Memphis Style Dry Ribs: Classic Ribs Without BBQ Sauce

Memphis Style Dry Ribs are all about ribs without a thick layer of BBQ sauce. Here it’s the rub, the smoke, the bark and the meat that do the work.

There are countless variations on Memphis ribs, but the basic idea is simple: spare ribs, generous seasoning, low and slow, and a tangy finish at the end.

If you want to compare more variations, we have our collection of rib recipes.

Prepare the ribs

Trim the spare ribs and remove the membrane on the bone side. If you want to trim them to St. Louis cut, you can use our guide on how to trim ribs.

Mix the rub and cover the ribs well. You can do this the evening before, but it’s also enough to let the spices settle while the grill stabilizes.

Set up the grill for low and slow

Run it indirect and aim for about 230–255°F. On a kettle grill, the snake method works very well.

Use dry smoking wood. You don’t need to soak chips or chunks. Start carefully and aim for clean, thin smoke instead of big clouds of white smoke. There’s more on that in our guide to smoking wood.

How to cook Memphis dry ribs

1. Place the ribs indirect, meat side up.
2. Smoke during the first part of the cook with hickory, oak, or a mix.
3. Let the bark build without opening the grill unnecessarily.
4. Start checking for tenderness after about 4 h, but don’t let the clock decide.
5. The ribs are done when the meat has pulled back from the bones and the rack bends properly without falling apart.
6. Mix vinegar and water and brush or quickly dip the ribs just before serving.

How do you know when ribs are done?

I don’t want them dry, and I don’t want the meat falling off the bones just from looking at them. Good ribs should be tender but still have some structure left.

A simple test is to lift the rack with tongs about a third of the way in. When the surface starts to crack lightly between the bones, you’re close.

Dry doesn’t mean dry

“Dry ribs” means you don’t build the final result on a thick BBQ sauce. It should still be juicy meat with a solid bark and lots of flavor.

This is simple Memphis BBQ at its best: spices, smoke, pork and acid.