Step 1

Preheat the grill. Preheat your grill for indirect grilling. The target temperature on your grill is 225 degrees F. I recommend using fruit woods like apple, peach, cherry, or hardwoods like hickory or oak.

Step 2

Trim the ribs. Pat the ribs dry with a paper towel. Trim down any excess fat and remove the thin membrane on the back of the ribs using a paper towel for grip.

Step 3

Season. Season all sides of the pork ribs liberally with my Signature Sweet Rub. You can purchase this rub directly from my store (link in ingredients list) or you can make your own (link in recipe notes)

Step 4

Melt the butter and cider. In a small saucepan combine the butter and apple cider. Place on your grill alongside the ribs.

Step 5

Smoke the ribs. Place the seasoned ribs directly on the grill grates. Close the lid, and cook for an hour and a half without opening the lid.

Step 6

Baste and finish smoking. After the ribs have cooked for an hour and a half, baste them liberally with the apple cider mixture. Close the lid and continue to cook for 3 ½ to 4 ½ hours, basting the ribs every 45 minutes to an hour with the cider mixture.

Step 7

Add BBQ sauce. As your ribs near their final target temperature (I usually aim for around 185-190 degrees F), coat the ribs with BBQ sauce and return to the grill for an additional 30 minutes to set your sauce (this step is optional).

Step 8

Rest, slice, and serve. Remove the ribs from the grill. Allow them to rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.