The sweet, succulent taste of smoked ribs cooked to fall-off-the-bone tenderness has few matches in flavor. Make ribs with a smoker to infuse the meat with a savory smoke flavoring. Smokers cook the meat at a low-slow temperature. This technique uses a break in the dry smoking process to heat the ribs in a foil-covered baking dish, keeping the meat moist and flavorful rather than drying it out from the long cooking. Allow about for 5 1/2 hours of cooking time on the smoker before serving the ribs.
Place the ribs with the bones up on a flat surface. Grab the corner of the thin, opaque membrane with a paper towel and pull it away from the meat in a clean swipe. Alternatively, use a thin knife to separate the membrane from the meat.
Heat your smoker to 225 degrees Fahrenheit. If you like, sprinkle a rib rub or marinade over the ribs to completely cover both sides with a thin coating of seasoning.
Place the ribs, bone side down, into the smoker and smoke for three hours.
Remove the ribs to a baking pan with one cup of apple juice in the bottom of the pan. Seal the baking pan with aluminum foil and place it in the smoker for 30 minutes.
Remove the ribs from the baking pan and return the bare ribs directly to the grates in your smoker for another 1 1/2 to two hours of final cooking time.
Cook the ribs until a meat thermometer reads 170 degrees Fahrenheit and the meat begins to fall off the bones. Serve the ribs alone or with your favorite barbecue sauce.