Print

Classic Old-Fashioned 4-Hour Dry Rub Spare Ribs Recipe

4-hour dry rub spare ribs - featured image
Print Recipe

A slow-cooked, tender spare ribs recipe featuring a smoky, sweet, and spicy dry rub that forms a flavorful bark without sticky sauces. Perfect for easy BBQ with minimal fuss.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 racks (about 4–5 pounds / 1.8-2.3 kg) pork spare ribs, trimmed of excess fat
  • 1/4 cup (50 g) brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tablespoons smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or neutral oil

Instructions

  1. Prep Your Ribs (15 minutes): Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs using a paper towel to grip and peel it off in one piece. Trim any large fat chunks if desired.
  2. Mix the Dry Rub (5 minutes): In a mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, paprika, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, chili powder, and mustard powder. Stir until evenly blended.
  3. Coat the Ribs (10 minutes): Lightly brush both sides of the ribs with olive oil. Generously sprinkle the dry rub over the ribs, pressing gently into the meat.
  4. Rest the Ribs (optional, 30 minutes): Let the rubbed ribs rest uncovered in the fridge for up to 30 minutes for deeper flavor.
  5. Preheat Oven or Smoker (15 minutes): Set oven to 250°F (120°C) or smoker to 225-250°F (107-120°C).
  6. Cook the Ribs (2 hours): Place ribs bone-side down on a rimmed baking sheet or smoker rack and cook uncovered for about 2 hours.
  7. Wrap and Continue Cooking (2 hours): Wrap ribs tightly in aluminum foil, optionally adding a splash of apple juice or cider vinegar inside. Return to heat and cook for another 2 hours.
  8. Final Unwrap and Rest (15 minutes): Unwrap ribs and cook uncovered for 15 minutes to firm up the bark. Remove and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
  9. Serve and Enjoy: Slice between the bones and serve with your favorite sides.

Notes

Remove the membrane for tenderness. Wrap ribs halfway through cooking to lock in moisture. Use heavy-duty foil to avoid leaks. Optionally add apple juice or cider vinegar inside foil for juiciness. Rest ribs after cooking to redistribute juices. Adjust cayenne for spice level. Baby back ribs can be used but require shorter cook time (~3 hours total).

Nutrition

Keywords: BBQ ribs, dry rub ribs, spare ribs recipe, slow cooked ribs, smoked ribs, easy BBQ, classic ribs, backyard BBQ

Find it online: https://shimmersnack.com/classic-old-fashioned-4-hour-dry-rub-spare-ribs-recipe-perfect-for-easy-bbq/