St. Louis Ribs (half Rack) Recipe

Remove membrane

Preheat oven to 135°C (275°F) if using oven; preheat smoker/grill to maintain 120–135°C (250–275°F) for indirect cooking if smoking/grilling. Pat the ribs dry with paper towels. Flip the rack bone-side up. Slide a thin knife under the silver skin (membrane) at one end and lift; use a paper towel to grip and pull the membrane off in one piece. Trim any excess fat or ragged bits so the surface is even.

Lightly coat the meat side of the ribs with olive oil to help the dry rub adhere.

In a small bowl combine kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder and cayenne. Mix thoroughly so sugar is evenly distributed. Sprinkle the rub evenly over both sides of the rack, using your hands to massage it into the meat. Use all or most of the rub; reserve a teaspoon for later if desired.

For smoker/grill: place ribs bone-side down on the smoker or on the cool side of an indirect grill. Add wood chips/chunks to maintain smoke. Maintain temperature at 120–135°C (250–275°F). For oven: put the ribs bone-side down on a rimmed baking sheet or in a shallow roasting pan.

Cook uncovered for 2 hours to develop bark and set the rub. During this time, you may spritz the ribs every 30–40 minutes with a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water (combine 60 ml cider vinegar + 60 ml water in a spray bottle) to maintain moisture and enhance flavor.

After about 2 hours (or when ribs have a deep mahogany color and the bark is set), remove the ribs and place them bone-side down onto a large sheet of aluminum foil. Add the butter and honey directly on top of the meat, then pour any remaining spritz liquid over. Tightly wrap the ribs in foil, sealing edges to create a packet.

Return the wrapped ribs to the smoker/grill or oven and continue cooking for another 60–75 minutes at 120–135°C (250–275°F), or until the meat is tender and pulls back from the bone about 0.5–1 cm and a probe thermometer reads ~90–95°C (195–203°F) in the thickest part.

Remove the foil packet and carefully transfer ribs to a baking sheet, meat-side up. If you like a sticky glazed finish, brush both sides of the ribs with barbecue sauce (about 60 ml). Place under a hot grill/ broiler or back on the smoker/grill (direct heat) for 5–8 minutes to caramelize the sauce — watch closely to avoid burning. You may repeat with a second thin coat and another 2–4 minutes for extra gloss.

Let the ribs rest for 10 minutes after glazing to let juices reabsorb. Slice between the bones into individual ribs, garnish with a light pinch of finishing salt or extra black pepper if desired, and serve with remaining sauce on the side.

If using a smoker, maintain a thin stream of apple/hickory smoke during the first 2–3 hours only; excessive smoke for the entire cook may become bitter. Serve the half rack warm; recommended sides include coleslaw, pickles and baked beans.