St. Louis Spareribs Recipe

Trim and prep

Preheat oven to 275°F (135°C). Remove the membrane from the bone side of the ribs: slide a knife under the membrane at one end, loosen it, grab with a paper towel and pull it off in one piece. Trim any large excess fat or ragged edges so the ribs lay flat.

Season

Pat ribs dry with paper towels. Lightly coat both sides of the ribs with yellow mustard to help the dry rub adhere. Sprinkle kosher salt and black pepper evenly over both sides.

In a bowl, combine brown sugar, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, cayenne, and dry mustard. Mix thoroughly until there are no clumps. Apply the dry rub generously to both sides of the ribs, pressing it into the meat so it adheres. Let the ribs sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes or refrigerate, wrapped, for up to 4 hours for deeper flavor.

Prepare pan

Line a shallow roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup. Arrange a wire rack in the pan if you have one. Pour apple cider vinegar and water (and apple juice if using) into the pan — this liquid will create steam and keep the ribs moist.

Bake

Place racks of ribs bone-side down on the wire rack (or directly on foil if no rack). Cover tightly with foil, sealing edges to trap steam. Bake in the preheated 275°F (135°C) oven for 2½ to 3 hours, until the meat is tender and has pulled back about 1/4 to 1/2 inch from the ends of the bones.

Finish with sauce (broil or grill)

Remove ribs from oven and increase oven temperature to 425°F (220°C) or preheat a grill to medium-high for direct heat. Carefully discard pan juices. Mix the barbecue sauce with honey. Brush both sides of the ribs with a generous layer of the sauce mixture. Place ribs under the broiler or on the grill, sauce-side up, and cook 4–6 minutes until sauce is caramelized and bubbling, watching closely to avoid burning. Flip and glaze the other side for 2–3 minutes if desired.

If you prefer a sticky, layered glaze, remove ribs after the first glaze, brush again with sauce, and return briefly (1–2 minutes) just to set the glaze. Repeat until you reach the desired thickness of sauce.

When ribs are nicely caramelized, remove and let rest for 10 minutes. Dot the ribs with small pieces of butter so it melts over the sauce for extra gloss and richness. Sprinkle chopped parsley if using. Slice between the bones into individual ribs and serve.