Spare Ribs – Recipes to Savor

Spare Ribs – Recipes to Savor

Have you tried to season your spare ribs over and over again to slow cook them in your smoker, only to be dissatisfied with the outcome? If so, perhaps you’ve missed out on a couple of secret tips or ingredients that guarantee you a savory set of smoked ribs. Maybe it’s just that you need an idea of a recipe for a fantastic rub that you can build from to create your own unique recipe. Start with something simple, and build from there. Here are some starters. 

What sort of flavors do you prefer? Do you like rich spices and herbs, perhaps leafy green flavor, hot and spicy tastes, or even sweet indulgences? There are recipes catering to each of these desired styles of pork ribs, and taking the time to look over these may awaken your creative juices, as well as the juicy flavor of your next barbecue. Each type of recipe should also be paired with a particular type of wood chips to achieve the best results.    

If you are looking for a sweet and juicy set of spare ribs, you’ll want to base your rub off dark brown sugar. This is the base for many barbecue sauces and can really make the other spices you include succulently sweet. Try starting with a cup of brown sugar and adding a tablespoon each of salt, ground black pepper, and ground white pepper. Combine this with paprika – typically ½ to ¾ of a cup – and a teaspoon each of garlic powder and onion powder. Blend it all together, and you have a perfectly sweet flavor. Couple this with a small amount of hickory chips, a larger quantity of oak, and a hint of applewood, and you’re going to become a legend.

If you would rather awaken the tongue with something spicy-hot, your spare ribs could handle a chipotle-based rub. Start with three to four dried chipotle peppers (these are simply roasted jalapenos), depending on the degree of warmth and spiciness you are trying to achieve. Add two tablespoons each of black pepper, dried oregano, cilantro leaves, cumin, onion powder, and a teaspoon of dry orange peel. Drop in a single bay leaf and a pinch of salt. If you have a spice mill, use it to grind all the ingredients together; otherwise, mix in a blender. When it is a fine powder, rub it into your spare ribs and cook for four to five hours over hickory or mesquite wood. Don’t overcook, or the pork ribs will turn out dry.

For something a little less spicy but without that strong sweet flavor permeating the meat, try a Memphis rib rub for your smoked ribs. This recipe actually uses paprika as its base, starting with about four teaspoons of the spice. From there, you’ll want to add two teaspoons each of salt, onion powder, fresh ground black pepper, and garlic powder. To kick it up a notch without really heating up the blend, you can add ½ to one teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Combine with yellow mustard and baste the rack of ribs. The flavor of the mustard will cook out, allowing the other spices to settle into the spare ribs for a mouthful of flavor. Oak will lend a slightly smoky flavor to the meat without overwhelming the taste. You may also try some pecan wood to give it a slightly sweet hint of flavor without taking it to the level of a set of sweet smoked ribs.

With these recipe options, you’re sure to create legendary spare ribs that you can enjoy again and again, never worrying that your recipe will be disappointing in the end, when you’ve spent so much time in preparation!

Flavorful Ribs – Different Basting Recipes

Do you cook out several times a season and want to try some various recipes for your smoked ribs?  There are a number of ways to add variety and unique flavor to your pork ribs, including changing up the type of wood chips you use and adding or removing ingredients to your rib rub.  There are recipes that add a spicy heat to your pork ribs, as well as those that add sweet, fruity flavor.  What’s your preference?  Do you want to try them all?  Here are some different ways to spice up the variety in your smoked ribs recipes.


Chipotle – Chipotle seasoning is basically created from roasted jalapenos that have been ground into a powdered spice form.  By roasting the peppers, a different sort of spicy flavor is extracted from them, one that almost adds the same woodsy flavor that the wood chips themselves do.  If you want to try a southwest style, spicy type of baste for smoking ribs, be sure to add a little chipotle to the mix.  Try a cup of chili powder, two tablespoons cayenne, two tablespoons of chipotle powder, two tablespoons of ground black pepper, four tablespoons of garlic powder, and salt to taste.  Blended together and rubbed into your baby back ribs after first basting with yellow mustard, this concoction is sure to make your nose run and your forehead sweat just a little, even if it’s not triple digit heat outside.


If you are less inclined to enjoy a spicy meal, you can try something a little more standard for your spare ribs.  Sticking with more herbs and fewer hot spices can build a different type of flavor base for your recipe.  Things like oregano and cilantro can give your ribs almost a fancy, designer taste.  Try three tablespoons of ground black pepper, two tablespoons dried oregano, one tablespoon of dried cilantro leaves, one bay leaf, one teaspoon cumin, one teaspoon onion powder, and one teaspoon of ground orange peel.  Grind all these ingredients together in a blender or, if you have one, a spice mill, until it is a fine powder.  Again, use only after coating your pork ribs with yellow mustard, which will help to enhance the flavor of the spices.

Maybe you like a sweeter flavor to your spare ribs than is offered by either of these options.  In that case, start with oak wood chips rather than mesquite or hickory, which will add a deep, smoky richness to your ribs.  Oak is more mellow and won’t overwhelm the original sweetness of the meat.  Also add something like pecan or applewood to the mix, which will enhance the fruity sweetness of your recipe.  Then, use a rub that contains brown sugar.  For example, combine ½ cup brown sugar, four tablespoons paprika, one tablespoon black pepper, one tablespoon salt, one tablespoon of mild chili powder, one tablespoon of garlic powder, and one tablespoon of onion powder.  Try blending this all into the yellow mustard, then basting your meat with it.  You’ll find the ribs come out tender, juicy, and sweet.


For a spicy sweet blend, try adding both paprika and cayenne to your rub.  Four teaspoons of paprika, two teaspoons of salt, two teaspoons of onion powder, two teaspoons ground black pepper, and one teaspoon cayenne can go a long way in making a unique sweet but spicy set of smoked ribs.  Whatever recipe you choose, you can always make a change to it and make it your own, adjusting and experimenting to find exactly what you like while also keeping your diners on their toes!