Kansas City Smoked Spareribs

A stack of double-cut Kansas City Ribs with barbecue sauce.

Looking for an easy, but finger-licking good smoked spareribs recipe? These Kansas City ribs are always a HIT. With a quick and easy pork dry rub to penetrate the meat, these Kansas City pork spare ribs can be made in your smoker, on a charcoal grill, on a gas grill or even in your oven (but you won’t get the smoke flavor from the oven).

Making pork dry rub in a bowl.

Kansas City ribs for Super Bowl entertaining

As part of our Super Bowl tradition, we’re celebrating the big game by serving game day fare that’s representative of the two competing teams. Last week, I shared some amazing Asian spare ribs (our nod to the 49ers) and this week, we’re highlighting the Kansas City Chiefs, with… what else? Kansas City ribs! Yep. It’s a rib-off! You’re gonna want to stick around for this one — starting with the pork rub.

Ingredients:

  • Pork Spare Ribs – I get mine from Costco. They are usually well trimmed and have the silverskin already removed.
  • Apple Cider – you can also use apple juice.
  • Bourbon – use an inexpensive bourbon, not the good stuff.
  • Sugar – to sweeten the dry rub.
  • Paprika – adds a smoky flavor to the rub.
  • Kosher Salt – I prefer using Diamond Crystal kosher salt – as it’s less salty by volume than Morton’s.
  • Lemon Pepper Seasoning – your favorite store brand is fine.
  • Granulated Garlic – note, this isn’t garlic powder and it has a grainy texture.
  • BBQ sauce – I use this homemade Jim Beam BBQ sauce recipe.

This simple pork rub has just 5 ingredients and is aptly monikered 5-4-3-2-1 rub because those are the measurements (in tablespoons) of each of the seasonings. Incidentally, this smoked spareribs recipe came from Steve Raichlen of grilling, smoking and barbecue fame. His thorough, detailed tomes are the ones we consult before we ever pour the first briquet into the chimney starter.

Rubbing spareribs with pork rub.

Preparing ribs with dry rub

  1. Mix the pork rub mixture in a small bowl to thoroughly combine.
  2. Peel the silver skin from the pork spareribs. Do this by using the tip of a sharp knife to loose the edge, then grip with your fingers and pull firmly to remove it. Discard the silver skin.
  3. Liberally coat both sides of the spareribs with the pork rub.
  4. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight.
lighting the charcoal and pouring it into charcoal holders.

I mentioned earlier that you can make these Kansas City ribs in a smoker, a charcoal grill, a gas grill or in the oven. I’ve given instructions for each method in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. For this particular batch of ribs, we used a classic Weber kettle grill and set it up for indirect cooking.

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Preparing the grill/smoker

  1. Loosely fill the bottom of a chimney starter with newspaper.
  2. Fill the chimney starter with charcoal briquets.
  3. Use a match or fire stick to light the newspaper and subsequently, the briquets.
  4. When the briquets are hot and white with ash, fill the charcoal briquet holders with the hot coals and move them to either side of the grill. The spareribs will go in the center of the grill, while the baskets will be on either side — thus indirect cooking.
adding smoking chips to the coals and setting spareribs on the grill grate.

For smoked spareribs

  1. An hour before cooking, soak about 3 cups of wood chips in water (or beer) for one hour to prevent the wood from burning when you add them to the coals. We used hickory chips for this.
  2. After they’re soaked, drain the chips thoroughly and add about half of the soaked chips to each of the charcoal briquet baskets.
  3. Place the pork spareribs in the center of the grill (not over the charcoal briquets and place the lid on the grill.
  4. Adjust vents to optimize smoke and keep the temperature at a relatively steady 325°.
making bourbon cider spray.

Making cider bourbon spray

To keep the smoked spareribs moist through the smoking process, you want to “mist” them with some type of liquid. Sure, you could use water… but where’s the fun in that? Steve recommends a 3:1 ratio of apple cider to BOURBON. Hello Mr. Beam — we meet again...

Spray the smoked spareribs about every 30 minutes after the first half hour. This will prevent them from drying out and infuse them with a little extra flavor. Why not, right?

spraying kansas city ribs with cider bourbon mop.

How long to smoke Kansas City ribs?

It really depends on the size of the ribs, the heat of the grill and which method you’re using.

  • This was about a 4-pound rack of spareribs. We kept the heat to a moderate 325°, and it took 2½ hours to smoke before we felt confident pulling it from the grill.
  • If you’re using a smoker instead of a grill, the temperature should be lower, around 225° and it will take longer — about 4-5 hours.
  • For the gas grill method, it’s about 2 to 2½ hours.
  • And for the (non-smoking) oven-braising method at 225°- 250°, figure 2 to 2½ hours.
adding more wood chips to the coal and tending to the meat.

