Kansas City Sweet-and-Smoky Ribs
Classic Kansas City-style spare ribs marinated in apple cider and slow-smoked with hickory wood chips, finished with a sweet and smoky barbecue sauce. These tender, flavorful ribs are cooked to perfection until the meat pulls back from the bone.
Ingredients
- •4 racks spareribs
- •6 cups apple cider
- •2 whole lemons
- •⅔ cup barbecue rub
- •3 cups barbecue sauce
- •3 cups hickory wood chips
- •1 hour soaking time
- •1 each equipment
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
1. Trim each rack of ribs or have your butcher do this for you.
10 min
- 2.
2. Place the ribs in a large nonreactive roasting pan. Pour the cider over the ribs. Squeeze the juice from the lemons over the ribs, catching the seeds with your fingers. Turn the ribs a couple of time to coat all over with marinade. If desired, let the ribs marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for 4 to 6 hours, turning several times.
360 min
- 3.
3. Drain the ribs and blot dry with paper towels. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the rub on both sides of the ribs, patting it onto the meat with your fingers. Let the ribs stand in the refrigerator, covered, for 1 to 2 hours.
120 min
- 4.
4. Set up the grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium. If using a charcoal grill, place a large drip pan in the center. If using a gas grill, place all the wood chips in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and preheat to high until you see smoke, then reduce the heat to medium.
15 min
- 5.
5. When ready to cook, if using charcoal, toss 1 cup of wood chips on the coals. Place the ribs in the center of the hot grate, away from the heat. Cover the grill and cook the ribs for 2 to 3 hours. After 30 minutes, spray the ribs with apple cider and continue to spray every half hour until ready to brush with the sauce. If using a charcoal grill, you'll need to add 12 fresh coals and 1/2 cup wood chips per side after each hour.
180 min
- 6.
6. Lightly brush the ribs with 1 cup of the sauce 20 minutes before the ribs are done. When the ribs are fully cooked, the meat will have shrunk back from the bones about 1/4 inch, and the meat will be tender enough to tear apart with your fingers. But don't overcook; the ribs should have some chew to them. If the ribs start to dry out, wrap them in aluminum foil for the last hour of cooking.
20 min
- 7.
7. Transfer the ribs to plates or a platter. Sprinkle the ribs with the remaining rub and lightly brush again with barbecue sauce. Let the ribs rest for a few minutes, then serve with the remaining barbecue sauce on the side.
10 min
- 8.
You can also cook the ribs in a smoker. Smoke them for 4 to 5 hours at 225°F
300 min
- 9.
This is a wonderful way to prepare baby back ribs. In this case, you'll need to allow 1 to 1 1/2 hours for indirect grilling or 2 to 3 hours for cooking in a smoker.