I adapted this recipe from Zeb's smoked babyback ribs recipe I found here:
http://forum.cookshack.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=14;t=000253
Thanks, Zeb! Your tips led me to finally perfecting my technique.
Here's what I did:
Rub: (spicy!)
10 tsp Adam's paprika
3-1/2 tsp black pepper (Freshly and fairly coursely-ground, very important!)
2 tsp white pepper
2 tsp dry mustard
2-1/2 Tblspn kosher salt
2 tsp onion powder
1-1/2 tsp garlic powder
2-1/2 tsp six-pepper
1-1/2 tsp cayenne
10 Tblspn light brown sugar (I only use light because it clumps a LOT less in very humid climates, like here in Houston)
1 tsp celery salt
If you want it less spicy, cut the black pepper back by a tsp and the amount of cayenne in half.
I found two nice racks of St. Louis-trimmed (brisket bone removed) pork spare ribs at Sam's Club that hadn't been cryo-packed or soaked in any sodium-preservative nastiness.
I rubbed them quite liberally after removing the silverskin from the back of each rack and refrigerated them for 12-18 hours after wrapping them in plastic wrap first, then foil (aluminum foil is reactive).
I then put them in my very well-seasoned SmokinTex 1400 at 220-degrees (didn't pre-heat) using three pieces of hickory weighing a total of 2.5-3 ounces.
After 2 hours of cooking, brushed with the following mixture (thanks again, Zeb!):
1 stick real butter (salted)
2 6oz cans of 100% pineapple juice (I use Dole)
Melt butter and mix with juice.
Brush again at 4 hour mark and again at 6, then apply last coat and/or brush with a thin layer of BBQ sauce 45mins-1hr before serving.
I MUCH prefer the flavor you get when you apply a thin layer of sauce rather than just the butter/juice mixture at the end. I sometimes make my own sauce, but I've come to really like the flavor I get when I mix about 1/2 cup of Cattlemen's BBQ sauce (classic flavor, should be very easy to find because it's made by French's, but any sauce should do, as long as it's not too sweet) with about a tablespoon of (and this is my real secret) Winston's hot sauce, which you can get here:
http://www.winstonshotsauce.com/index.htm
I am a HUGE hot sauce aficionado, and this is the best by far that I've ever put in my mouth. You will NOT be dissappointed. To give you an idea, the first three ingredients in it are mangoes, habanero peppers, and bell peppers.
Anyway, the sauce should be applied as I directed above. If you do it right, the ribs won't be sticky when you take them out, but will have that lovely, cracking bark with a red glow to them.
Total cooking time was 8-8.5 hours at 220 degrees for perfect St. Louis spare ribs.
They were bar-none the best ribs I've ever had in my life, and that's saying something. They were very tender, but not so much so that I wasn't able to slice them individually without the meat falling off. I meant to take pictures 'cause they were just beautiful; they had a lovely red smoke ring and all, but they just went too fast! Next time, I'll re-post this recipe (with any modifications made) with my pics.
Enjoy! Drop me a line at prospero424@yahoo.com if you try them out.
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