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A platter of glistening Kansas City ribs with a thick BBQ sauce

Classic Kansas City Smoked Ribs

Learn how to make Classic Kansas City Smoked Ribs. This recipe combines the best of Kansas City barbecue with tender pork ribs, a custom rub, and a savory homemade BBQ sauce.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 20 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 800 kcal

Equipment

  • Smoker
  • Spray bottle
  • Heavy-duty foil

Ingredients
  

Ribs

  • 1 rack Pork Spareribs or St. Louis Style Ribs

Binder

  • 2 tbsp yellow mustard

Kansas City Dry Rub

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar light or dark
  • 1/4 cup smoked paprika
  • 2 tbsp kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper adjust to your spice preference
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin

Spritz & Sauce

  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar in a spray bottle
  • 1-2 cups Kansas City Style BBQ Sauce store-bought or homemade

Smoking Wood

  • Wood chunks or chips Hickory, pecan, or oak

Instructions
 

Prep & Rub

  • Remove the thin membrane (silverskin) from the bone side of the ribs and trim any excess fat.
  • Lightly coat both sides of the ribs with yellow mustard.
  • Apply the Kansas City dry rub generously to the ribs, pressing it to adhere. Let rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes, or refrigerate for 2+ hours.

Smoke

  • Preheat your smoker to 225-250°F (107-121°C) and add wood chunks or chips for smoke.
  • Place ribs bone-side down on the grates and smoke for 2-3 hours, spritzing with apple cider vinegar every hour.

Wrap & Finish

  • After 2-3 hours, remove ribs and wrap each rack tightly in heavy-duty foil with 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar.
  • Return wrapped ribs to the smoker for another 2 hours at 225-250°F.
  • Carefully unwrap the ribs and generously brush both sides with Kansas City-style BBQ sauce.
  • Place sauced ribs back on the grates, unwrapped, for 30-60 minutes until tender.
  • Remove ribs from smoker, tent with foil, and rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

For best results, allow the dry rub to penetrate the ribs overnight in the refrigerator. The "Texas Crutch" (wrapping in foil) helps to tenderize the ribs and keep them moist. Adjust cayenne pepper to your preferred spice level. The ribs are done when they are tender and the meat pulls away from the bone easily.