Smoked Rib Tips Recipe

Smoked rib tips are juicy, flavorful bites of pork, slow-cooked until tender and caramelized with a sweet and smoky bark. For the best smoked rib tips recipe, perfect for BBQ lovers, these meaty morsels are irresistible served with your favorite sauce or straight off the smoker.

If you’ve never had smoked rib tips, you’re in for a treat! These meaty bites are packed with flavor, have just the right amount of chew, and are glazed with a sticky, tangy BBQ sauce that brings everything together.

Rib tips are a popular dish on the South Side of Chicago, often served with white bread and fries and topped with a generous drizzle of sweet and tangy mild sauce. This rib tip recipe walks you through everything you need to make this classic at home using a smoker, a savory BBQ rub, and a flavorful braising liquid.

What Are Rib Tips?

Rib tips are the small pieces of cartilage-rich pork that are trimmed off when you turn spare ribs into St. Louis-style ribs. They’re shorter and more irregular in shape than baby back ribs or pork ribs, but don’t let that fool you. They’re full of smoky pork flavor and make a delicious, affordable BBQ option.

In Chicago, especially on the South Side, rib tips are a staple. Places like Lem’s Bar-B-Q have made them famous. They’re typically chopped into smaller pieces, smoked or grilled, then covered in Chicago-style mild sauce (my personal favorite). I love using a homemade mild sauce with a touch of heat and sweetness; it’s the perfect finishing touch.

Why This Recipe Works

• Flavor-packed from start to finish: The dry rub creates a deep, savory flavor profile, while the braising liquid adds sweetness and moisture.
• Slow smoking makes them tender: Low and slow heat breaks down the connective tissue and small pieces of cartilage for tender ribs.
• That signature saucy glaze: Whether you use a Chicago mild sauce or your favorite BBQ sauce, the final layer of flavor is rich, sticky, and irresistible.

Supplies Needed

To make these smoky pork riblets, here’s what you’ll want on hand:

• A smoker (I like using cherry wood for a hint of sweetness)
• Grill grates or a rack for indirect heat
• Aluminum foil or a foil pan
• Sharp knife and cutting board
• Paper towels
• Tongs and a basting brush
• A digital thermometer to check internal temperature

Ingredients

Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll need. Don’t worry about exact measurements here—just group and season to taste.

For the Rib Tips:

• Pork rib tips (either cut from a rack of spare ribs or purchased pre-cut at the grocery store)
• Your favorite spice blend or BBQ dry rub (a mix of kosher salt, black pepper, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder works great)
• Apple juice or apple cider vinegar for spritzing
• A homemade Chicago-style mild sauce or favorite BBQ sauce

For the Braising Liquid:

• Apple juice
• Cubed butter
• Brown sugar
• Honey
• A spoonful of your dry rub

Variations:

• Add a touch of citrus extract or spice extractives like extractives of paprika or celery seed to your rub for an extra flavor boost.
• Use Memphis-style barbecue sauce or a vinegar-based glaze next time for a different twist.

How To Smoke Rib Tips

1. Prep the Rib Tips

Pat your rib tips dry with a paper towel and season all sides generously with your dry rub. Let them sit at room temperature while you heat your smoker to 250 degrees F using indirect heat. This helps the spices stick and gives you better smoke adhesion.

2. Smoke Low and Slow

Place your seasoned rib tips directly on the grill grates. Smoke for 2.5 to 3 hours, spritzing every 30–45 minutes with apple juice to keep the sides of the meat moist and build that rich mahogany color.

3. Braise for Tenderness

Once the internal temperature hits around 165 degrees F, transfer the rib tips to a foil pan. Pour in your apple juice, add cubed butter, drizzle honey, sprinkle brown sugar, and add a bit more rub. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and continue smoking until they reach 195–203 degrees F. This braising step locks in moisture and helps break down the tougher bits.

4. Sauce and Finish

When the rib tips are probe tender, uncover them and brush them with your favorite sauce (I love Chicago’s mild sauce here). Let them smoke uncovered for another 15–20 minutes to set the sticky glaze.

5. Slice and Serve

Rest the ribs for 10 minutes. If you smoked the rib tips whole, use a sharp knife to slice them into smaller pieces. Serve hot with more sauce on the side!

Expert Tips

• You can buy pork rib tips pre-cut at many grocery stores or cut them yourself from a rack of spare ribs. Just remove the lower section (with the small pieces of cartilage) to square off your ribs into St. Louis-style ribs.
• Smoke the rib tips whole or in 2-inch pieces—smaller cuts cook faster and develop a better crust.
• Store any leftover rib tips in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat them in a toaster oven or grill for the best results.

What To Serve With It

Rib tips are best enjoyed with classic BBQ sides. Here are some of my favorites:

• White bread (for soaking up all that sauce)
• Pickles or pickled jalapeños
• Fries or potato wedges
• Dill Pickle Coleslaw or smoked creamy mac and cheese
• Baked beans or grilled corn on the cob

Pair these smoky rib tips with cold drinks and good company, and you’ve got yourself a perfect backyard BBQ or weekend dinner. Whether you’re new to slow smoking or already a pitmaster, this recipe brings the bold flavors of Chicago-style BBQ right to your table, with no artificial ingredients, just real smoky goodness and soul-satisfying bites.

More Recipes To Try

Party Ribs Recipe (individually smoked)

Beef Flanken Ribs

Slow Smoked Ribs

Hot and Fast BBQ Ribs