Old Smokey Style Smoked Ribs
Everyone has their own way of doing ribs, but this one has become a fan favorite for a reason. It’s one of the most popular recipes on our site, and once you cook it, you’ll understand why. These ribs are all about letting the Old Smokey Electric Smoker do what it does best. It holds a steady heat, keeps moisture locked in, and turns out tender, flavorful ribs without a lot of fuss.
The overnight marinade does the heavy lifting, the rub builds the flavor, and the Electric Smoker takes care of the rest.
- Prep Time: 24 Hours
- Cook Time: Varies based on heat control settings of your choice, but typically between 2-3 hours.
Ingredients:
- 1-2 Racks of pork ribs
- Your favorite rub (we love our Homemade Old Smokey Rib Rub)
- World Famous Old Smokey Marinade (If you don't have time or ingredients to make this, any marinade will do!)
Equipment:
- Twine
- Glass Container
- Old Smokey Electric Smoker
- Wood Chips
Prep:
- The day before the actual smoking, be sure to wash the ribs thoroughly, dry them, put the ribs in a plastic bag or glass tray with the marinade and marinade them overnight in the refrigerator.
- Take the ribs out of the refrigerator about an hour or two before you want to start smoking and add the Rub. The marinade will still be moist and will hold the rub in place.
Once the rub has been applied, it's time to think about the best way to cook the ribs in the Old Smokey Electric Smoker. Ribs are rectangular, and the OSES has circular grills. You can:
- Stand the ribs on their side (as if they were in a rib rack) and they'll cook just fine.
- Curl them to fit on the grill and they'll stand up.
- Tie them into a circle shape. (Most racks of ribs won't fit standing up on the top grill, so you may want to cut them into 2 pieces and layer them.)
Cooking:
- Start the OSES on high and leave it that way for 30 minutes. This gets the wood chips to "light" and release smoke.
- After that you can dial it back to fit your time schedule.
- It's OK to open the lid of the Old Smokey Electric Smoker, but you won't want to do it too often.
- Allow 2-3 hours depending on where you set the heat control. A good way to tell if the ribs are ready is that the meat will start to pull away from the bone and be pretty loose in general. If it seems like the bone could be wiggled free pretty easily, you're done.
Pro-Tip: Don’t overthink the setup. Whether you curl the racks, stand them on edge, or tie them into a circle, the ribs cook evenly and come out just right.