Slow-Smoked Pork Spareribs

Ingredients

• 0.25 cups kosher salt
• 0.25 cups packed brown sugar
• 0.25 cups paprika
• 3 tablespoons ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 0.5 teaspoons celery seed
• 16 pounds pork spareribs
• 1 apple , quartered
• 1 orange , cut into wedges
• 1 lemon , cut into wedges
• 1 lime , cut into wedges
• 1 onion , cut into wedges
• 3 cups red wine
• 3 cups water
• cooking spray
• 0.5 cups ketchup
• 0.25 cups soy sauce
• 0.25 cups lime juice

Instructions

1. 1

   Combine salt, brown sugar, paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and celery seed in a bowl; set aside.

2. 2

   Remove all heavy fat from ribs, then remove and discard the membrane covering the rib side. Cut the slabs into 3- to 4-bone portions, cutting evenly between the ribs to leave some meat on each portion.

3. 3

   Rub spice mixture into rib portions, front and back, until all of the spice mixture has been used. Place ribs into a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate, 4 hours to overnight. Letting ribs sit overnight will give them the best flavor.

4. 4

   When ready to cook, fill the water pan of your smoker with apple, orange, lemon, lime, onion, red wine, and water. If you do not have a water pan, place the ingredients into a metal bowl, and set the bowl on the drip tray, above the heat source. Smoke with wood chips of your choice at 250 to 300 degrees F (120 to 150 degrees C) until the ribs are no longer pink, and the meat easily pulls from the bone, 4 to 6 hours or more depending on the smoker and temperature. Change the wood chips according to manufacturer's directions.

5. 5

   Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-low heat, and lightly oil the grate. Stir together ketchup, soy sauce, and lime juice in a bowl to make a barbeque sauce; set aside.

6. 6

   After ribs are fully cooked, remove them from the smoker, and brush them with barbeque sauce. Cook on the preheated grill, brushing occasionally with the sauce, until the sauce has become sticky and infused into the ribs, 15 to 20 minutes.