Sensational slow smoked pork ribs

• Serves 6

• Preparation time:

• Cooking time:

Ingredients

2 pork rib racks, St Louis style
125 ml extra virgin olive oil
1 batch Pork Rib Rub
1 batch Quick Barbecue Sauce

Barbecue Sauce Glaze:
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon brown sugar
125 ml water
60 ml commercial barbecue sauce

Method

Allow the ribs to come to room temperature. Trim the ribs and remove the silverskin.

Rub oil over the rib racks then rub in the Basic Pork Rib Rub. Set aside for at least 1–2 hours.

Preheat your barbecue to medium high, 200°C with a good bed of coals.

Get the smoke going from some fruitwood before you put the ribs in the smoker. When the ribs are at room temperature, place inside the smoker, bone side down. Keep the temperature steady in the firebox area at below 77°C to cool smoke the ribs for up to 3 hours.

When they are sufficiently colored and smoked, coat with the barbecue sauce and wrap them tightly in foil.

Cook at 105°C–130°C for about 2 hours checking after the first 11⁄4 hours how things are going as cooking times can vary.

Test the meat with a visual bend test—check if the meat cracks after being picked up and bent at one end. Meat thermometers are not much good on ribs as they are too thin.

Unwrap the ribs. Mix the barbecue sauce glaze ingredients together and brush over the ribs.

Keep the wrap slightly open and cook for a further 30 minutes to 1 hour. The internal temperature should be around 90°C When the glaze looks a bit shiny, the ribs are done.

Serve with your favorite salad or slaw.

Recipe from TEXAN BBQ By Robert Louis Murphy.

Notes

This goes well with dill pickles and any bean dish of choice. Make sure you don’t overcook— total cooking time should be 5–6 hours for custom-cut St Louis style ribs or 3–4 for baby backs.