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Smoked Country Style Ribs with Dry Apple Spice rub

Smoked Country Style Ribs with Dry Apple Spice Rub

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 20 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Smoker or pellet grill A traditional offset smoker, electric smoker, or something like a Traeger will work. For those who don’t have one, an oven can do the job with some tweaks.
  • Meat Thermometer Essential for monitoring internal temp.
  • Spray bottle To spritz the ribs with vinegar during the smoke.
  • Wire rack + sheet tray (for oven method)
  • Foil or butcher paper For wrapping the ribs mid-cook if needed.
  • Tongs and basting brush Helpful for handling and saucing the ribs.

Ingredients
  

For the dry apple spice rub

  • 2 tablespoons dried apple powder or finely ground dried apple chips
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional for heat

For the ribs

  • 3 pounds country style pork ribs bone-in or boneless
  • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard as a binder
  • Wood chips or pellets for smoking applewood or hickory recommended

Optional for serving

  • Apple cider vinegar spritz 50/50 apple cider vinegar and water
  • Barbecue sauce optional, if you want to glaze at the end

Instructions
 

Prep the Ribs

  1. Start with fresh country style pork ribs. You can use either boneless or bone-in country style pork ribs—just make sure they’re well-marbled for tenderness.
  2. Pat the ribs dry with paper towels. Lightly coat each rib with yellow mustard to act as a binder for the rub. Don’t worry, the mustard flavor cooks off, but it helps the spices stick beautifully.

Apply the Dry Apple Spice Rub

  1. Mix all the rub ingredients in a bowl. Be sure your apple powder is fine so it distributes evenly. Generously coat all sides of the ribs with the rub, pressing it in with your hands.
  2. Let the ribs rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to absorb the rub—or refrigerate for up to 8 hours if prepping ahead.

Set Up Your Smoker

  1. Preheat your smoker or pellet grill to 250°F. If you're using a Traeger or other pellet smoker, fill with applewood or a mix of apple and hickory pellets for a balanced smoke. This technique also works with an electric smoker—just make sure your chips are smoldering, not burning.

Smoking the Ribs

  1. Place the ribs directly on the grates, leaving space between each one. Close the lid and smoke for 1.5 hours.
  2. Every 45 minutes, spritz the ribs with your apple cider vinegar mix to keep the exterior moist and encourage a gorgeous bark.

Wrap and Finish

  1. After 1.5 to 2 hours, you’ll notice a good bark developing. At this point, you can either:
  2. Wrap the ribs in foil or butcher paper for a more tender result, OR
  3. Leave them unwrapped for a firmer, bark-heavy finish.
  4. Continue cooking for another 1 to 1.5 hours until the internal temperature hits 195–200°F and the ribs probe like soft butter.

Optional Glaze

  1. If you love a saucy finish, brush your favorite BBQ sauce on the ribs during the last 15 minutes of cooking, letting it caramelize slightly.

Rest and Serve

  1. Remove the ribs from the smoker and let them rest, tented with foil, for 10–15 minutes before slicing. This locks in all the juices and keeps the meat tender.