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Tender Smoked St. Louis-Style Spare Ribs Recipe with Easy Tangy Mop Sauce

Tender Smoked St. Louis-Style Spare Ribs - featured image
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This recipe delivers tender, smoky St. Louis-style spare ribs coated with a tangy mop sauce that keeps them moist and flavorful. Perfect for weekend cookouts and family gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 rack St. Louis-style spare ribs (about 3 to 4 pounds / 1.4 to 1.8 kg) – trimmed and membrane removed
  • 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
  • 2 tablespoons paprika (smoked paprika optional)
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar (light or dark)
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Prep the ribs (15 minutes): Remove the silver skin membrane from the back of the ribs using a butter knife and paper towel for grip.
  2. Apply mustard and dry rub (10 minutes): Spread yellow mustard on both sides of ribs. Mix dry rub ingredients and apply generously, pressing into the meat.
  3. Prepare the smoker (20 minutes): Preheat smoker to 225°F (107°C). Use hickory or applewood for smoking.
  4. Make the mop sauce (5 minutes): Whisk apple cider vinegar, water, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Pour into spray bottle or keep with brush.
  5. Smoke the ribs (3 to 4 hours): Place ribs bone-side down over indirect heat. Every 45 minutes, lightly spray or brush mop sauce to keep ribs moist.
  6. Optional foil wrap (30 minutes): At 2.5 hours, if ribs feel dry, wrap tightly in foil with some mop sauce to tenderize.
  7. Check for doneness (last 15 minutes): Meat should pull back about ¼ inch from bones and internal temperature should be about 195°F (90°C).
  8. Rest and slice (10 minutes): Let ribs rest before slicing between bones to lock in juices.

Notes

Remove the membrane for better rub penetration and tenderness. Apply mop sauce lightly every 45 minutes to avoid washing off rub. Use a water pan in smoker to maintain humidity. Let ribs rest after cooking to lock in juices. Avoid opening smoker frequently to maintain temperature. Optional foil wrap helps push through stall phase and tenderizes ribs.

Nutrition

Keywords: smoked ribs, St. Louis-style ribs, barbecue, mop sauce, smoked pork, backyard cookout, tangy sauce, easy ribs recipe

Find it online: https://ariaappetite.com/tender-smoked-st-louis-style-spare-ribs-recipe-with-easy-tangy-mop-sauce/