the unlit coals - This prevents it being necessary to replenish your coals during the cooking time.
  • Place a foil drip pan opposite the unlit coals.
  • Pour water into the drip pan - This will help keep the ribs tender and moist.
  • You’re looking for a grill temperature between 250-300°F <121-148°C>.
Making the Mop Sauce
  • In a bowl mix and mix the following ingredients:
  • Apple Juice – 1 cup
  • Apple Cider Vinegar – 1 cup
  • Prepared Mustard – 1 Tbs
  • Your Rub – 1 Tbs
Cooking
  • Just before putting your ribs on the grill. Give them a dusting of light brown sugar on all sides of the rack. Reapply rub on all sides of the rack.
  • Place the ribs bone side down on the side of the grill over the drip pan.
  • Place a piece of the soaked hickory wood onto the hot coals. Since they are soaked in water they will put off a light smoke and not burn up right away
  • You cooking time will be about 4 hours depending on your grill temp.
  • After 1 Hour: Mop the top of the ribs with the mopping sauce.
  • After 2 Hours:
    • Mop the top of the ribs with the mopping sauce
    • Add another chunk of hardwood to the coals
  • After 3 Hours:
    • Rotate the rack of ribs 180 degrees – Helps in even cooking of rack
    • Mop the top of the ribs with the mopping sauce
    • Add another chunk of hardwood to the coals
Final Steps
  • Take the rack of ribs off the grill and wrap in tin foil to rest - This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.
  • Let rest for 15 minutes to 30 minutes.
  • Cut ribs into single or multi-bone slabs.
  • Sprinkle with your dry rub.
Eat and Enjoy!