These family-favorite smoked spareribs are slightly sweet and spicy with an apple cider-based mop sauce that complements the fall-off-the-bone meat.
Preparation Time
20 mins
Cooking Time
3 hr 30 mins
Total Time
3 hr 50 mins
Calories
927 Calories
Recipe Instructions
Step 1
Make the ribs: Mix brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, onion powder, salt, cumin, cinnamon, jalapeño seasoning, and cayenne pepper together in a small bowl.
Step 2
Place spareribs into a glass baking dish and rub generously with seasoning mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
Step 3
When ready to cook, prepare an outdoor charcoal grill for indirect heat, or preheat a smoker to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
Step 4
While the grill is preheating, make the mop sauce: Stir cider, vinegar, jalapeño pepper, hot pepper sauce, lemon juice, onion powder, garlic powder, lemon juice, salt, and pepper together in a medium bowl.
Step 5
When the coals are gray and ashed over, throw on two handfuls of soaked wood chips. Place seasoned ribs, bone-side down, onto the grate. Cover and cook for 1 hour, then baste ribs generously with mop sauce and add more soaked woodchips. Add more coals if necessary. Continue to cook, basting and adding more wood chips every hour and adding coals as necessary, while ensuring the grill temperature does not go below 225 degrees F (110 degrees C). Cook until the meat pulls away from the bone and the rub has created a crispy, blackened "bark." The total cook time should be 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Discard any leftover mop sauce.
