Smoked Hot Honey Party Ribs

By James Kimble October 4, 2024 8 mins read 165 Views

Who’s ready to party? These party ribs are going to win your guests over at your next backyard barbecue or tailgate!

These individually smoked baby back ribs tossed in homemade smoked hot honey have been a hit all summer and have become a staple at all my barbecues and tailgates this football season.

Party ribs feature a balance of tenderness and a caramelized char for their flavor and texture, which is what makes them so unique. Though the flavor of these party ribs is top-tier, this is an awesome beginner-friendly recipe that will impress your friends and family!

Smoked Party Ribs

The best thing about these party ribs is that they are done in half the time compared to smoking ribs with the 3-2-1 method. Yet, you still get smokey, saucy, tender ribs.

Plus, there are minimal ingredients required, and this recipe is easy to adjust to try different flavor combinations.

a hand holding a single party rib with a tray of ribs in the background

Ingredients you’ll need

Baby back ribs – The best kind of pork ribs to use for party ribs because of their marbling, slight curve to the bone, and thinner membrane than a pork spare rib.
Sweet BBQ rub – Use our ultimate rib rub recipe, or go for a store-bought sweet BBQ rub like Meat Church, The Gospel.
Sweet BBQ sauce – We suggest using a sweet, thick, and dark-colored BBQ sauce for maximum caramelization.
Homemade smoked hot honey – Optional but does add a nice sweet heat from the combination of BBQ rub, chili flakes, honey, and water.

Equipment you’ll need

Pellet grill – I used my Traeger Grills Timberline XL, but any smoker will work for this recipe. To achieve the desired caramelization of each rib, It’s best to smoke the ribs on the bottom grill grate of your smoker; however, if they do not all fit, you can smoke the ribs on the remaining racks. You might have to move them around a little bit so that they cook evenly.
Pellets – I used a hickory, oak, and cherry blend of pellets.
Chef or BBQ knife – a sharp knife with a little weight to cut the ribs efficiently and safely.
Small cast iron skillet – or grill-safe saucepan.
Strainer
Mason jar
Meat thermometer – I recommend an instant read thermometer for this recipe over a probe so that you can track the temperature of multiple ribs rather than relying on the temperature of a singular rib. This is very helpful if your smoker has heat spots in the back or sides.
Mixing bowl – large enough to toss the ribs in two batches.
Grill safe dish – I used a cast iron baking pan during the braising process.
Foil

How to make smoked hot honey party ribs

1. Fire up the smoker

Preheat your pellet smoker to 260°F.

I used a blend of hickory, oak, and cherry pellets.

I also recommend spraying the grill grates with non-stick oil, such as avocado oil. This will keep the ribs from sticking when they begin to caramelize.

2. Cut the ribs

It’s best to have a cutting board that doesn’t slide. I suggest putting a kitchen towel underneath the board.

Trim off any hard fat or hanging pieces before cutting them into individual ribs.

raw baby back ribs being cut being cut up on a white board — A sharp knife is highly recommended for cutting the ribs.

When cutting the ribs, cut in between the bones, providing an even amount of meat on each side of the bones. Sometimes, it’s easier to turn the rack upside down when cutting the ribs.

3. Season

Prior to seasoning the ribs, I used sweet barbecue sauce as a binder so that the seasoning would stick to them. You can use homemade or store-bought sauce as long as it’s sweet, thick, and dark in color.

a measuring cup pouring BBQ sauce over raw ribs

I like to use disposable gloves for this part of the process so that you can ensure the ribs are fully covered in sauce.

raw baby back ribs covered in BBQ sauce — BBQ sauce is not typically used as a binder; however, it works with this recipe as it enhances the char and caramelization of the ribs.

After applying the binder, generously season all sides of the ribs with Meat Church “The Gospel,” a popular sweet barbecue rub. You can also make one of our homemade barbecue rubs.

4. Smoke the ribs

Place the individual ribs on the bottom grill grate, leaving about an inch between each rib. This will keep the ribs sweating out by allowing more smoke to hit each rib.

raw sauced and seasoned party ribs on the grill

If making a larger batch, using the remaining shelves of the smoker is fine, however you will need to move the ribs around after an hour or so to ensure an even cook.

Smoke the ribs at 260°F for 2 ½ hours.

close up of cooked party ribs on the grill

5. Make the hot honey

This is my go-to quick and easy hot honey recipe which I use whenever I am using a lot of it in a cook. It makes a large batch at an affordable price. The smoked element also produces a unique and delicious flavor.

In a grill-safe saucepan, add water, followed by the barbecue rub you are using on the ribs, red pepper flakes, and your preferred honey.

a wooden spoon with hot honey sauce dripping off it — I wouldn’t suggest using raw honey for this. It needs more of a syrup texture rather than a spread.

Combine ingredients and place the saucepan on the top rack of your pellet smoker. Smoke for two hours at 260°F.

After two hours, strain the hot honey into a container, then add it to a jar or sauce bottle. I like to add some of the flakes back in for texture.

a sieve over a bowl, draining the hot honey — The barbecue rub acts as a great addition to the flavor.

6. Sauce the ribs

After smoking at 260°F for 2½ hours, the internal temperature of the ribs should be between 165°F-180°F.

Add half of the ribs to a large mixing bowl, followed by a little barbecue sauce and a generous amount of hot honey. Toss and place in a grill-safe baking dish or foil pan.

sauced party ribs in a metal bowl — Smoked hot honey is the star of the show.

Repeat with remaining ribs.

Keep everyone happy by making multiple batches
If I’m feeding kids (or adults) who don’t like spice I’ll toss half the ribs through the hot honey, and I’ll take the other half and toss with a mixture of regular honey or brown suger, a sweet bbq rub and a few pats of butter.

Feel free to split up your rubs and try multiple sauce options. Disposable aluminum pans work great for braising each flavor seperetly.

7. Braise the ribs

After tossing the ribs, cover with foil and increase the temperature of the pellet smoker to 275°F.

Smoke the ribs for half an hour. This will break down the fat to produce a perfectly tender rib. The internal temperature of the rib should read between 198°F and 203°F.

Remove the foil, let cool, and rest before serving.

8. Serve

The best part is that after the ribs are done smoking and resting, you don’t have to worry about slicing them perfectly or ruining the glaze you worked so hard on. The ribs are ready to go!

They keep well in a warmer or cooler for up to 4 hours while remaining sticky, charred, caramelized, smokey, and tender.

Party ribs frequently asked questions

Why cut the ribs first?

Cutting the ribs prior to cooking allows you to get an even coating of rub over the entire rib. It also allows the ribs to caramelize and achieve a smoke ring on all sides.

After they are tossed in sauce and braised, they are ready to serve.

Should I remove the membrane?

These party ribs cook at a higher temperature than your more traditional methods, so I highly recommend leaving the membrane on. It acts as a layer of protection, helping to prevent the rib from drying out.

How long do party ribs take to cook?

What sold me on these “viral” party ribs was that they only take three hours to cook. I have made them in large and small batches all summer and into this football season. They never disappoint.

Are party ribs better than traditional ribs?

I wouldn’t say party ribs are better than traditional ribs because they both offer two different worlds of flavors and textures. However, party ribs are faster, easier to cook, and easier to serve. And I have learned that no matter how many I make, there are never any leftovers.

Try out hot honey in more recipes