Applewood-smoked Spareribs with Paprika Chili Spice Rub

Ingredients

• 3 cups applewood smoking chips
• 1 1/2 slabs pork spareribs (about 8 lbs. total)
• Dry Rub
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons celery seeds
• 6 tablespoons hot paprika
• 6 tablespoons chili powder
• Wet Rub
• 1/3 cup distilled white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preparation

1. 1. Soak chips in water 20 to 40 minutes. Meanwhile, light a full chimney of charcoal briquets. When they're ash-covered, bank to one side in cleaned firegrate of a large (22-in.) charcoal grill. When coals are 250° to 350° (you can hold your hand 5 in. above cooking-grate level only 8 to 10 seconds), sprinkle 1 cup soaked chips over coals. Next to coals, set a large disposable aluminum pan and fill it halfway with warm water. Set cooking grate on top.
2. 2. Cut the full slab of ribs in half. Combine dry-rub ingredients; rub 3/4 of it onto both sides of ribs. Set remaining 1/4 of rub aside. Lay ribs on cooking grate over drip pan.
3. 3. Smoke ribs, covered, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Add 8 to 10 briquets to the lit coals (enough to keep heat constant) and 1 cup chips. Turn ribs over. Cook, covered, 45 minutes to 1 hour; add another 8 to 10 briquets and 1 cup chips. Turn ribs and cook for 30 minutes to an hour, or until meat is starting to pull away from tips of bone.
4. 4. Meanwhile, mix vinegar, 1 tbsp. water, and the lemon juice in a small bowl.
5. 5. When meat is almost done, use a spray bottle or paper towels to thoroughly baste top of ribs with wet rub, then sprinkle with remaining dry rub. Cook ribs a few minutes more. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
6. Make ahead: Dry rub can easily be doubled or even tripled. Store it, airtight and at room temperature, for up to a month.
7. TYLER'S FIXES
8. Pack dry rub onto the meat. The little bits of fat on the meat's surface are going to melt to form a nice crust.
9. Never walk away from your grill. Out of sight, out of mind; you're going to have something burn every single time.
10. Cook over the cool zone. Large cuts like ribs will burn over direct heat. To create a cool, indirect-heat zone, bank the lit coals to one side of the firegrate, leaving the other side empty. The empty side is your cool zone. On a gas grill, turn one burner off and put the ribs over it; then lower the other burners to get the right heat.
11. Use a water-filled drip pan. Put this in the empty section to catch the fat as it melts, preventing flare-ups.
12. Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.