Smoked St. Louis Style Ribs Recipe | GirlCarnivore.com (2024)

Finger licking juicy ribs with a hint of smoke and pull-off-the-bone perfection are what these Smoked St. Louis Ribs are all about. Loaded with flavor and sauced just right, you’d better make extra because these amazing ribs will disappear fast!

Well, hello there, fellow food enthusiast! Are you ready to elevate your smoker recipes game to the next level? You’re in for a treat because this smoked St. Louis ribs recipe is not messing around. These ribs are tender, juicy, and packed with flavor that will make your taste buds dance with joy. And let’s be real, if you’re not smoking your ribs, are you even living your best life? So grab your apron, fire up the smoker, and let’s get to it. Trust us, once you try this rib recipe, you’ll never go back to boring old oven-baked ones again!

What Are Smoked St. Louis Ribs?

St. Louis style spare ribs are cut from the pork belly, and the hard breastbone is removed, and while these ribs are flatter and longer than baby back ribs, they’re also fattier, making them some of the tastiest pork ribs around. These smoked pork ribs also benefit from being less expensive than baby back ribs, so if you’re a baby back rib fan, give one of our favorite pork recipes a try!

Smoked St. Louis Ribs Ingredients

• St. Louis style ribs – 2 racks.
• Salt – We use kosher salt when cooking. Don’t use too fine a grain or too flakey a salt. Kosher is perfect for this recipe.
• GirlsCanGrill Pork Rub – If you can’t get these spices, see the comments below and the alternative recipe in the recipe card.
• OverTheFireCooking Adobo Honey – See notes below.
• Sasquatch Fire Rib – See notes in the recipe card below.
• Mustard – Yellow mustard is fine.
• BBQ sauce – Use your favorite BBQ sauce.
• Wood chips or chunks – see recipe tips for our choices

How to Make Smoked St. Louis Ribs

• Smoking ribs isn’t difficult; it just takes some time! Start the day before by rubbing the ribs with the spices and letting them sit in the fridge overnight. Then, start smoking the rack of ribs a few hours before you plan on eating.
• Trim the ribs to remove excess fat and oddly shaped end pieces.

• Remove the membrane on the back side of the ribs. Cut a corner of it away from the meat with a sharp knife, then grab the corner with a paper towel and pull it off.
• Rub the mustard over the ribs, then mix the spices and spread this dry rub evenly over the ribs.
• Wrap the ribs in plastic and refrigerate them overnight.

• Heat the grill to 225-250F, and add wood chunks.
• Hang the ribs in the smoker and smoke them until they reach an internal temperature of 195-200F.
• Remove the ribs from the smoker and add coals to heat the grill. Add the grill grate and let it heat up.
• Remove the hooks from the ribs, brush them with the BBQ sauce, and sear them meat side down until the barbecue sauce is thick, tacky, and caramelized.
• Take the ribs off the grill, let them rest for a few minutes, then cut along the bones using a cutting board to serve.

Leftovers & Reheating

If, and that’s a big IF, you have leftover ribs, wrap them tightly and store them in the fridge for 4-5 days.

Here’s how you heat up your ribs after storing them in the fridge:

1. Wrap the ribs tightly in foil or plastic, reheat in a 250 degree F oven for 10-15 minutes per pound.
2. Let them rest for a few minutes before serving with your favorite sauce!

What to Serve With Smoked St. Louis Ribs

Anything you want! Some of our favorites are Dutch Oven Mac and Cheese, Easy Smoked Baked Potato, Smoked Corn on the Cob, Beef Tallow Fries with Furikake, Smoked Cabbage, and Smoked Potato Salad!

Recipe FAQs

Smoked St. Louis ribs are a thing of beauty – tender, juicy, and packed with flavor. Whether you’re a seasoned pitmaster or a newbie home chef, there’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of nailing the perfect rib recipe. And if you’re not quite there yet, don’t worry – it takes practice, patience, and maybe just a little bit of luck. So keep on smoking, keep on experimenting with rubs and sauces, and most importantly, keep on eating those delicious, smoky ribs. Your taste buds (and your friends and family) will thank you. Be sure to rate the recipe card and leave a comment below to help out the next reader!