Myron Mixon is the Winningest Man in Barbecue and makes spectacular ribs. Here is a recipe that I pieced together from multiple sources where Myron has published his rib technique (given below). 
Myron cooks ribs two different ways depending upon the type of competition.
Myron smokes baby back ribs for Memphis in May competitions and switches over to St Louis spares for Kansas City Barbecue Society events.
For both types of contests Myron is simply cooking the type of ribs that the judges expect.
The main difference between how Myron cooks spare ribs and baby back ribs is the temperature of his pit. Baby back ribs get smoked at 250F while St Louis spares get smoked at 275F.
The St Louis spares get smoked at a higher temperature as they have a higher fat content than baby back ribs. The higher heat helps the fat render from the St Louis ribs.
Start by removing the membrane from the back of the ribs and trimming off any excess fat.
Marinate the Ribs
Combine the following marinade ingredients:
Award Winning Rib Marinade
- 1 liter ginger ale
- 1 quart orange juice
- 1 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup salt
- 2 1-ounce packets dry ranch dressing mix
Place the ribs in an aluminum pan and cover with the marinade. Wrap the pan in aluminum foil and refrigerate for four hours.
After four hours remove the ribs from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels.
After the ribs have been patted dry it is time to season them with the dry rub.
Season the Ribs with a Dry Rub
Combine the following ingredients:
Award Winning Rib Rub
- 1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 tablespoons dry mustard
- 2 tablespoons onion powder
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
Apply the rub to the top, back and sides of the ribs. Let the ribs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes as the rub works its way into the ribs.Â
Smoke the Ribs
As soon as the ribs have been coated with rub you need to make sure your smoker is at the right temperature; 250F for baby backs and 275F for spares. Myron likes to use peach wood for ribs.
(If you don’t feel like using Myron’s recipe then here are some other great rib rubs.)
Myron does not place the ribs directly onto the grate of the smoker. Myron places the ribs, bone side down, in an aluminum foil pan and places the pan in the smoker.
Myron cooks EVERYTHING in pans. I think this is a trick he uses to keep his smoker clean.
Myron lets the ribs smoke uncovered in the pan for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes he starts spraying the ribs with the following:
Rib Spritz
- 3 cups apple juice
- 2 cups white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons liquid imitation butter
The ribs get spritzed at the 30 minute mark and every 15 minutes thereafter until the ribs have been smoked for two hours.
After the ribs have smoked for two hours remove the pan from the smoker.
Pour one cup of apple juice into the pan and cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil.
Place the foil covered pan back on the smoker for one hour.
While the ribs are cooking in the foil you will have time to prepare the sauce for the ribs. This is what Myron calls his Hog Glaze.
Start by making a vinegar sauce. Combine the following ingredients and warm (but don’t boil) until the sugar and salt have dissolved.
Basic Vinegar Sauce
2 cups cider vinegar
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup hot sauce
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup sugar
To finish making the Hog Glaze take two cups of the vinegar sauce and combine it with two 18 ounce jars of apple jelly and two cups of light corn syrup.
After the ribs have cooked in the foil for one hour remove them from the smoker and transfer them to a clean aluminum pan.
Brush both sides of the ribs with the Hog Glaze and cover the pan with aluminum foil.
Place the covered pan back on the smoker for 30 minutes while the sauce sets.
Myron says he shuts off the heat to the smoker in this last step. He uses some big smokers so even when it shuts it down there will still be plenty of residual heat left over to cook the ribs some more.
After the sauce sets and the ribs are at the tenderness he wants Myron pulls them from the pit and sends them to the judges!
If you are interested in a simpler method for making great baby backs then check out this recipe for 2-2-1 Baby back Ribs Smoked on a Pellet Grill!
Myron Mixon Ribs with Award Winning Marinade and Dry Rub
Ingredients
- 2 slabs St Louis Style Spare Ribs
- 1 liter ginger ale For the marinade
- 1 quart orange juice For the marinade
- 1 cup soy sauce For the marinade
- 1/2 cup salt For the marinade
- 2 oz dry Ranch dressing mix For the marinade
- 1 cup light brown sugar Dry Rub
- 2 tbsp chili powder Dry Rub
- 2 tbsp dry mustard Dry Rub
- 2 tbsp onion powder Dry Rub
- 2 tbsp garlic powder Dry Rub
- 2 tbsp cayenne pepper Dry Rub
- 2 tbsp kosher salt Dry Rub
- 2 tbsp black pepper Dry Rub
Instructions
- Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs.
- Combine the marinade ingredients.
- Marinate the ribs for four hours in the refrigerator.
- Remove the ribs from the marinade and pat dry.
- Combine the dry rub ingredients.
- Season both sides of the ribs liberally with the dry rub and let sit for 30 minutes.
- Place the ribs in foil pans and smoke at 275F with peach wood.
- After 30 minutes spray the ribs with the rib spritz and repeat every 15 minutes for two hours.
- Add 1 cup of apple juice to each foil pan and tightly seal with aluminum foil.
- Continue cooking for 1 hour.
- Remove the foil lid, discard the pan juices and paint both sides of the ribs with Hog Glaze.
- Return the ribs to the smoker and cook another 30 minutes until the glaze is set and the ribs are probe tender.
Notes
- 3 cups apple juice
- 2 cups white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons liquid imitation butter
- 2 cups cider vinegar
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 Cups Vinegar Sauce
- 2 18 ounce jars of apple jellyÂ
- 2 cups of light corn syrup
Myron has given bits and pieces of this technique in multiple locations. I haven’t shared anything here that wasn’t already publicly available on the Internet.
Here are the sources I used for Myron’s rib recipe:
- Epicurious (Most of the recipe)
- Epicurious (With corrected rib marinade recipe)
- Epicurious Basic Vinegar Sauce
- BBQ Brethren (Cooking notes from class members)
There are variations to this recipe compared to what is in his book (Smokin’ with Myron Mixon
I don’t think Myron is being deceptive in having multiple versions of his rib recipe. I am sure that his methods are always evolving.
Another great championship rib technique is Johnny Trigg’s. I do not have an official source to reference but there are plenty of versions of his technique on the Internet.
By the way, here is Myron’s brisket recipe as well.
these all look good
Hey great post on techniques! I’ve wondered about how these Gus work. I see bits and pieces and you kinda brought it all together. Mike and Amy Mills is one of my BBQ heros! I met him at the Nugget Rib Cookoff last year 2013. Two of the nicest folks I’ve ever met!
Glad you enjoyed! I have heard the same thing about Mike and Amy..awesome folks! Now only if I could get Amy to follow me on Twitter 🙂
My ribs still came out a little tough..
Great post! Folks love to try out rubs that provide that competition quality flavor! Will pass this article along as a resource!
Kevin, thanks for the kind words and sharing the article! I look forward to getting to know you better 🙂
I combined bits and pieces of each recipe and I must say best ribs ever. The flavors were amazing. Thanks
Gotta try it love the show people love my ribs I just can’t reach the taste achievement I’m looking for.
That hog lays is a great deal for the ribs it’ll also work on your brisket or anything that you want to put it on
I think the amount of salt in the marinade is off. Should be one cup per gallon for standard wet brine. This is over double the amount and my ribs were a bit salty. I have used his method before except on the marinade and they were delicious without the marinade.
You could be right…I took the recipe directly from the GMA interview linked in the post. It might have a typo or maybe it is meant to be salty for a big first bite impression?
Two parts coarse blk pepper to ONE part kosher salt…….
Myron Mixon will NOT tell you his secrets unless MONEY is involved. You have the cash, he’ll tell ya a few things you need to know. FACT !!! He even said so on TV.