“I like to use a combination of a blackening spice I make with added brown sugar,” says chef Sydnor. “I use paprika, granulated onion, dehydrated garlic, thyme, dry mustard, celery seed, black pepper, kosher salt, and brown sugar.”
Smoked St. Louis Ribs
Courtesy of Dennis Sydnor, owner and chef, Renegade Dining in Sacramento.
Ingredients
- 1 rack St. Louis cut ribs
- 1 cup preferred rub
- 6 tablespoons kosher salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup brown sugar
- Apple juice
For the blackening spice:
- ½ cup paprika
- ½ cup granulated onion
- ½ cup granulated garlic
- ¼ cup ground thyme
- 4 tablespoons dry mustard
- 3 tablespoons white pepper
- ½ teaspoon celery seed
- 1 teaspoon dry dill
For the barbecue rub:
- 1 cup Chef Sydnor's Blackening Spice
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
Instructions
For the blackening spice:
- Combine all ingredients into a mixing bowl and stir until fully incorporated. Store in an airtight container.
For the barbecue rub:
- Place all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and stir until fully incorporated. Ready to use immediately.
For the Ribs:
- Rinse ribs under cold water, then pat dry with clean kitchen towel. Remove membrane from the underside of ribs using clean paper towel. Insert knife just under membrane and separate from bone. Grip membrane with paper towel and peel going from left to right. If done correctly, 90 to 100 percent of membrane comes off in a single pull.
- Using preferred seasoning, run underside of ribs, flip over, and season top of ribs. Refrigerate seasoned ribs and allow dry rub to sit for 14 to 24 hours (the longer the better). Light the smoker (offset smoker and Hemly Cider pearwood are preferred). Preheat to 275 degrees F and place ribs on grill, bone side down as far from fire as possible, with thickest part facing fire box. Smoke ribs for 2 hours, then spritz with apple juice or other liquid for flavor. Smoke for 1 additional hour, then remove ribs from smoker.
- Place ribs on foil sheets and spray liberally with apple juice. Rub with butter and brown sugar, then wrap and place back on smoker. Adjust smoker temperature to 250 degrees F and leave wrapped ribs on for 2 hours. Remove ribs from smoker and either allow them to rest for 1 hour in a warm place before serving, or coat with preferred barbecue sauce and return ribs to smoker for 1 additional hour. Remove from smoker then cut ribs into 2-bone sections and serve as is, with blackening spice or barbecue rub.
