This post is brought to you by Swine Dining. Smoked Ribs are easier than you think to make, even if you don’t have a smoker!
I’ve been wanting to try smoking ribs for about a year now–Ever since I conquered my fear of lighting the coals and all.
We have a small grill, but it’s just big enough to hold a rack of ribs:
Those were some St. Louis style ribs I cooked up with some help from Swine Dining, and some awesome seasonings they sent for #CookoutWeek:
Swine Dining does small-batch spices, which are made by hand–Something I noticed right away. I used their Wimpy’s BBQ Rub on my ribs, as the bambino doesn’t like anything with spice in it (I keep hoping he’ll change his mind as he gets older). It’s got brown sugar in it, and it crumbled in that way that fresh brown sugar does.
Wimpy’s was perfect for the ribs. Sweet, not spicy (so the bambino would actually eat the ribs), but full of flavor!
Anywhere from 12 hours to one hour before grilling, prepare the ribs. Using a flat knife or the back of a spoon, remove the membrane off the back of the ribs. Rub the Wimpy's over the entire rack, using the majority of it on the meatier side. Cover and allow the ribs to come to room temperature while you prepare the grill.
Fill a chimney starter with charcoal and light according to manufacturer's directions. Let the coals heat until the ones at the top of the chimney begin turning grey. Spread them on one side of the grill, add the grate, and preheat for 15 minutes.
On the opposite side, place a roasting pan filled with water. Set the ribs on the grate, over top of the roasting pan. Cover, and cook for one hour.
Add 10 briquettes to the coals, and flip the ribs over. Cook for another hour.
Add 10 more briquettes to the coals, and flip the ribs again. Cook for 30 minutes, then check the ribs by bending the rack. If they appear to crack, they're ready. If not, cook for 30 more minutes, and check again. If using, the final 30 minutes is when you'll want to brush on the BBQ sauce.
Let the ribs rest for 30 minutes before cutting into servings.