Hey Smokers and welcome to my post where we will run through my Traeger Texas style pork ribs recipe and cooking guide. As you may or may not know, this site is all about cooking on my Traeger Pro 22 Pellet Smoker and seeing where we can take things. And today, I am responding to some feedback!
You see, I received a message via my FaceBook page that told me that I needed to do my pork ribs Texas style!
So I looked this up and in essence, I need to cook my pork ribs essentially the same as I would Beef ribs – salt, pepper and no sauce. What? not even brown sugar? I must admit I am skeptical, but hey, I have some ribs so let’s give it a shot!
Traeger Texas Style Pork Ribs: What You’ll Need
Ok, so below is what I used to smoke up some pork ribs Texas style on the old pellet smoker:
Ingredients
- 2 racks of St. Louis-style pork ribs (or baby back ribs)
- 2 tbsp coarse kosher salt
- 2 tbsp coarse black pepper (16-mesh preferred for extra texture)
- 1tsp garlic (optional)
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar and water (for spritzing)
- ½ cup water (for spritzing)
I cheated a little and used a Texas Style Brisket rub on mine. In essence, it is a SPG with really coarse black pepper as its base!
Equipment
- Pellet smoker
- Wood pellets (oak, hickory, or post oak for a true Texas flavor – I used Hickory)
- Meat thermometer
- Spray bottle
Now, as I mentioned above, I am a little skeptical on this one so I am going to do a little split test – haha. I have four racks so I am going to do two “Texas style” and two with my normal everyday brown sugar based rub. This way I can compare the two to see whether the Texas style is worth it!
The instructions below however only cover the Texas style recipe.
Check out my: Traeger 3-2-1 Pork Ribs
The Smoking Process
This is what I did and when:
1. Prepare the Ribs
- Trim the ribs – Remove any excess fat and the membrane (silver skin) from the back of the ribs for better smoke penetration.
- Add your rub – Coat both sides of the ribs evenly with salt and black pepper. As above, I used a “Texas Style” BBQ rub on mine – which was coarse black pepper, salt and garlic.
- Set your pellet smoker to 225°F/107°C.
2. Smoke the Ribs (Unwrapped)
- Place the ribs bone-side down on the smoker grates and let them smoke undisturbed for around 2 hours.
- After that, start spritzing with a mix of apple cider vinegar and water about every 45 minutes to help maintain moisture.
- After 4-5 hours, check the ribs for bark development as you want a dark, firm crust but not burnt.
3. Finish the ribs
- Once you are happy with the bark, continue cooking until the ribs hit an internal temperature of 195-203°F/ 90-95°C.
- If they need more time, let them go until they are done.
I personally don’t often check for internal temp on pork ribs rather just letting them go to around 5.5 to 6 hours and then do the bend test – i.e. pick up the ribs with tongs—if they slightly crack when lifted, they’re done.
I then usually probe for tenderness as well – I like them just tender so that they are a little chewy however if you want them to ‘fall off the bone’, then just either leave them longer, or maybe wrap them – keeping in mind that this may lessen the bark.
4. Rest & Slice
- Remove the ribs from the smoker and let them rest for 10-15 minutes.
- Slice between the bones and serve with your favorite sides.
My Results
In a nutshell… Skepticism gone! These are really really spectacularly great. The rub and cooking technique gives out everything I love about beef ribs however you can still taste the pork underneath.
I left them sit in the smoker for just on 2 hours as outlined above before I spritzed and pulled them off just shy of 6 hours total cook time.
Also as mentioned above, I did two racks at the same time with my normal sugar based rub for pork ribs as a side by side test. And I have to say, they were good, but these Texas style ones were great!
That said, my son, who likes the sweeter side of BBQ was a little more on the side of the traditional style so I guess it comes down to personal taste.
So all in all, whilst it is definitely a matter of personal taste, if you like Texas style BBQ, then you will definitely not be disappointed with these. I see them becoming a staple in my BBQ household for sure!
Tips
- Use coarse ground pepper (16-mesh) for an authentic Texas bark.
- Spritz lightly – Too much moisture can soften the bark.
- Cook by feel, not just temp – Tenderness is key – probe or bend test for sure!
- No need for wrapping – This is all about pure smoke flavor.
Conclusion
So there you have it, my recipe and cooking guide for some Traeger Texas Style pork ribs. I hope it has been of assistance but as usual, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out by commenting below. I would also love to hear of your own experiences, preferences or suggestions here as well.
Are there any other products you have been looking at but want to know more about? If so, please comment below and I will do my best to get some details for you.
Until next time
Have fun and get smoking!
Paul
How I Turned My Smoking Passion Into A Full Time Income
Hey there! I’m Paul, and like you, I started as a BBQ beginner with just a Traeger and a dream. Now I’m helping others turn their smoking passion into a sustainable online business.
