Chef Tom's Root Beer Spritzed Spare Ribs will tantalize your taste buds! Sweet, salty, and smoky with an unbelievable bark, these ribs are the perfect combination of flavors for your next BBQ. Let Chef Tom show you how to make them - you won't regret it!
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Preheating a third wood split against the front of the firebox gets it partially dried and ready to add to the fire, keeping the temperature steady without a cold log causing a dip
- Spritzing the ribs with just enough root beer to act as a binder gives the rub something to stick to without oversaturating the surface before it even hits the smoker
- Placing the ribs bone-side down keeps the meat side facing up and away from direct contact with the grate throughout the cook
- Giving the ribs one final generous spritz immediately after pulling them from the grill adds a last layer of moisture and flavor while they're still hot enough to absorb it
Root Beer Spritzed Spare Ribs
Tom Jackson
Rated 3.3 stars by 6 users
Category
Entree
Cuisine
American
Servings
6
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
5 hours
Calories
984
Chef Tom fires up the Yoder Smokers Loaded Wichita offset smoker his Root Beer Spritzed Spare Ribs. Sweet, salty and smoky with a bark you won’t believe! These ribs have got it all!
Ingredients
- St. Louis cut spare ribs
-
R Butts R Smokin’ Ozark Heat BBQ Rub
- 1 bottle root beer
Directions
- Start a chimney of lump charcoal in the fire box of the Yoder Smokers Loaded Wichita Offset Smoker. When the coals are hot, dump them out in the back half of the fire box. Add two splits of wood. Place a third split against the front side of the fire box to preheat. It should not be close enough to the fire to touch or catch fire.
- Stabilize the temperature at 275ºF-300ºF, using the butterfly opening on the fire box and chimney cap. Continue feeding the fire with split wood to maintain the temperature, while burning a small hot fire.
- Spritz your ribs with the root beer; just enough to act as a binder for the rub. Season moderately with the R Butts R Smokin’ Ozark Heat BBQ Rub.
- When the rub appears wet on the surface of the ribs, transfer to the smoker, placing the ribs bone-side down.
Smoke the ribs, spritzing with root beer every 30-45 minutes, until the ribs are fully tender. When lifting the rack of ribs from the bottom center, the ends of the rack should stay on the grate and the top of the meat will start to crack open. Looking at the ends of the bones, the meat should move freely from the bone when twisted.
- Immediately after removing the ribs from the grill, give them one last generous spritz.
- Slice the Root Beer Spritzed Spare Ribs to serve.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why preheat a third wood split against the front of the firebox instead of adding it straight from a cold pile?
Warming it there first dries it out partially, so when it's added to the fire it catches and burns more predictably, helping maintain the 275-300°F range rather than causing a temperature dip the way a cold, fresh split could.
Why spritz the ribs with just enough root beer to act as a binder, rather than soaking them?
A light spritz gives the Ozark Heat rub something to grip onto without oversaturating the surface, which could prevent the rub from forming a proper bark during the smoke.
Why place the ribs bone-side down on the smoker?
This orientation keeps the meat side facing up, away from direct contact with the grate, throughout the entire cook.
Why give the ribs one last spritz immediately after pulling them off the grill?
Spritzing them while they're still hot lets that final layer of root beer absorb into the surface right away, rather than applying it to meat that's already begun cooling and setting.
How do I know when the ribs are actually done?
This recipe uses two physical tests: lifting the rack from the center so the ends droop and the top cracks open, and checking that the meat twists freely away from the bone at the ends — rather than checking a specific internal temperature.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
1 out of 5 — this is a multi-hour cook built entirely around an offset smoker's wood fire and smoke. An oven can render the ribs tender, but you'll lose the bark and smoke flavor this recipe is built around.
Recipe Highlights
Preheated third split: Keeps fire temperature steady when added.
Light binder spritz: Helps the rub stick without over-soaking the surface.
Bone-side-down placement: Keeps the meat off direct grate contact.
Immediate post-cook spritz: Adds a final layer while the ribs are still hot.
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Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 4 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 984
- Carbs
- 7 grams
- Protein
- 57 grams
- Fat
- 80 grams
- Sodium
- 354 milligrams