About halfway through smoking process on the charcoal grill you’ll want to replenish the wood chips to continue feeding the smoke and possibly some briquets if the heat is dipping too low. (If you’re doing the traditional smoker method, you may need to replenish soaked wood chips 3 times). My grill-master recommends a “Pit Mit” (shown above, left) which allows him to lift the grates and add chips and briquets directly to the grill without burns or injury.

Slather smoked spareribs with BBQ sauce

About 5-10 minutes before the smoked spareribs are done, lacquer them with your favorite BBQ sauce. We use this homemade BBQ sauce with bourbon and brown sugar because it adds flavor without taking away from the heavenly smoke flavor of the Kansas City ribs.

A whole rack of pork spareribs.

How to serve ribs

We like to cut these ribs into 2-3 rib segments and pile them on a cutting board so guests can help themselves. You’ll want to have extra BBQ sauce for dipping the smoked spareribs into. These ribs are so tender and unctuous with a glorious smoke bark enhanced by that tingly pork dry rub. This is one of those “gather your friends” kind of meals that everyone appreciates. Believe me, you’re going to get so many accolades and “attaboys” your head will swell. The condition is temporary, but glorious!

Dipping a rib into bbq sauce.

What to serve with Kansas City ribs:

More grilling & smoking recipes:

Loading a platter of pork spareribs.

More rib recipes to try:

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A stack of hickory smoked Kansas City Ribs.
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5 from 13 votes

Kansas City Pork Spareribs

Want authentic Kansas City ribs? This recipe makes the best! Slow-smoked with a tantalizing Kansas City rub and lacquered with sauce, these pork spare ribs are perfect for summer barbecues.
Author: Lisa Lotts
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword ribs, smoking
Dietary Restrictions Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Low-Carb
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes
Servings 8

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:

  • FOR OUTDOOR COOKING:
  • smoker, charcoal grill (with a lid – like a kettle grill) or gas grill
  • Mesquite or Hickory Wood Chips, soaked for one hour before using. (hickory are more mild, mesquite is more pronounced)
  • Smoker Box for Wood Chips
  • Spray Bottle
  • Rib Rack (optional)
  • Grill Mitt
  • Funnel
  • FOR INDOOR COOKING:
  • 2 piece broiler pan with a vented top insert.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 racks pork spareribs 3 to 4 pounds each

FOR THE KANSAS CITY RUB:

  • 5 tablespoons sugar
  • 4 tablespoons sweet paprika
  • 3 tablespoons kosher salt I used Diamond Crystal
  • 2 tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon granulated garlic

FOR THE RIB SPRAY:

  • ¾ cup apple cider
  • ¼ cup bourbon I used Jim Beam

TO GLAZE THE RIBS:

  • your favorite BBQ sauce

DIRECTIONS:

MAKE THE KANSAS CITY RIB RUB

  • In a small bowl, combine the sugar, paprika, kosher salt, lemon pepper seasoning & granulated garlic. Whisk together to combine.
  • Blot the spareribs dry with paper towels. Remove the silverskin, by using a sharp knife to pry up a corner, then gripping tightly with your fingers and pulling the silver skin from the ribs.
  • Rub the ribs liberally with the Kansas City Rib Rub. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

FOR SMOKER METHOD:

  • Combine the bourbon and apple cider and transfer to a spray bottle. A funnel is useful for this.
  • Soak the wood chips for about 1 hour in water.
  • Set up the smoker according to your manufacturers instructions and heat to about 225° – 250°. Place the ribs in the smoker on a rib rack or directly on the grate (bone side down).
  • Cook the ribs at this steady temperature for 4-5 hours or until they’re cooked through adding 1 ½ cups of soaked wood chips to the smoker every hour for the first 3 hours.
  • Spray the ribs with the bourbon/cider mixture every hour after the first hour on the smoker to keep the meat moist. Watch for the ribs to retract from the bone by about ½” as an indicator that they’re done.
  • During the last 10-15 minutes, brush the spareribs with BBQ sauce and let the sauce fuse to the ribs from the indirect heat.
  • Transfer the ribs to a cutting board and cut them into 2-3 bone sections. Serve with BBQ sauce on the side

FOR INDIRECT CHARCOAL METHOD:

