Smoke Spare Ribs
This is my preparation and cooking style for perfectly smoked spare ribs. I have had great results by following the guidelines listed below.
PREPARATION
I usually prepare the ribs the night before I am going
to smoke them to let the rub soak in to the meat. This will give the
rub plenty of time to work.
There are many different techniques to produce a great smoked rack of ribs. The best way to find out what works for you is to practice and experiment with different available recipes, or new recipes you come up with.
The ribs prepared here weighed 5 pounds, and were smoked using indirect heat (225 F) for about 6 hours.
FRESHNESS
When I choose a rack of ribs for smoking, I make sure that the meat has not been previously frozen. Sometimes choices are limited, but fresh meat will have a better flavor, and it will be very tender when smoked correctly.
Trimming the Ribs
Choose a well trimmed rack of spareribs such as St.
Louis style. There is a membrane located on the underside of the ribs.
People have many different 
opinions
regarding removing the membrane or leaving it on. I personally leave
it on because if the ribs are cooked correctly, the membrane will pretty
much dissolve while cooking.
If you choose to remove it, begin by trimming it away from the bone on one end of the ribs. You can either continue cutting it off, or if you get lucky, you can grab it with a pair of pliers, and pull the whole membrane off at one time.
Prepare the night before cooking, allowing 15 or so hours to let the rub soak in.
Coat
the ribs with a thin layer of mustard and oil before applying the rub.
Season both sides of the ribs with your favorite dry rub. I have a few listed on my brisket rub page that might be useful to you. If you decide to make your own rub, remember, the goal is not to overpower the taste of the meat with seasonings, but to add to the flavor by correctly blending different seasonings together that will enhance the flavor of the meat.
Again, some people like to marinade their ribs, but I have had the best results with using a dry rub.
COOKING
Remove the ribs from the refrigerator about 45 minutes before cooking them so they are closer to room temperature.
I smoke the ribs at a consistent temperature of 225 degrees F for about 1 hour per pound, but usually no more than 6 hours.
Place
the ribs bone side up in the smoker. I use a rib mop sauce that has no
or very little brown sugar, and no tomato products in it. These two ingredients
will burn before the meat is done, and produce bad results. It is best
to apply a finishing sauce or glaze towards the last 30-40 minutes of
smoking.
When applying the finishing sauce, turn the ribs over so that the bone side is down, then apply the sauce.
The ribs are done when the meat retracts and exposes
the edge of the rib bones by about 1/2 inch or so, and basically each
rib section will tear apart with ease. The internal meat temperature
will be about 170 F when done. An instant read thermometer is a must
have for checking the doneness of the meat. You can purchase one at the
link below, along with other great barbecuing tools.
After a while, you will develop a feel for doneness.
Using different types of woods will produce different smoke flavors in the meat. I usually use mesquite, apple, and charcoal. Too much mesquite can add too much of a smoky flavor to the ribs, so use it sparingly. Hickory and oak are also some of the commonly used woods for smoking ribs.
SERVING
Cut down the middle of each strip of meat between each rib bone. Add your favorite sauce, and enjoy.