Pork Ribs Recipe

Rinse the ribs under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.

Remove the thin membrane from the bone-side of the ribs by sliding a knife under the membrane and pulling it off with a paper towel.

If needed, trim excess fat and cut the racks to fit your smoker.

Pat the ribs dry again and dust lightly with a thin layer of rub.

Preheat your smoker to 225°F (107°C) with your chosen wood (apple wood preferred).

Place the ribs bone-side down on the smoker grates; maintain steady heat and smoke for about 4 hours.

In a bowl, combine brown sugar, paprika, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper until evenly mixed.

Pat the rub onto both sides of the ribs, pressing to adhere. For deeper flavor, apply more rub after an initial 15-20 minutes of rest.

In a spray bottle or small bowl, combine apple juice, apple cider vinegar, and water to create the mop/spritz liquid.

Spritz the ribs with the mop every hour during the first 3-4 hours to keep them moist and help form a bark.

After about 4 hours, remove the ribs and wrap tightly in foil with a small splash of apple juice inside the foil to trap moisture.

Return wrapped ribs to the smoker and cook for 1.5-2 more hours until tender.

Carefully remove foil, re-spritz, and continue cooking unwrapped for 15-30 minutes to firm the bark if desired.

Remove ribs from smoker, let rest 15-20 minutes, then slice between bones and serve.