Remove the ribs from the packaging and pat them completely dry with paper towels. Trim away any excess fat or loose pieces of meat. On the bone side, either remove the membrane or lightly score it with a sharp knife.

Season the bone side with a generous layer of your favorite BBQ rub. Flip the ribs over and season the meat side generously as well. Allow the ribs to rest at room temperature while your smoker preheats.

Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees F.

Place the ribs on the smoker, meat side up, and cook for 2 hours without opening the lid.

After 2 hours, lightly spritz the ribs with water or a 50/50 mixture of water and apple cider vinegar. Check the internal temperature between the bones. It should be around 170 to 180 degrees F.

Continue cooking for approximately 1 more hour at 250 degrees F. Begin checking for tenderness and internal temperature between the bones. The ribs are done when they reach 200 degrees F or higher and a probe slides in with very little resistance.

Brush the ribs with your favorite BBQ sauce and allow the sauce to set for 15 minutes.

Remove the ribs from the smoker and let them rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing between the bones and serving.

Tom's Tips

Cook by color, bark, tenderness, and temperature instead of strictly following the clock.

Every rack of ribs cooks a little differently, so use the cooking times as a guideline and let the ribs tell you when they're done.

The perfect rib should have a clean bite with tender, juicy meat that stays on the bone instead of falling completely off.

Skipping the traditional 3-2-1 method gives you incredible bark, rich smoke flavor, and the perfect bite every time.