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Tender Smoked Pork Ribs Recipe with Easy Brown Sugar Dry Rub for Perfect BBQ

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A straightforward and forgiving smoked pork ribs recipe featuring a simple brown sugar dry rub that delivers fall-off-the-bone tenderness and a caramelized crust perfect for BBQ lovers.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 full rack (2 to 2.5 pounds) baby back or St. Louis-style pork ribs
  • ½ cup (100 grams) packed brown sugar (light or dark)
  • 2 tablespoons paprika (smoked paprika optional)
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1–2 tablespoons olive oil or yellow mustard

Instructions

  1. Remove the silver skin membrane from the back of the ribs by sliding a butter knife under the membrane at one end, grabbing it with a paper towel, and pulling it off (about 5 minutes).
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cayenne pepper, kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir until evenly blended.
  3. Lightly brush the ribs with olive oil or yellow mustard to help the dry rub stick.
  4. Generously coat the ribs on all sides with the dry rub, pressing it firmly into the meat. Cover and let rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature or refrigerate overnight for deeper flavor.
  5. Preheat your smoker to 225°F (107°C). Add wood chips or pellets such as hickory, apple, or cherry.
  6. Place ribs bone-side down on the smoker grate. Smoke for 3 hours, checking every 45 minutes without opening the lid too often.
  7. Wrap the ribs tightly in aluminum foil, optionally adding a splash of apple cider vinegar or apple juice inside the foil. Return to the smoker for 2 hours.
  8. Remove ribs from foil and place back on the smoker for an additional 1 hour to firm up the bark and develop a caramelized crust.
  9. Check doneness by ensuring internal temperature is 195°F to 203°F (90°C to 95°C) and meat pulls away easily from the bone. Use the bend test as a secondary check.
  10. Let ribs rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing between the bones and serving.

Notes

Remove the membrane for tenderness. Maintain steady smoker temperature at 225°F. Use the 3-2-1 smoking method: 3 hours unwrapped, 2 hours wrapped, 1 hour unwrapped. Adding apple cider vinegar or juice inside foil wrap adds moisture. Resist opening the smoker too often. Experiment with wood types like apple, cherry, or hickory for different smoke flavors.

Nutrition

Keywords: smoked pork ribs, BBQ ribs, brown sugar dry rub, smoked ribs recipe, easy BBQ ribs, tender ribs, pork ribs recipe

Find it online: https://coracooks.com/tender-smoked-pork-ribs-recipe-with-easy-brown-sugar-dry-rub-for-perfect-bbq/