Name: Smoked St Louis Pork Ribs
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 240 min
Ingredients: 1 rack St Louis pork ribs ((about 3 1/3 pounds | 1 1/2kg)); 4 tablespoons sweet paprika; 3 tablespoons brown sugar; 2 tablespoons kosher salt; 1 tablespoon ground black pepper; 2 teaspoons mustard powder; 2 teaspoons garlic powder; 2 teaspoons onion powder; 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter; 3 tablespoons honey; 4 tablespoons brown sugar

Smoked St. Louis style ribs are a BBQ classic, prized for their rich flavor, juicy texture, and meat‑to‑bone ratio. Their slightly higher fat content sets them apart from other pork rib cuts, as the ribs smoke, this fat slowly renders, keeping the meat moist and enhancing tenderness.

This recipe starts with a bold homemade dry rub of brown sugar, sweet paprika, garlic powder, and a touch of cayenne. As the ribs smoke low and slow, the rub develops into a deep, flavorful bark. Midway through, the ribs are wrapped in foil with brown sugar, honey, and butter to intensify moisture and sweetness.

Smoked St. Louis ribs are more than a meal, they’re a celebration of barbecue craft. Once finished, they pair beautifully with classic sides like baked beans, cornbread, coleslaw, or macaroni and cheese.

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Close up of cut ribs on a wooden chopping board.

Ribs should be cooked so a probe has no resistance, and they cut cleanly, but not soft enough to fall off the bone.

Ribs cooking in a kettle grill using an indirect cooking method.

The ribs can be smoked by any smoker. The photo and video use a kettle grill with a snake method set-up.

Full rack of cooked ribs resting on a wooden chopping board.

These ribs, photographed, are served with just a rub, but if desired a glaze can be added to the final cooking step.

Smoked St Louis Pork Ribs Recipe

Dean Schumann

reviews

St Louis style ribs are cooked on a kettle grill with a homemade rub and wrapped to keep moist.

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Preparation 1

Cook 3

Ready in 4

Servings

CourseMain Dish

InfluenceNorth American

DifficultySeasoned

MethodSmoke

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Ingredients

1 rack St Louis pork ribs (about 3 ⅓ pounds | 1 1/2kg)

Pork Rub

4 tablespoons sweet paprika
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons mustard powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Rib Wrap

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons brown sugar

Equipment

smoker
2 chunks cherry wood

Directions

Pork Rub

Trim any excess fat from the ribs and remove the membrane.
Combine the paprika, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, mustard powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper.
Combine well, then transfer to a rub bottle or shaker.
Season the bone side of the ribs first, patting the rub to adhere. Flip and repeat on the meat side.

To Cook

Preheat the smoker to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Place the cherry wood chunks in to smoke.
Place the ribs in the smoker and cook for 1 hour.

Rib Wrap

Lay out two layers of foil. Sprinkle the brown sugar, drizzle the honey, and place the butter on the foil.
Lay the ribs meat‑side down on top of the mixture and wrap tightly.
Return the wrapped ribs to the smoker and cook for 90 minutes.

To Finish

Check the ribs for doneness using a toothpick, skewer, or probe thermometer, they should offer little to no resistance
Turn the ribs meat‑side up and fold the foil into a “boat.” Return to the smoker for 10 minutes to set the glaze.
Remove the ribs, rest for 10 minutes, then slice and serve.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 760kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 35gFat: 57gSaturated Fat: 20gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 188mgSodium: 2511mgPotassium: 695mgFiber: 2gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 2514IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 68mgIron: 3mg