Smoked Ribs
These smoked ribs deliver rich, savory flavor and tender results right off the smoker. Our method works for both smoked baby back ribs or smoked spare ribs, making it a reliable go-to when you’re learning how to smoke ribs or dialing in how long to smoke ribs on your setup. For extra juicy results, we love adding in an optional overnight brine before seasoning and smoking. Finish with a generous brush of Kinder’s Cherry Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce or your favorite Kinder's BBQ sauce for a sticky, flavorful glaze that brings everything together.
Ingredients
RIBS
2 racks pork ribs (baby back or spare ribs)
3–4 tbsp Yellow Mustard
Kosher Salt
Cracked Black Pepper
1 cup Apple Juice
½ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
TOOLS
4–6 large chunks of smoking wood or 3-4 cups of smoking chips (oak or hickory work well)
Spray Bottle
Instructions
Prepare the Ribs:
Prepare the ribs by trimming any excess fat and removing the thin membrane from the back of each rack. See Pro Tip for details on our optional overnight brine at this step.
Pat the ribs dry with paper towels.
Lightly coat both sides of the ribs with a thin layer of mustard then season lightly on both sides with salt and pepper, pressing it into the mustard so it sticks well.
Let the ribs rest at room temperature while you prepare the grill.
Prepare the Smoker or Grill:
If using wood chips or chunks for smoking, soak them in water for about 30 minutes before cooking. This will help them smolder and release smoke more slowly rather than burning up too quickly.
Set up your smoker or grill for indirect cooking at a steady temperature of about 225°F.
Once the coals are ready, add the soaked wood and allow clean smoke to develop.
Smoke Ribs:
Place the ribs on the grill meat-side up and cook low and slow, maintaining consistent heat and smoke.
After the one hour of cooking, open your smoker and generously spray ribs with the apple juice mixture. Repeat spraying ribs every 45 minutes.
Once your ribs reach 180°F, bring up the temperature of your smoker to 275°F.
Once the ribs hit 190°F, brush the ribs generously with Cherry Brown Sugar Gold Label BBQ Sauce. Close the lid and allow the sauce to warm and caramelize into a thick, sticky glaze.
Cook your tibs until they register 195°- 205°F. For ribs that are tender but still have a little texture and bite, cook to about 195°F. If you prefer super tender ribs, cook closer to 205°F.
Remove the ribs from the grill and loosely wrap them in aluminum foil. Let them rest for about 15 minutes before slicing, allowing the juices to redistribute keeping the ribs tender and moist.
Slice the ribs and serve hot with extra sauce on the side.
Pro Tips & Notes
Ribs benefit greatly from an overnight brine, which helps the meat retain moisture and absorb seasoning more evenly during the smoking process, but this step is optional if you are short on time. This helps the rub adhere evenly and adds an extra layer of flavor without overpowering the ribs.
Baby back ribs will take about 6-7 hours, while spare ribs may take closer to 7-8 hours in total.
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Smoked Ribs
These smoked ribs deliver rich, savory flavor and tender results right off the smoker. Our method works for both smoked baby back ribs or smoked spare ribs, making it a reliable go-to when you’re learning how to smoke ribs or dialing in how long to smoke ribs on your setup. For extra juicy results, we love adding in an optional overnight brine before seasoning and smoking. Finish with a generous brush of Kinder’s Cherry Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce or your favorite Kinder's BBQ sauce for a sticky, flavorful glaze that brings everything together.
Ingredients
RIBS
2 racks pork ribs (baby back or spare ribs)
3–4 tbsp Yellow Mustard
Kosher Salt
Cracked Black Pepper
1 cup Apple Juice
½ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
TOOLS
4–6 large chunks of smoking wood or 3-4 cups of smoking chips (oak or hickory work well)
Spray Bottle
Instructions
Prepare the Ribs:
Prepare the ribs by trimming any excess fat and removing the thin membrane from the back of each rack. See Pro Tip for details on our optional overnight brine at this step.
Pat the ribs dry with paper towels.
Lightly coat both sides of the ribs with a thin layer of mustard then season lightly on both sides with salt and pepper, pressing it into the mustard so it sticks well.
Let the ribs rest at room temperature while you prepare the grill.
Prepare the Smoker or Grill:
If using wood chips or chunks for smoking, soak them in water for about 30 minutes before cooking. This will help them smolder and release smoke more slowly rather than burning up too quickly.
Set up your smoker or grill for indirect cooking at a steady temperature of about 225°F.
Once the coals are ready, add the soaked wood and allow clean smoke to develop.
Smoke Ribs:
Place the ribs on the grill meat-side up and cook low and slow, maintaining consistent heat and smoke.
After the one hour of cooking, open your smoker and generously spray ribs with the apple juice mixture. Repeat spraying ribs every 45 minutes.
Once your ribs reach 180°F, bring up the temperature of your smoker to 275°F.
Once the ribs hit 190°F, brush the ribs generously with Cherry Brown Sugar Gold Label BBQ Sauce. Close the lid and allow the sauce to warm and caramelize into a thick, sticky glaze.
Cook your tibs until they register 195°- 205°F. For ribs that are tender but still have a little texture and bite, cook to about 195°F. If you prefer super tender ribs, cook closer to 205°F.
Remove the ribs from the grill and loosely wrap them in aluminum foil. Let them rest for about 15 minutes before slicing, allowing the juices to redistribute keeping the ribs tender and moist.
Slice the ribs and serve hot with extra sauce on the side.
Pro Tips & Notes
Ribs benefit greatly from an overnight brine, which helps the meat retain moisture and absorb seasoning more evenly during the smoking process, but this step is optional if you are short on time. This helps the rub adhere evenly and adds an extra layer of flavor without overpowering the ribs.
Baby back ribs will take about 6-7 hours, while spare ribs may take closer to 7-8 hours in total.