Black Smoke Signature Style Ribs Recipe

Prep ribs

Remove membrane from bone side of the rack: slide a knife under membrane at one end, loosen and grab with paper towel, pull off in one piece. Trim any excess fat or loose bits.

Pat ribs dry with paper towels. Combine kosher salt, coarse black pepper, smoked paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder and ground cumin in a small bowl and mix well to create the rub.

Evenly coat both sides of the ribs with the rub, pressing gently so it adheres. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate up to 4 hours uncovered for a drier surface (better smoke ring).

Preheat Yankee smoker or pellet smoker to 110–120°C (225°F). Add apple wood chips to the smoker box or hopper according to manufacturer instructions.

Place ribs bone-side down on the smoker grates. Maintain smoker temp at 225°F (110–120°C). Smoke uncovered for 2.5 to 3 hours, spritzing every 45 minutes with apple juice to keep surface moist and help sugar dissolve into bark.

After 3 hours, check tenderness: ribs should have a dark mahogany color and bend when lifted with tongs. If ready for wrapping (stall stage), remove racks to a sheet of aluminum foil large enough to wrap completely.

Before wrapping, pour 2–3 tbs of apple juice over the meat side, then double-wrap tightly in foil and return to smoker. Cook wrapped for another 60–75 minutes until meat is tender but not falling entirely off the bone.

Carefully unwrap ribs and return to smoker at 225°F for 15 minutes to set bark before glazing.

While ribs are in the last 30 minutes of cooking, combine honey, sriracha, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika and black pepper in a small saucepan. Warm over medium-low heat, stirring until honey melts and sauce is glossy, 4–6 minutes. Do not boil hard; simmer gently to thicken slightly. Taste and adjust heat or sweetness as desired.

Brush a generous coat of warm glaze over both sides of the unwrapped ribs. Return to smoker for 10 minutes, then brush a second coat and cook 5–10 minutes more to set the glaze and caramelize slightly. Total glazing time: about 15–20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Line a baking sheet with foil and a wire rack. Lay bacon slices on rack and bake until very crisp, 15–20 minutes depending on thickness. Reserve 1 tbs of bacon fat after baking and chop or crumble the cooked bacon into small pieces.

Toast pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat 3–4 minutes until fragrant; roughly chop. In same skillet, melt butter, add panko and brown sugar, and toast stirring until panko is golden, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in chopped pecans, crumbled bacon, sea salt and black pepper. Mix to combine into the bacon-crackling-pecan crunch.

When ribs have been glazed and returned to smoker for final set, evenly sprinkle the bacon-pecan crunch over the glazed top of each rack or slice and allow it to adhere for the final 5 minutes in the smoker (or in a 175°C / 350°F oven for 5 minutes) so crunch sets to the glaze.

In a large bowl combine shredded green cabbage, red cabbage and grated carrot. In a small bowl whisk together mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, Dijon mustard, salt and black pepper until smooth.

Pour dressing over cabbage mixture and toss until evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning. Refrigerate at least 20 minutes to meld flavors before serving; serve chilled or at cool room temperature.

In a bowl or jar, combine rice vinegar, water, sugar and salt. Stir until sugar and salt dissolve. Add thinly sliced cucumber and red onion, press down so liquid covers vegetables. Let sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes or refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Drain before serving or serve with a few spoonfuls of pickling liquid.

Once ribs are glazed and crunch applied, remove from smoker and let rest 10 minutes tented loosely with foil. Slice between bones into individual ribs or serve as a halved/whole rack as desired.

Plate ribs with a scoop of coleslaw, a small pile of pickled vegetables, and sprinkle sliced spring onions and chopped parsley over the ribs and crunch for brightness. Serve extra warm honey-sriracha BBQ sauce on the side.