  • Combine the bourbon and apple cider and transfer to a spray bottle. A funnel is useful for this.
  • Set up the grill for indirect grilling with a drip pan in the center of the grill and coals on either side or around the perimeter. Preheat the grill to a medium heat, about 325°. When the coals are hot add 1 ½ cups of soaked wood chips.
  • Place the grill rack over the coals and drip pan and place the ribs on the grill bone side down, or if you have a rib rack, you can use that. Spray the ribs with the cider/bourbon mixture every 30 minutes after the first half hour. Replenish the wood chips after the 1st hour of smoking. Cook the ribs until they are tender about 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours. When the meat starts to retract about ½” from the bone, they should be ready.
  • Brush the ribs with BBQ sauce during the last 10-15 minutes of cooking. Remove the ribs to a cutting board and section them into 2-3 rib portions. Serve with extra BBQ sauce on the side for dipping.

FOR GAS GRILL METHOD:

  • Combine the bourbon and apple cider and transfer to a spray bottle. A funnel is useful for this.
  • Set up the grill for indirect grilling, by heating one side of the grill, but not the other to a medium heat, about 325°. Fill a smoker box with wood chips and place over the lit burner on the grill.
  • When the wood chips start to emit a white smoke, place the ribs (bone side down) on the opposite side of the grill (not over the active flame).
  • Spray the ribs every half an hour with the bourbon cider mixture to keep them moist. Cook the ribs for 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours until the meat has pulled back from the bone by about half an inch and the ribs are very tender.
  • During the last 10-15 minutes of cooking brush the ribs with BBQ sauce to lacquer them.
  • To serve, cut the ribs into 2-3 rib portions and serve with extra BBQ sauce on the side for dipping.

FOR OVEN METHOD:

  • Preheat the oven to 325°. Fill the bottom of the broiler pan with apple cider and bourbon. Rest the broiler rack on top and place the ribs on the pan. Cover tightly with tin foil so that no steam can escape.
  • Cook the ribs for 2 to 2 ½ hours or until the meat has shrunk back from the rib bones by about half an inch and the pork is very tender.
  • Remove the foil and brush the ribs with bbq sauce.
  • Turn the oven up to broil and place the ribs about 3-4 inches below the heating element. Broil for 2-3 minutes or until the BBQ sauce is lacquered and bubbly. Flip the ribs, brush with more BBQ sauce and repeat in the broiler.
  • Cut the ribs into 2-3 bone segments and serve with extra BBQ sauce on the side for dipping.

NOTES:

Season the pork spareribs with the Kansas City Rub the night before to penetrate the meat with flavor.

NUTRITION:

Calories: 704kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 54g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 182mg | Sodium: 2805mg | Potassium: 685mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1732IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 3mg

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11 Comments

  1. Trish Bozeman says:

    5 stars
    I’m totally showing this to my husband. He would love it! Such great tips, you make it seem effortless and simple. And that cider spray is absolutely genius. Great recipe, Lisa!

  2. Dana Sandonato says:

    5 stars
    These look and sound amazing. I’m glad you’ve included several different cooking methods too. We do have a smoker, but sometimes it’s just a lot of work to get that thing going. The rub sounds amazing, too. Haven’t had ribs in a while and that’s about to change!

  3. 5 stars
    That dry rub sounds AMAZING. It is so full of flavour! I miss grilling season and need to get ahold of these ribs ASAP.

  4. 5 stars
    Ooh…pinning this to have handy for when the weather is a bit better. Love to cook something like ribs outdoors…and I totally appreciate the suggested times for various cooking methods so I know what to expect. The seasoning rub sounds so yummy….I may have to make them sooner than spring.

  5. Sean@Diversivore says:

    5 stars
    So good in the oven – but MAN I need to get a smoker! Great flavours (and thanks for breaking down the methods and components nicely), and even better when combined with that barbecue sauce! Cheers, and thanks for the great recipe!

  6. 5 stars
    I cannot wait for warm weather, although we do grill all year long. These ribs look fantastic. My grandson always asks for ribs. In fact, every sleepover (like this weekend) he requests them for dinner. He will get some….but not as delicious as these are.

  7. 5 stars
    Thanks for the various cooking methods! I loved that bourbon spray as well!

  8. 5 stars
    This is perfection. My husband will flip when I make him this. I can’t wait. Flavors are amazing and it looks absolutely delicious!

  9. Danielle Wolter says:

    5 stars
    Such thorough instructions! Made these ribs really easy to make and they came out perfect!

  10. Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry says:

    5 stars
    These sound ever so flavourful and delicious! Spare ribs are one of my favourite things to eat!

  11. 5 stars
    Loved this step by step guide to nailing these ribs. The flavor is out of this world!