If you can make perfectly smoked ribs, you can make good BBQ. But some questions are probably comin’ to mind. Like what’s the ideal ribs temperature, or how long to smoke ribs? We’ve perfected the art of smoked ribs, and now it’s time to learn our Head Pitmaster’s recipe, featuring a citrus-glazed twist that’s equal parts sweet and smoky.
Before we get into all these words, we know some of you may just want the video recipe, and Pitmaster Shannon’s got you covered there. Learn how long to smoke ribs and many other tips and tricks in our latest video from our Tales from the Pit.
Sweet Table of Contents
Step 1: Prepping Your Ribs
Start with two slabs of St. Louis-style spare ribs. Trim off the end bones to square them up and remove any excess cartilage or fat. Don’t forget to pull off the membrane on the back. To help, use a paper towel for grip and peel the membrane clean off. Head Pitmaster Shannon says this helps the smoke and rub get deep into the meat.
Step 2: Season Generously
The Rub:
- 3 tsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Paprika
- ½ tsp Onion Powder
- ½ tsp Garlic Powder
- ½ tsp Chili Powder
- ½ tsp Cayenne Powder
Mix all your rub ingredients in a bowl and coat both sides of the ribs evenly. Remember Rule #1 of Shannon’s BBQ Bible: A rub is not a rub. Just pat it in. It may not make much sense, but Shannon says when you rub a rub, you create pockets of seasoning that may be unpleasant when someone eventually bites into it. You don’t want all your hard work to go to waste.
Step 3: Fire Up the Smoker
Prepare your smoker for indirect cooking at 250–275°F. Hickory wood works best for this recipe, but any good smoking wood will get the job done.
Place the ribs directly on the smoker grate and let them cook for 2 hours, spritzing every 30 minutes with apple juice. This keeps the ribs moist while the rub sets.
Ribs Temp Tip for Smokers: Keep your smoker steady in that 250–275°F range. It’s the sweet spot for breaking down fat and collagen without drying the meat out.
Step 4: Wrap and Tenderize
Rib Wrap Mixture:
- 1 cup Margarine
- ½ cup Brown Sugar
- ½ cup Honey
Lay out a double layer of aluminum foil. Spread on half the margarine, sugar, and honey, and add an extra sprinkle of your rub. Place the ribs meat-side down into the mixture and wrap tightly.
Put the wrapped ribs back on the smoker for another 1 to 1½ hours. Start checking for tenderness at the 1-hour mark.
How Long to Smoke Ribs (Total Time): Typically 3 to 4 hours total — 2 hours unwrapped, 1 to 1.5 hours wrapped, and 10–15 minutes to finish.
Target Internal Ribs Temp: About 200°F when done. You’ll know they’re ready when the bones start peeking out and the slab bends easily when lifted.
Step 5: Sauce and Finish
(You could always just go for some Sonny’s Sweet BBQ Sauce here. It’s used by top Pitmasters on the competition trail already, but this recipe sports something with a little twist.)
Citrus-Glazed Sauce:
- 2 cups Sonny’s Sizzlin’ Sauce
- ¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- Juice of 1 Navel Orange (about ¼ cup)
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- ½ cup Orange Blossom Honey
Simmer this mix on the smoker for about 20 minutes and you’ve got a sweet, citrusy glaze that brings everything together.
Now that you’ve got your sauce and ribrs ready, carefully remove the ribs from the foil and place them back on the smoker. Brush on a heavy coat of Sonny’s Citrus BBQ Sauce and let them finish cooking for 10–15 minutes until that glaze is set and shiny. If you’ve got a nice cherry color on your ribs, you’re good to go.
Step 6: Rest and Serve
Let the ribs rest for 30 minutes off the smoker before slicing into them. This locks in all the juices and lets the meat firm up a bit. Then slice, serve, and watch them disappear.
Final Thoughts
When it all comes down to it, there are two big questions we hope we answered here, including: what’s the right ribs temp, and how long to smoke ribs? Puttin’ it simply, stick to that 250–275°F smoker temp, aim for an internal rib temp of around 200°F, and give yourself about 3.5 to 4 hours from start to finish.
Add a good rub, a flavorful wrap, and a sticky-sweet glaze, and you’ve got smoked ribs that can’t be beat. If someone asks where you got that recipe… “Tell ’em Sonny sent ya.”
