Competition Style Smoked Spare Ribs

These competition ribs are St. Louis cut spare ribs smoked on charcoal over oak and cherry, wrapped with a sweet liquid mixture, and glazed to a tacky shine. Cooked to a clean competition bite-through, not fall-off-the-bone.

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Servings servings

Calories 710 kcal

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 5

Resting Time 15

Total Time 5 30

Equipment

Ingredients

Ribs & Binder

2 racks St. Louis cut spare ribs
yellow mustard binder

Competition Rub

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup paprika
2 tbsp kosher salt
2 tbsp coarse black pepper
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper

Wrap Mixture

1/2 cup brown sugar
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup apple juice

Glaze

1 cup BBQ sauce
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp apple jelly
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions

Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs. Square the rack and trim excess fat and loose edges. Apply a light coat of yellow mustard, then season generously with the competition rub. Let the ribs sweat for 20-30 minutes.
Set the charcoal grill for indirect cooking and target 265-275°F. Add oak and cherry wood chunks. You want clean blue smoke, not thick white smoke.
Place the ribs bone-side down and smoke about 2.5-3 hours, spritzing every 45 minutes with apple juice. Cook until a deep mahogany color develops, the bark is set, and the rub no longer wipes off.
Lay out foil and add brown sugar, butter, honey, agave, and apple juice. Place the ribs meat-side down, wrap tightly, and return to the smoker for 1.5-2 hours.
Open the foil carefully. The ribs should flex easily, show bone pullback, and probe with little resistance. You are not looking for fall-off-the-bone.
Mix the BBQ sauce, honey, apple jelly, and apple cider vinegar. Brush a thin layer over the ribs and return them uncovered for 20-30 minutes, until the glaze becomes tacky and shiny.
Rest for 15 minutes, then slice carefully between each bone. Choose the most uniform bones from the center of the rack for presentation.

Video

Notes

Appearance Wins Before Flavor: Cook for color from the start; judges form an opinion before the first bite.

Cherry Is Your Secret Weapon: Run cherry with oak for that deep mahogany color.

Don't Overcook: Competition ribs should bite cleanly with bone pullback, not fall off the bone.

Wrap on Color, Not Time: Wrap when the bark is set and the color is right, not because the clock says so.

Glaze Thin: A light, shiny glaze looks professional and keeps your bark visible. Not sponsored — the rub, wood, sauce, and gear are simply what James uses.

Nutrition

Calories: 710kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 37gFat: 49gSodium: 910mgFiber: 1gSugar: 22g

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