Memphis Spareribs Recipe with Dry Rub | Low & Slow BBQ

This recipe is inspired by Memphis dry ribs: ribs that put meat, smoke and a seasoned crust first. Memphis BBQ Rub with smoked paprika, brown sugar and black pepper gives them a sweet, smoky flavour. Serve without sauce or offer it separately.

Memphis ribs with a dark dry-rub bark, served with Tex-Mex salad

What do you need?

  • 1 rack of ribs, approximately 1.2–1.5 kg.
  • 30–40 g Memphis BBQ Rub.
  • BBQ or oven.
  • Aluminium foil.
  • Meat thermometer.

Want to explore other smoky flavours alongside Memphis? Browse our smoky BBQ rubs.

Preparation

If possible, remove the tough membrane on the bone side for a more pleasant eating texture. Apply Memphis BBQ Rub to both sides. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to overnight.

Want to know when a wet marinade suits ribs better than a dry rub? Read how to marinate ribs; this Memphis recipe uses a dry rub.

Want to order Memphis BBQ Rub? It is blended after your order, rather than taken from ready-mixed stock.

Order Memphis BBQ Rub
3-Evening Pack: choose 3 rubs

Cooking on the BBQ: 3-2-1 as a guide

The 3-2-1 method is a planning aid, not a guarantee. Thin ribs may finish sooner; adjust the stages according to colour, crust and tenderness.

  1. Set up the BBQ for indirect heat at 110–120°C.
  2. Smoke for about 3 hours: place the ribs bone-side down on the grate. Add a modest amount of cherry wood or hickory to taste and allow the crust to develop.
  3. Wrap for up to about 2 hours: if wanted, wrap in foil once the crust is firm enough. Continue at around 120°C, checking tenderness along the way. Shorten this stage if the meat is already becoming tender.
  4. Finish for up to about 1 hour: carefully remove the foil and return the ribs to the grate to dry and firm the surface. Stop sooner if they are ready.
  5. Check between the bones with a skewer: it should slide in with little resistance. An internal temperature around 90–95°C can be a clue, but thin rib meat is hard to measure and tenderness is the deciding factor.

Cooking in the oven

  1. Preheat the fan oven to 120°C.
  2. Place the ribs on a rack above a baking tray with a little water.
  3. Cover with foil and use about 3 hours as an initial guide. Check tenderness between the bones and extend cooking if needed.
  4. Remove the foil when the meat is nearly as tender as you want. Let the surface firm uncovered. Briefly raise the temperature if necessary, but stay nearby: the rub's sugar can burn.

The oven gives a seasoned crust, but without wood smoke it will not produce the same smoky flavour as a BBQ.

Tips for ribs

  • Removing the membrane mainly improves texture; the rub seasons the outside.
  • Treat 3-2-1 as a guideline and check thin ribs sooner.
  • Bend test: support the rack carefully with tongs. A pronounced bend and slight cracking of the crust can indicate tenderness. Also check with a skewer.
  • For a firmer bite, shorten the foil stage. Prefer very tender meat that comes off the bone easily? That is a preference, not automatically a mistake.

Serving

Cut between the bones and serve immediately. Enjoy with coleslaw, grilled corn and baked beans.

Order Memphis BBQ Rub
Try the Memphis pulled pork recipe
Memphis BBQ Rub: flavour profile and tips
Explore more flavours with the Starter Pack

Learn more about BBQ techniques

Measuring internal temperature: complete guide
Bark and smoke ring: what they are and how they form
The BBQ stall: causes, duration and options
Choosing smoking wood: hickory, apple, cherry and mesquite