Fire up the smoker and take in the sweet, smoky air. Summer in Wisconsin calls for meals that bring people together, and smoked BBQ ribs do the job every time. When you slow-cook pork ribs, you turn a simple cut into something worth sharing. Whether you pick baby back ribs or meatier spare ribs, each cut delivers rich flavor that shines over a long, steady smoke.
You can taste the care that goes into great ingredients. That idea connects directly to J. Henry & Sons Bourbon.
The Henry family grows grains right on their Dane County farm, then turns them into bourbon that reflects Wisconsin soil and seasons. Their work builds on generations of farming and a clear goal: start with strong crops and let quality carry through every step. Recent efforts to use locally grown, climate-smart grains show how they keep that promise while protecting the land for the future.
Now think about your next cookout. You season your ribs, settle them into the smoker and let time do the work. Low heat breaks down fat and creates that tender bite you expect from good barbecue. The process takes patience, but the reward speaks for itself when the meat pulls clean from the bone.
Add a splash of J. Henry bourbon to your sauce (or keep a glass nearby, we don’t judge!). You connect your meal back to Wisconsin farms with every bite and sip.
So what does your summer table look like? Picture ribs fresh off the smoker, friends gathered close and a story behind every ingredient.
Smoked BBQ Ribs
Equipment
- mesquite, apple or oak wood for smoking
- Smoker
Ingredients
- 2-4 slabs of pork ribs any style
- Pokey’s dry rub
- Pokey’s BBQ sauce
- 2 c. J. Henry & Sons Bourbon
- 2 c. apple cider or apple juice
Instructions
- Rub both sides of the rack with Pokey’s dry rub or a rub of your choice. Wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.
- After 24 hours, you’re ready to start smoking.
- In the smoker, use mesquite and apple, with a little bit of oak wood or the wood of your choice.
- Add equal parts of wood to the smoker and bring the smoker temperature to 240°F.
- Place the ribs in the center of the smoker, equally away from the sides and the burning embers.
- Let ribs smoke for one hour, then flip them over and continue to smoke for one hour.
- After two hours smoking, combine 2 c. apple juice and 2 c. J. Henry & Sons Bourbon in a shallow pan. Set pan under the ribs on bottom rack of the smoker so the steam will rise up and infuse the bourbon and apple flavor into the meat.
- At the start of the third hour of smoking, flip the ribs again and test with a fork. They should be just soft enough so there will be not much resistance and spongy to the touch.
- Remove the ribs from the smoker and wrap them in foil. Place them in the oven and cook for one more hour at 200°F. When done, let ribs rest on the counter, but do not remove the foil for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, slather on Pokey’s Barbeque Sauce or another barbeque sauce of your choosing and place back into the oven for 15 minutes. Ribs are ready to serve.