Overview

Lean, smoky pork ribs cooked at 275°F/135°C with a paprika‑forward rub, no sauce, and a light shower of finishing dust right before slicing. Clean bark, balanced salt and heat, and a tender bite without falling apart.

Ingredients

• 2 racks baby back ribs (4.5–5 lb / 2.0–2.3 kg total) or 2 racks St. Louis–cut spare ribs (6–7 lb / 2.7–3.2 kg total)
• Binder (optional): 1–2 tbsp (15–30 ml) yellow mustard or neutral oil per rack
• Spritz: 1 cup (240 ml) apple cider vinegar + 1 cup (240 ml) water
• Base rub (combine; makes ~3/4 cup / ~100 g): paprika 4 tbsp (28 g); kosher salt 2 tbsp (24 g); white sugar 1 tbsp (12 g); black pepper, medium grind 2 tsp (6 g); garlic powder 2 tsp (6 g); onion powder 2 tsp (6 g); cayenne 1 tsp (2 g); ground celery seed 1/2 tsp (1 g); mustard powder 1 tsp (3 g, optional)
• Finishing dust (fine grind; makes ~1/2 cup / ~70 g): fine table salt 1 tbsp (18 g); paprika 2 tbsp (14 g); white sugar 1 tbsp (12 g); black pepper, fine 1 tsp (3 g); garlic powder 1 tsp (3 g); onion powder 1 tsp (3 g); cayenne 1/2 tsp (1 g); celery salt 1/2 tsp (2–3 g); citric acid 1/8–1/4 tsp (0.5–1 g, optional for brightness)

Equipment

• Smoker (charcoal kettle with two‑zone, offset, or pellet grill)
• Digital pit thermometer or reliable built‑in therm
• Instant‑read thermometer with a thin probe
• Wire rack and sheet pan
• Spray bottle for spritz
• Spice mill or coffee grinder (for finishing dust)
• Shaker for rub and dust
• Boning or paring knife for trim
• Food‑safe gloves
• Kitchen scale and measuring spoons

Wood

Hickory as the primary wood, accented with a little apple or cherry for color and sweetness

Time & Temp

Time & Temp
Smoke temp: 275 °F (135 °C)
Target internal: 200 °F (93 °C)
Approx duration: 4 hours

What Makes Memphis Dry Ribs

Memphis dry ribs are about bark and balance: paprika‑heavy rub, restrained sugar, and no glaze. The rack is smoked clean at a steady pit temp and dusted lightly with a fine, salty finishing powder just before serving so the aromatics bloom without turning pasty.

Cut Selection and Trim

Both baby backs and St. Louis–cut spares work. Baby backs cook faster and take a slightly lighter hand with the rub; St. Louis spares deliver a meatier chew and a larger sweet spot for tenderness. Remove the membrane from the bone side for a cleaner bite and better seasoning penetration; square loose edges and remove any hanging skirt meat so the rack cooks evenly. Pat the ribs dry before seasoning—surface moisture fights bark.

Rub and Finishing Dust

Memphis rub leans on paprika, salt, and savory aromatics with only a touch of sugar to avoid scorching at 275°F/135°C. Apply the base rub evenly and let it hydrate into the meat; the finishing dust is a finer, slightly saltier version that you shake on after the cook to wake up the flavors. Grind the dust very fine in a spice mill so it melts on warm meat rather than sitting gritty.

Fire Setup at 275°F

Run a steady 275°F/135°C with clean, thin blue smoke. On a charcoal kettle, use a two‑zone ‘snake’ or banked coals with vents set for a gentle draw; on an offset, build a small, clean fire and feed splits to maintain heat without billowing smoke; on a pellet cooker, set 275°F and consider a supplemental smoke tube if you prefer a stronger hickory note. Use 3–4 fist‑size chunks of hickory with a touch of apple or cherry for color. Keep your top vent fully open and control with the intake to avoid stale smoke.

The Cook: Timing and Doneness

Lightly coat each rack with a thin binder if you like, then season all sides with the base rub 30–60 minutes before they hit the pit. Cook ribs meat‑side up. Spritz with a 50/50 apple cider vinegar and water mix after the first 60 minutes, then every 45–60 minutes to keep the bark supple—not wet. At 275°F/135°C, baby backs typically finish in about 2.75–3.5 hours, while St. Louis spares run 4–5 hours. Color should be a deep mahogany before you consider them done. Doneness is by feel: look for 1/4–1/2 in (6–12 mm) bone pullback, a clean bend where the rack cracks on a 90° lift at the middle, and a probe that slides between bones with very little resistance. Internal temperature in the thick meat between bones often reads around 195–203°F (90–95°C), but tenderness is the call. Do not wrap; you want a dry bark.

Rest, Dust, and Slice

When the rack passes the bend and probe tests, pull it and rest on a wire rack over a sheet pan for 10–15 minutes to let surface steam dissipate so the bark stays dry. While still warm, dust both sides lightly with the finishing dust—think an even snowfall, not a sandstorm—and let it sit 5 minutes so the flavors bloom. Slice between bones with the meat side down for cleaner cuts, then give a whisper more dust only if needed after tasting.

Serving

Serve ribs dry with lemon wedges, dill pickles, white bread, and beans or slaw on the side. Keep a shaker of the finishing dust on the table instead of sauce so guests can tune salinity and heat. Memphis ribs are meant to eat as‑is; if you must glaze, do it on a separate rack.

Food Safety and Storage

Handle raw pork on a dedicated board with clean, gloved hands and keep the spritz bottle from contacting raw meat. Sanitize tools after trimming. Pork is safe at 145°F/63°C, but ribs require higher temps and time for collagen to render; rely on tenderness cues rather than minimum internal temperature. Rest cooked ribs loosely tented; do not hold in the danger zone. Cool leftovers from 135°F to 70°F (57°C to 21°C) within 2 hours and to 40°F/4°C within 4 hours. Refrigerate up to 3–4 days; reheat to 165°F/74°C. Discard any mop or spritz that contacted raw meat.

Troubleshooting and Pit Notes

If the bark looks dark early, back the pit to 250°F/121°C for 30–45 minutes or increase your spritz interval; consider reducing sugar in the rub next time. If ribs are tough, they need more time—cook until the bend test cracks cleanly. If they shred and bones fall out, they are overcooked; shorten the next cook by 15–20 minutes. Dry edges can be shielded near the end with a loose foil guard without wrapping the whole rack. Keep smoke clean by burning seasoned fuel and avoiding smolder; white, billowy smoke will turn the paprika bitter.

Notes

• Apply the base rub 30–60 minutes before cooking to let it hydrate; salt will start seasoning while sugar dissolves.
• Use 3–4 fist‑size wood chunks over the first half of the cook; after color sets, run mostly on charcoal heat to avoid over‑smoking.
• Rotate racks front to back and swap positions halfway through if your pit has hot spots.
• Membrane removal yields a cleaner bite; some Memphis joints leave it on—choose your preference and season accordingly.
• Pellet cookers run clean at 275°F; add a smoke tube with hickory pellets if you want a deeper profile.
• Dust lightly; you can always add more at the table, but you can’t take it off.