Smoked Party Ribs

Smoked pork ribs in a half pan on a wooden table

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Smoked Party Ribs are individually cut pork ribs coated in a sweet BBQ rub, smoked until a flavorful bark develops, then tossed with barbecue sauce, butter, and honey until tender, sticky, and caramelized. They’re easy to serve, perfect for parties, and packed with smoky flavor in every bite.

Course Appetizer, Appetizer Recipes, Barbecue, Main Course, Pork

Cuisine Barbecue, Texas Cooking

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 3

Total Time 3 20

Servings

Calories 218kcal

Author Sarah Penrod

Equipment

1 Pellet Grill or Barbecue Smoker
Aluminum Foil
1 Foil Pan
Pellets or Wood for 3 hours
1 butter knife
1 chef knife or sharp knife

Ingredients

2 racks pork ribs baby back or spare ribs
Yellow mustard enough to lightly coat ribs
1/2 cup sweet pork rub + 2–3 tablespoons

Wrap Ingredients

1 bottle barbecue sauce, of choice about 12 oz.
6 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar for spritzing

Instructions

Preheat your smoker to 250–275°F.

Prepare the ribs

Turn the racks bone-side up. Loosen the membrane on the back of the ribs with a butter knife, grab it with a paper towel, and pull it away. Trim away any large pockets of excess fat.
Use a sharp knife to slice between each rib bone, creating individual portions of 1 rib
Coat each rib lightly with yellow mustard. Sprinkle all the ribs generously on all sides with the sweet pork rub, making sure every side is seasoned. Place them in the refrigerator overnight or proceed to smoking them.

Smoke

Arrange the ribs directly on the smoker grate with a little room between them. Smoke for approximately 1 1/2 hours, occasionally spritzing lightly with apple cider vinegar after the first 45 minutes. Continue smoking until the seasoning has formed a set bark and doesn't easily rub away when touched.

Sauce the ribs

Transfer the ribs to an aluminum pan. Add the barbecue sauce, butter, honey, and an additional 2–3 tablespoons pork rub. Toss thoroughly to coat every rib.
Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and return it to the smoker. Cook for another 45–60 minutes or until the ribs are tender.

Glaze

Remove the foil off of the foil pan and toss the ribs through the juices and sauce in the bottom of the pan.
Return the ribs to the smoker uncovered for approximately 30 minutes, or until the barbecue sauce has thickened into a glossy, sticky glaze. Some cooks like to remove the ribs from the pan, place them back on the grill grates and let the glaze set up that way. Both methods work.
Serve
Transfer to a platter and serve hot. 2 racks serve 4 people about 4-6 ribs, which we consider an appetizer portion. Make adjustments doubling the recipe as needed.

Notes

The ribs are done when they're tender, not simply when they hit a specific temperature. While pork ribs often become tender around 195–205°F, use a probe or toothpick to check the meat between the bones. It should slide in with very little resistance.

Nutrition