These party ribs are cooked on the smoker, low and slow, and tossed in a rich barbecue sauce! They're perfect for your next get together, game day party, or backyard cookout. Serve them with your favorite BBQ sides!
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Party ribs are literally perfect for… parties 😂 Not to mention game days and other casual get togethers!
We're not big into viral trend recipes, but Marrekus has been talking about these popular smoked ribs recipe for a long time, so we decided to finally test them out. The result: very, very good! They’re a lot like our deep fried ribs, so if you enjoyed those, then you’ll love these too!
This recipe is perfect for football season or when you have friends over because you can use different seasonings or sauces for one slab of ribs. Just season and sauce individual ribs with whatever you like. That way, you can give people flavor options!
What we love about this recipe ❤️
- Juicy ribs!: Probably the best reason of all, lol. If you love ribs, then these will be your new best friend.
- It’s smoky: It gets all its smoky flavor from cooking them low and slow on the pellet grill.
- It’s the perfect party food: They’re basically finger food at this point and you and your guests will devour them.
What are Party Ribs?
Basically, party ribs are pork ribs (like baby back or spare ribs) that have been pre-cut into individual pieces before cooking. They’re super fun and they’re really easy to do!
Ingredients
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Ribs: Use a whole rack of ribs like baby backs or spare ribs. We made this recipe with St. Louis style ribs (which are just spare ribs that have been trimmed down into a rectangular shape *see photo above).
- BBQ seasoning: Pick your favorite (or top 2 or 3) pork rub or get creative and make your own BBQ seasoning.
- Your Favorite BBQ sauce: Same thing applies—use your favorite store-bought brand or make your own.
- Butter: Pick a good, high-quality unsalted butter like Kerrygold or similar.
- Brown sugar: Light or dark brown sugar—you get to decide. It’s gonna add a nice sweetness to your smoky ribs. If you’re already using a sweet sauce or sweet seasoning blend then feel free to leave the brown sugar out of the recipe.
- Honey: As with the sugar, honey just adds a rich, sweet drop of flavor. Leave it out if preferred, or use agave syrup as an alternative.
- Wood for Smoking: Wood chips, wood chunks, wood splits, etc.
Tools and Equipment
To make these party ribs all you’ll need is a smoker or charcoal grill, a Chef’s knife to cut them into individual slices, and a disposable aluminum pan with a lid or foil to cover it.
How to Make Party Ribs
Detailed instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
Step 1. Start by removing the membrane from the back of the ribs. It helps to use a paper towel to grip the membrane and pull it off.
Step 2. Then, cut the slab of ribs into individual portions, in between the bones.
Step 3. Generously coat ribs with your favorite BBQ rub. Fire & Smoke Society has a serious collection of great spices.
Make sure all sides are well covered!
Step 4. Place the ribs directly on the grill grates and smoke at 275°F until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F, which should take about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
Step 5. Transfer the ribs to an aluminum pan.
Step 6. Add cubed butter, sprinkle brown sugar over the top, and drizzle with honey and BBQ sauce.
Step 7. Cover the pan tightly with a lid or foil and return it to the smoker. Continue cooking until the ribs internal temperature reaches 200°F.
Step 8. Once they're done, remove the ribs from the smoker, let them rest really quick, and then serve while they're nice and hot.
What to Serve
In keeping with the theme, party ribs go great with game day recipes like smoked chicken wings, smoked queso, or fried pickles. Be sure to browse through our collection of barbecue recipes too for more ideas!
Commonly Asked Questions
Use baby back ribs or spare ribs for party ribs. We used St. Louis-style ribs, which are spare ribs that are trimmed around the edges.
For flavor and texture, smoke these party ribs on the day of. If you have friends coming, you can start prepping earlier in the day. These take about 2 ½ hours to smoke, so you can be doing other things or making sides to go with it while it cooks.
For party ribs in the oven, cook them at 275°F (135°C) in a disposable aluminum pan with a lid or covered with foil until they are tender. In the last 30 minutes of baking, unwrap your party ribs and pour the BBQ sauce and butter mixture on top.
📖 Recipe
Smoked Party Ribs Recipe
Equipment
- Smoker or grill
- Chef's knife
- Disposable aluminum pan with lid or foil
Ingredients
- 1 rack baby back ribs or St. Louis-style spare ribs
- BBQ seasoning
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into slices
- ¼ cup BBQ sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar light or dark
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs with a sharp knife, then cut them into individual pieces.
- Coat ribs with your favorite BBQ seasoning or dry rub, making sure the sides of the ribs are well covered.
- Place seasoned ribs directly on the grill grate and smoke at 275°F until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F, about 1 to 1 ½ hours. If using a charcoal grill, set over indirect heat.
- Transfer the ribs to a baking sheet or disposable aluminum pan. Add pats of butter, sprinkle brown sugar on top, and drizzle with honey and your favorite barbecue sauce.
- Gently toss ribs to ensure they’re evenly coated with the sauce mixture.
- Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil and return it to the smoker. Cook until ribs reach an internal temperature of 200°F.
- Remove ribs from the smoker, let them rest briefly, and serve hot. Enjoy!
Jazz says
I love how tender these ribs came out and will be making them again! Thank you!
Chenee says
I saw this post and I couldn't wait to make these tonight and I'm so glad I did! They came out absolutely perfect. Thanks for a great recipe!