Smoked Ribs at 250 Degrees
Smoked low and slow at 250°F, these St. Louis-style ribs hit that perfect balance of juicy, tender meat with a smoky bark finish. This method is great for pitmasters and novices alike who like a bit of process without getting overly complicated—and the results are always crowd-pleasers.
Equipment
- Pellet grill or smoker
- Heavy-duty aluminum foil
- Spray bottle
- cutting board
- instant read thermometer
- Paper towel
- Sharp knife
- Measuring cups & prep bowls
Ingredients
- 2-3 lbs. st. louis-style ribs
- BBQ seasoning
- 4 T unsalted butter
- BBQ Sauce of Choice
Instructions
For the Ribs:
- Preheat the grill or smoker to 250°F. Meanwhile, trim the ribs of any excess fat and remove the last two bones on both ends. Next, remove the membrane and season both sides liberally.
- Once the grill is preheated, add the ribs and smoke them untouched for ~2 ½ -3 hours. At this point, rub a finger over the ribs. If the rub has set and does not come off, remove the ribs from the grill. If not, give the ribs a spritz of water (or your desired lubricant) and let the ribs smoke for another 30 minutes and check again to ensure the rub has set.
- Once this occurs, Place the ribs on a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, meat side down, and wrap tightly with the butter and a liberal amount of the BBQ sauce. Return the ribs to the grill (still meat side down).
- After ~45 minutes, check back in on the ribs. Once the bones start to show, they should be tender enough to continue. You can also pick them up with tongs to check their tenderness. If they have a nice bend to them when you pick them up – they’re good to go. If they’re still stiff, wrap them up and continue cooking for another 20 minutes before checking back in.
- Once the ribs are tender, season both sides liberally with your BBQ rub and let them cook for another 15 minutes, meat side up, to reset the bark. Finally, brush the prepared sauce onto the ribs and let the ribs continue to cook until the glaze has set. Once this occurs, remove the ribs from the grill.
To Finish:
- Slather your ribs one more time with the sauce (if desired), slice, and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- Rub Set Check: Rub should not smudge when touched; if it does, spritz and give it more time to set.
- Wrapping: Wrap meat side down with butter and BBQ sauce in heavy-duty foil once the rub has set. This locks in moisture and builds tenderness.