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Dry Rub Smoked Ribs Recipe: How to Make a Dry Rub for Ribs

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Sep 11, 2024 • 3 min read

Get in touch with your inner pitmaster and try a classic recipe for homemade dry rub smoked ribs.

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What Are Dry Rub Smoked Ribs?

Dry rub smoked ribs are a classic BBQ (or barbecue) food consisting of ribs that you cover in a spice rub and cook slowly in a smoker until they are tender. A dry rub might contain numerous spices and flavorings, such as paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, oregano, and others. The long cooking time at a low temperature in the smoker allows the meat to retain its juices and become so tender that it all but falls off the bone.

Dry rub ribs are as regional as barbecue itself. A dry rub ribs recipe might forgo basting during the cooking process. Kansas City–style barbecue consists of dry-rubbed cooked meat with a sauce on the side. Memphis-style dry BBQ calls for dry-rubbing the meat and serving it dry, but Memphis-style wet BBQ calls for dry-rubbing the meat and coating it in barbecue sauce.

6 Types of Ribs

You can choose from many different types of ribs, but they all fall into two categories: pork ribs and beef ribs. Consider these six kinds of ribs that can benefit from a BBQ rub:

  1. 1. Back ribs: A type of beef rib, back ribs benefit from slow cooking styles that use low, indirect heat, such as smoking and braising. Note that these ribs are smaller and cook faster than other types of ribs.
  2. 2. Baby back ribs: Despite the name, baby back ribs are not smaller versions of beef back ribs. Baby back ribs come from the loin area of the pig. They are smaller in size than other pork ribs but tend to be more expensive.
  3. 3. Country-style ribs: Cut from the shoulder area, country-style ribs are actually the shoulder bone of the pig. Pork shoulder is the traditional cut of meat for pulled pork, and the ribs from this area are larger and meatier than other rib cuts.
  4. 4. Short ribs: Particularly fatty, beef short ribs encompass two types of short ribs from the cow. Plate short ribs, which come from the same area as brisket cuts, are longer and meatier than flanken short ribs.
  5. 5. Spare ribs: Bacon and spare ribs both come from the belly of the pig. The meat that butchers cut away from the ribs becomes bacon or pancetta, while the ribs hold additional meat that becomes spare ribs.
  6. 6. St. Louis ribs: The same cut as spare ribs, St. Louis–style ribs are more uniform in size due to the removal of some extra breast bone and cartilage. The pig meat is fattier, although there is less meat than there is on baby back ribs. Memphis-style ribs use St. Louis ribs.

Dry Rub Smoked Ribs Recipe

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makes

prep time

10 min

total time

3 hr 40 min

cook time

3 hr 30 min

Ingredients

Note: The total time does not account for the resting of the meat in the refrigerator for 6 hours and up to overnight.

For the dry rub:

For the smoker:

  1. 1

    Remove the slabs of ribs from the butcher paper and place the ribs on an aluminum foil–lined baking sheet.

  2. 2

    Make the dry rub. In a small bowl, mix together the paprikas, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, salt, black pepper, white pepper, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, and cumin. Use the dry rub right away or store it in an airtight container until you’re ready to use it.

  3. 3

    Blot each rack of ribs dry with a paper towel and sprinkle the rub ingredients all over the ribs, making sure to coat both the meaty side and the bone side.

  4. 4

    Cover the dry-rubbed ribs tightly with aluminum foil and place them in the refrigerator for about 6 hours or up to overnight.

  5. 5

    Remove the ribs from the refrigerator about 2 hours before you want to cook them so they can come to room temperature.

  6. 6

    In the meantime, prepare the wood chips. You can use hickory wood chips, mesquite wood chips, or any other flavor. The wood chips contribute to the smoky flavor of the smoked pork ribs. Soak the wood chips for about 2 hours to prevent them from catching fire.

  7. 7

    Prepare the smoker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Add the apple cider vinegar and water to the drip pan. Preheat the smoker to about 270 degrees Fahrenheit.

  8. 8

    Place the ribs in the smoker, rib side down.

  9. 9

    Close the lid of the smoker and let the ribs cook for 3–3 ½ hours, or until the ribs are tender and the internal temperature of the ribs reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

  10. 10

    Remove the ribs from the smoker and cut them into portions. Spritz the ribs with more apple cider vinegar or apple juice, or serve them with your favorite BBQ sauce.

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