East Texas-Style Smoked Pork Ribs with Spicy Dry Rub

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-08-03 · Updated 2026-08-03

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

Juicy pork ribs rubbed with a bold, spicy seasoning blend and smoked low and slow until tender and flavorful, a Texas barbecue staple. This American-inspired barbecue recipe, ready in about 375 minutes, pairs pork spare ribs, brown sugar, paprika for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 600 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 360 min Serves 6 American cuisine 600 cal/serving

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Ingredients

3 lbs pork spare ribs
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp black pepper
for smoking apple wood chips

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Instructions

Step 1: Preheat your smoker to 225°F and prepare a handful of apple wood chips for smoking.
Step 2: In a small bowl, mix 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp paprika, 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tbsp kosher salt, and 1 tbsp black pepper to create a spicy dry rub.
Step 3: Remove the silver skin membrane from the back of the 3 lbs pork spare ribs. Rub the spice mixture evenly and generously over both sides of the ribs.
Step 4: Place the ribs bone-side down on the smoker grate. Add apple wood chips to the fire to create smoke and close the lid.
Step 5: Smoke the ribs low and slow for 5-6 hours, maintaining 225°F, until the meat is tender and pulls back from the bones by about 1/2 inch.
Step 6: Remove ribs from smoker and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing between the bones. Serve with your favorite barbecue sauce or enjoy as-is for smoky, spicy flavor.