Smoked St Louis Ribs

Flavorful smoked St. Louis ribs are incredibly easy to make in your smoker using the 3-2-1 smoking method to seal in the wonderful juices. The ribs are tender, tasty, and packed with great flavors when combined with my easy pork dry rub.

Serve with your favorite BBQ side dishes for an unforgettable family meal. Try my smoker recipes, like this smoked beer can chicken, smoked corn beef, or smoked chicken quarters.

Jump to:

• 🥘 Ingredients
• 🔪 How To Smoke St Louis Ribs
• 💭 Tips & Notes
• 🪵 Best Types of Wood for Smoking Pork
• 🥗 Sides
• 🥡 Storing & Reheating
• ❓ Recipe FAQs
• 📖 Recipe Card
• 💬 Reviews

If you are a rib lover like me, this hearty rib recipe will have you thrilled for dinner tonight. Keep in mind that the process of smoking ribs takes patience, but you will understand why they are worth the wait.

Using the “3-2-1” smoking method infuses the meat, and there is no fast way to get the ribs to be this perfect. What's the 3-2-1 method, you ask?

It's a no-fail smoking method where your protein is smoked for 3 hours uncovered, then wrapped and smoked 2 more hours, then unwrap and sauce the ribs to smoke for a final hour. They'll finish them to perfection!

🥘 Ingredients

Ribs

• St. Louis Style Pork Ribs – Ask your butcher if you are unfamiliar with selecting pork ribs.

Pork Dry Rub

My easy pork rub adds lovely flavor and includes the following ingredients: brown sugar, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, and ground sage.

Wrap Ingredients

• Apple Cider Vinegar – A nice tang for your taste buds that also helps to soften the pork meat while keeping your ribs juicy and moist.
• Melted Butter – The perfect flavorful finishing touch to so many things! It adds richness and moisture to your smoked ribs.
• BBQ Sauce (optional) – Grab your favorite BBQ sauce if you like slathered ribs!

*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*

🔪 How To Smoke St Louis Ribs

Making your smoked St. Louis Ribs is not tricky with this method, but it will take some time. As the meat cooks for hours, it becomes unbelievably juicy and tender with a delightfully crisp bark.

This recipe makes four hearty servings. Adjust the recipe accordingly if you choose to make more ribs.

3-2-1 Smoking Method

Step 1: Prep your smoker. Preheat your smoker to 225°F (107°C) according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Step 2: Season with dry rub. Combine all the pork dry rub ingredients in a small bowl, then rub liberally over both sides of the ribs with your hands.

Step 3: Smoke uncovered for 3 hours. Place your ribs into the smoker with the bone side down. You can compress or 'scrunch' the ribs together, which helps keep the juices in. Allow your pork ribs to smoke for 3 hours.

Step 4: Wrap the ribs. Remove the ribs from the smoker. Using aluminum foil or butcher paper, wrap the ribs meat side down in a parcel, but before sealing shut, pour 1 tablespoon of melted butter and 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar over the ribs. *Use additional foil to seal entirely as needed.

Step 5: Smoke the wrapped ribs for 2 hours. Place the wrapped ribs back in the smoker with the bone side up and allow to smoke covered for 2 more hours at 225°F (107 °C).

Step 6: Unwrap the ribs. Remove the ribs from the smoker and unwrap from the aluminum foil.

Step 7: Apply barbecue sauce. (Optional) Coat the ribs generously with your choice of BBQ sauce.

Step 8: Smoked uncovered for 1 hour. Put the ribs back in the smoker bone side down for 1 hour at 225°F (107°C).

Step 9: Serve. Remove from the smoker and enjoy!

💭 Tips & Notes

• Give yourself plenty of time. Get started plenty early so your smoked ribs are ready for suppertime.
• Understand your smoker. Using a smoker is fun, but be sure you know how your smoker functions before getting into the recipe. Follow directions and use care and caution.
• Clean the ribs properly. It's controversial to rinse your ribs after removing them from the plastic packaging they typically are sold in. I prefer to do this anyway. To avoid cross-contamination, work in an easily sanitized area that is big enough to keep any 'splatter' restricted.

🪵 Best Types of Wood for Smoking Pork

These woods are excellent for smoking pork or chicken of any cut. Choosing a complimentary flavor for your smoking brings out the best flavors in your meats.

• Apple Wood - My top pick for pork.
• Alder Wood - The subtle and delicate sweetness of alder wood is excellent for smoking pork. It's also a top choice for smoking salmon.
• Hickory - one of my favorites, a flavor that is associated with Memphis BBQ.
• Sugar Maple - Adds a slight sweetness.
• Pecan - Subtle flavors that work well with pork.
• Oak - A good choice for earthy tones. Pecan and oak flavors are both favorites in Texas BBQ.
• Fruit woods - Orange and peach have a citrus hint, and pear is a close flavor to apple.

🥗 Sides

Some of my top picks as sides to serve with pork ribs include milk butter boiled corn on the cob, ground beef & bacon baked beans, smoked baked potatoes, smoked mac and cheese, and savory jalapeno cheddar scones.

🥡 Storing & Reheating

Allow your ribs to cool completely. Once cooled, you can store your leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight plastic container or wrapped securely in aluminum foil.

Use freezer-safe plastic storage containers or a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil to store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Place frozen pork ribs in the refrigerator to thaw completely before reheating.

Reheating

Reheat your ribs low and slow. To keep them moist, use aluminum foil to reheat them in the oven at 300°F (149°C) with some additional liquid like beef broth or beer.

❓ Recipe FAQs

📖 Recipe Card