Slow-Smoked Pork Ribs with Spicy Coffee Dry Rub
Tender pork ribs smoked low and slow with a bold dry rub featuring coffee and chili for a smoky, spicy crust. This American-inspired barbecue recipe, ready in about 380 minutes, pairs pork spare ribs, kosher salt, ground coffee for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 420 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.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs pork spare ribs
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp finely ground ground coffee
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat your smoker to 225°F and prepare your ribs by removing the silver membrane from the bone side.
- Step 2: In a bowl, combine 1 tbsp kosher salt, 2 tsp finely ground coffee, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp paprika, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder, and 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper to make the dry rub.
- Step 3: Evenly coat all sides of the 3 lb pork spare ribs with the dry rub, pressing it into the meat.
- Step 4: Place the ribs bone side down on the smoker grate and smoke for 3 hours.
- Step 5: Mix 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar and 1/4 cup water in a spray bottle and spritz the ribs every 45 minutes to keep them moist and enhance flavor.
- Step 6: After 3 hours, wrap the ribs tightly in foil and return to the smoker for an additional 2 hours to tenderize.
- Step 7: Unwrap the ribs and smoke uncovered for 30 more minutes to firm up the bark before slicing between the bones and serving.






