Onion & Cola Spare Ribs

By lorik

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 5-7 hours
Smoker Temp: 250°F
Meat Finish Temp: Done when tender
Recommended Wood: Mesquite and cherry Mix

Ingredients

• 1 rack of spare ribs
• Apple cider vinegar
• 2-liter bottle of cheap cola
• 2 medium yellow onions
• 8-10 cloves of garlic
• Al's rub

Preparation

Step 1

Remove any extra clumps or layers of fat then flip the rack of ribs over to bone side up.

Remove the flap of meat that runs along the bottom of the ribs if has not already been trimmed off by the butcher. This helps it to cook more evenly.

Remove the membrane (thick plastic stuff) by prying up with your fingers or a sharp object such as a butter knife. Once you are able to get ahold of it, use a paper towel or some catfish skinning pliers to get a good grip and pull it clean off. If it tears, just get another good hold on it and finish the job.

Removing this membrane is important as it allows the smoke to get to the meat better and makes for more enjoyable eating later.

Spritz the ribs with apple cider vinegar to wet the surface. Sprinkle
the ribs with rub and let the ribs sit for about 5 minutes to allow the rub to mix with the apple cider vinegar and get that familiar "wet" look.

Note: you can flip the ribs over and season the other side now or you can wait and season them after placing the ribs on top of the onions and garlic in the next step. Doesn't matter when as long as you do it.

Slice 2 onions into ¼ inch slices and separate the rings into a disposable aluminum pan. Place 8-10 garlic cloves all over the pan in with the onion rings. Pour cola to about ½ the depth of the pan.

Cut the rack of ribs in half and lay bone side down on top of the onions.

Preheat the smoker to 250. I recommend having enough smoking wood to last at least 4 hours if possible. Once your smoker is preheated and maintaining the coal temperature, you are ready to move forward.

Place the pan of ribs on the smoker grate. If your smoker has a water pan, use it and keep it full throughout to promote a nice humid environment in the smoker. Continue adding smoke for at least 4 hours or until the ribs are completely done cooking. For ribs, we do not use temperature to determine when they are done however, I did check the ribs with my Thermapen when they were super tender and I was reading about 195°F . I recommend bending the ribs, pulling the bones apart and even going so far as to taste one of the ribs to allow you to make a determination of "done". They are done when they are as tender as YOU and YOUR family likes them.

I like mine really tender, others like them to be less so.
In spite of what some know-it-all pitmasters might try to tell you, there are NO RULES about this unless you are competing in a barbecue contest. Most back yarders I have met, want them falling off the bone tender and, like I said, you and your family are the judge at your own house.

When they are done, you can wrap them in foil, then in a towel and hold them for several hours in a cooler if you need to or you can go ahead and slice them up and divvy them out.