Overview

St. Louis–cut spare ribs cooked at 300°F/149°C, no wrap, for a dark, crackly bark and tender bite. Straightforward fire, clean smoke, and precise doneness checks—done in about four hours.

Ingredients

• 2 racks St. Louis–cut pork spare ribs (6–8 lb total / 2.7–3.6 kg)
• Optional binder: 2 tbsp (30 g) yellow mustard or neutral oil
• Kosher salt: 2 tbsp (24 g)
• 16‑mesh black pepper: 2 tbsp (14 g)
• Sweet paprika: 1.5 tbsp (11 g)
• Garlic powder: 2 tsp (6 g)
• Onion powder: 2 tsp (6 g)
• Ground mustard: 1 tsp (3 g)
• Turbinado sugar (low): 1 tbsp (12 g) — optional
• Spritz: 1 cup (240 ml) 50/50 apple cider vinegar and water
• Optional finishing glaze: 1/2 cup (120 ml) KC‑style sauce thinned 1:1 with water or apple juice

Equipment

• Smoker (offset, kettle with baskets, WSM, or pellet grill capable of steady 300°F/149°C)
• Charcoal (briquettes or lump) and/or cooking wood splits/chunks
• Post oak wood (plus a little hickory if desired)
• Digital pit thermometer or reliable onboard probes
• Instant‑read thermometer/probe
• Long tongs and heat‑resistant gloves (nitrile over cotton liners)
• Spray bottle for spritz
• Wire rack and sheet pan
• Butcher paper (for resting) and aluminum foil (drip management)
• Sharp boning or trimming knife
• Chimney starter and fire management tools

Wood

Post oak; small touch of hickory optional

Time & Temp

Time & Temp
Smoke temp: 300 °F (149 °C)
Target internal: 200 °F (93 °C)
Approx duration: 4 hours

Why 300°F No‑Wrap Works

Running spare ribs at 300°F (149°C) with no wrap builds a sturdy bark in a reasonable cook time—typically 3.5–5 hours. The hotter pit drives Maillard browning and renders fat faster, while skipping the wrap avoids steamed surfaces and keeps the exterior crisp. We’re leaning Texas in approach: clean fire, restrained sweetness, and smoke-forward flavor.

Choose and Trim the Ribs

Use St. Louis–cut spare ribs for even thickness and cleaner slices. Pick racks with good meat between the bones and minimal shiners. Trim off thin edges and loose flaps, square the rack, and remove the membrane from the bone side by lifting with a butter knife and pulling with a paper towel. Save trimmings for beans or sausage. Pat dry so seasoning sticks and bark forms quickly.

Seasoning: Build Bark, Not Candy

At 300°F, high sugar rubs can scorch. Go heavy on salt, black pepper, and paprika, with just a whisper of turbinado to help browning. Apply a thin film of yellow mustard or oil if you like (it won’t flavor the ribs; it just helps the rub adhere). Season both sides evenly and the edges—moderate coverage, not caked on. Let the ribs rest 20–30 minutes at room temp to sweat and tack up before they hit the pit.

Fire Setup and Wood

Run a clean, steady 300°F (149°C) with plenty of airflow. On an offset, build a small hot fire and feed modest splits to maintain thin blue smoke; avoid smoldering logs. On a kettle, set a two‑zone fire with a full basket of briquettes or lump, add 2–3 chunks of post oak near (not on) the coals, and keep the top vent fully open. Skip a water pan or run it nearly dry to encourage bark. Post oak is the base; a small touch of hickory is fine, but don’t overdo it at this temp.

Cook Timeline (Hot and Fast)

1. Preheat the pit to a steady 300°F (149°C). Place ribs bone side down, meat side up, centered over even heat and airflow. 2) First 60–90 minutes: don’t spritz; let the bark set. Rotate racks front-to-back and side-to-side if your cooker has hot zones. 3) When the surface is no longer shiny and rub doesn’t smear to the touch, spritz lightly with a 50/50 apple cider vinegar and water mix. From here, spritz every 30–45 minutes only if the surface looks dry. 4) At 3 to 3.5 hours, start checking: you should see 1/4–3/8 in (6–10 mm) bone pullback and deep mahogany color. If color is right but tenderness lags, you can drop the pit to ~285°F (140°C) for a gentler finish without wrapping. Typical finish is 3.5–5 hours depending on rack thickness and airflow.

Doneness: Trust Feel, Not the Clock

Internal temperature is a guide; tenderness is the test. Start probing between bones around 195°F (90.5°C). Done is 198–203°F (92–95°C) with a probe or toothpick gliding in like warm butter. The bend test should show a clean surface crack when you lift the rack with tongs about a third from the end. Bone pullback of 1/4–3/8 in (6–10 mm) is another good cue. If it’s tacky or resistant, give it 10–15 more minutes and recheck.

Sauce or Dry? Keep the Bark

If you like sauce, brush a thin, thinned glaze (cut a KC‑style sauce 1:1 with water or apple juice) during the last 10–15 minutes only to set lightly without softening the bark. Otherwise, serve dry and offer sauce on the side. Avoid heavy mopping—moisture softens bark at this temp.

Rest, Slice, Serve

Rest the racks 10–20 minutes. For maximum bark, rest unwrapped on a wire rack over a pan; for a slightly softer bite, tent loosely with butcher paper. Slice between bones from the bone side so you can see the seams. Serve immediately. If holding, keep above 140°F (60°C) or chill properly.

Food Safety

Keep raw pork separate from ready‑to‑eat items; sanitize boards, knives, and spritz bottles that contact raw meat. The USDA minimum safe internal for whole pork is 145°F (63°C), but ribs need 198–203°F (92–95°C) for connective tissue breakdown; do not serve under 145°F. Rest cooked ribs above 140°F (60°C) if hot‑holding. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours; store 3–4 days at ≤40°F (≤4°C). Reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C) before serving.

Troubleshooting and Pit Notes

Bark too dark early? Your fire is dirty or too close: open exhaust, burn smaller splits, or move the rack to a cooler spot and run 285°F (140°C) until tender. Bark too soft? You spritzed too often or ran a wet pit—reduce spritzing and skip the water pan. Ribs chewy? They’re underdone; keep cooking until probe tender. Ribs dry? They went too long or are too lean; pull earlier next time or choose meatier racks. Pellet cookers often produce lighter bark—thin your sauce and keep the pit as dry as possible to compensate.

Notes

• Assumption: St. Louis–cut spare ribs cooked Texas‑style (clean fire, restrained sweetness), no wrap.
• Sugar is kept low to prevent scorching at 300°F/149°C; adjust to taste but avoid heavy coatings.
• For kettles: keep the top vent fully open and control temp with the bottom vents to maintain clean smoke.
• Spritz only after the bark sets (no smear when touched); excess moisture softens bark.
• Doneness cues outrank time and temp: probe tender between bones, 1/4–3/8 in (6–10 mm) bone pullback, and bend test cracking the surface.
• For longer holding without soggy bark, rest on a wire rack in a 150–170°F (65–77°C) oven with the door cracked.
• Leftovers: cool quickly, refrigerate ≤40°F/≤4°C within 2 hours, reheat to 165°F/74°C.