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Ingredients
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Pork and braising base
Smoking and finishing glaze
Finishing and garnish
Method
Prepare ribs and braising base
Trim and season
Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F). If the rack still has the silver skin (membrane) on the bone side, loosen an edge with a knife and pull it off. Pat the ribs dry with paper towels. In a small bowl combine salt, pepper, smoked paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder and onion powder. Rub the ribs on all sides with olive oil, then rub the dry spice mix evenly over the ribs. Let rest 15 minutes at room temperature while you prepare the braising aromatics.
Sear and build base
Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy ovenproof pan over medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil if needed. Sear the ribs in batches, bone-side first, until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove ribs to a plate. Add the sliced onion, carrots and celery to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to brown, 6–8 minutes. Add smashed garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 minute to bloom the paste.
Deglaze and braising liquid
Pour in the apple cider vinegar and scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the stock, bay leaves and thyme. Bring to a light simmer, taste and adjust seasoning; the liquid should be well seasoned since it will flavor the meat.
Nest ribs and braise
Return the seared ribs to the pot, arranging them in a single layer (you can cut racks into 2–3 bone sections to fit). The liquid should reach about halfway up the ribs; add a little more stock or water if needed. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise low and slow for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until the meat is tender and beginning to pull away from the bones.
Smoke and finish
Prepare smoker or stovetop smoking
While ribs braise for the last 30–40 minutes, prepare your smoker to a low heat (90–120°C / 195–250°F) with soaked hardwood chips for a mild smoke. If you don't have a smoker, you can use a stovetop smoking method with a deep pan, a rack and soaked chips covered tightly with foil to capture smoke.
Glaze and smoke
When ribs are fork-tender, carefully remove them from the braising liquid and place on a foil-lined tray or smoker rack. Strain and reserve 120 ml of the braising liquid. In a small saucepan combine the reserved braising liquid, barbecue sauce, honey and butter; warm until butter melts and mixture is glossy. Brush the glaze over both sides of the ribs. Place ribs in the smoker or on the stovetop smoking setup and smoke for 20–30 minutes at low heat until smoke flavor is absorbed and glaze is tacky. Turn and glaze once more halfway through.
Optional finish under broiler
For a caramelized finish instead of smoking, place glazed ribs under a hot broiler for 3–5 minutes, watching closely so they do not burn. Remove when the glaze is bubbling and slightly charred at the edges.