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St Louis Style Ribs

Butte, MT, United States / KBOW
Jul 8, 2019 | 8:36 AM


St Louis Style Ribs

Dry rubbed first, these St. Louis Style Ribs get basted with apple juice, wrapped and then basted again with BBQ sauce for that fall off the bone, tender rib.

Ingredients

    • 4 lbs St Louis Style Ribs
    • 1/4 cup yellow mustard
    • 1/4 cup apple juice (See Note 1)
    • 1 cup BBQ sauce of choice

Dry Rub

  • 2 tbsp fennel seeds (See Note 2)
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds (See Note 2)
  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds (See Note 2)
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp ground cayenne
  • 1 tbsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp dry mustard

Instructions

  • Toast the fennel, coriander and cumin seeds in a saut pan until fragrant and oils have been released. Grind in a spice grinder until in powder form. Feel free to use ground spices if you prefer, but use a 1/2 tsp LESS of each.
  • In a small bowl whisk together the toasted/ground spices and all the remaining dry rub ingredients. Set aside.
  • Peel membrane off from the back of ribs. Apply mustard on both sides of the ribs. Sprinkle dry rub all over both sides of the ribs.
  • Let sit for 30 minutes minimum (or 8 hours, covered if refrigerated).

Grill Method

  • Preheat gas grill or smoker to 350F. Grill using indirect heat (See Note 3).
  • Place the rack, bone side down on the grill, close the lid. Let the ribs cook for 30 minutes.
  • Take ribs off grill and place on aluminum foil. Fold up sides, pour apple juice over and wrap tightly in foil. You want this as watertight as possible after pouring in the apple juice.
  • Place the wrapped ribs back on the grill, close the lid and increase temperature to 375F for 30 minutes.
  • Turn the heat down to 250F and unwrap the ribs. Baste each side with BBQ sauce every 5 minutes for a total of 30 minutes. Cook the ribs until the internal temperature is 175F. Allow to rest 10 minutes, slice and serve.

Oven Baked Method

  • Preheat oven to 325F.
  • Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the rack, bone side down on the foil lined baking sheet and let the ribs bake for 30 minutes.
  • Take ribs off baking sheet and place on a new sheet of aluminum foil (maybe use 2 sheets of aluminum foil to accommodate ribs). Fold up sides, pour apple juice over and wrap tightly in the foil. You want this as watertight as possible after pouring in the apple juice.
  • Place the wrapped ribs back on the baking sheet and increase oven temperature to 375F and bake for 30 minutes.
  • Turn the heat down to 250F and unwrap the ribs. Baste each side with BBQ sauce every 5 minutes for a total of 30 minutes. Cook the ribs until the internal temperature is 145F. Allow to rest 5-10 minutes prior to cutting.

Notes

  1. For a tarter mop sauce, substitute apple cider vinegar for the apple juice.
  2. If you are not using whole spices, use a 1/2 tsp LESS of each ground spice.
  3. Grill using indirect heat: For gas grill do the 2 Zone set up which is either half the grill is lit to achieve desired temperature and the meat is placed on opposite side, or have sides lit leaving the center NOT on or lowest temperature. To grill using indirect heat on a charcoal BBQ or smoker, ignite charcoal and place it to one side of the grill, creating a space for the food or the center with meat you’re cooking not directly over those lit coals. Typically use a drip pan under the meat to avoid any flareups.