Tender, Smoke Fried Party Ribs smoked with Sweet Rub, fried in crispy batter, then tossed in my silky, sticky Sweet Heat Glaze. Buckle up.

Smoke Fried Party Ribs

Ribs are a favorite at my house, but finding 6 hours to smoke a whole rack can be tough. That’s where my Smoke Fried Party Ribs come in. Because of the “party” method of smoking the ribs individually, they’re ready to pick clean in less than 90 minutes. Trust me though, after the flavor journey your friends and family go on, they’ll never believe you made them so quickly.

The magic of these impossibly crispy-yet-saucy ribs lies in the ingredients from my Wing Night Kit. I start by giving my individually sliced ribs a dusting of my signature Sweet Rub. The brown-sugar base enhances the natural sweetness of the pork while developing a nice bark on the exterior. Once the ribs are good and smoky, I give them a quick fry in a light, crispy batter. Finally, these delectable ribs get a final toss in some of my Sweet Heat BBQ Glaze.

If you have a Wing Kit, you’ve already got everything you need to get started. Don’t stress if you don’t have a kit. I’ll still teach you everything you need to know to make your family sweet, smoky, crispy ribs. All right, let’s party.

What are party ribs?

Party ribs are a recent trend in BBQ, and what sets them apart from traditional ribs is preparation and cooking method. Where most recipes for smoking ribs call for a full, intact rack, party ribs are sliced individually before hitting the heat. You still smoke party ribs as you would a full rack, but they cook a lot faster. Having twice the surface area, these ribs rise to temperature quickly while still rendering that sweet, porky fat. With 360-degree access to the heat, the smoky flavor and crispy texture of these ribs make them truly unique.

Prepping Party Ribs for Cooking

Because party ribs are still pretty new to the BBQ, you’ll probably need to grab a rack of ribs and slice them yourself. I love using baby back ribs when using this method. Because baby backs are so meaty, they stay moist and tender even with added smoke exposure. The pronounced bone arch also makes slicing them before smoking a breeze.

Before you start slicing, you’ll want to remove the membrane from the back of the ribs. If you want a refresher on how to do this, check out my post on the Best Ribs for Smoking. With the bones still up, place a sharp knife between the ribs and slice to separate. Once you’ve got individual ribs, it’s time to season them.

Sweet Rub for Ribs

Have you ever been eating ribs with a yummy, caramelized crust and wished all sides had it? Because of their preparation, party ribs can have that coveted crisp all the way around, and that starts with the rub. I love using my Sweet Rub for these guys. The brown-sugar base enhances the natural sweetness of your rich pork. It also builds that bite-through coating anywhere you can put your mouth.

If you don’t have a kit, you can pick some of these sweet and spicy rub up in my Store. You can also make your own following this recipe, or use any rub you love on smoked ribs. Once you understand how to make party ribs, you can go crazy with the flavors. You can even use different seasonings for different ribs since they’re already sliced. Take that, racks.

How Long to Smoke Party Ribs

Your days of cooking and wrapping ribs all day are over. That’s because these party ribs smoke up beautifully in just over an hour. Set your favorite smoker (or grill for indirect heat) to around 275 degrees F. Because these ribs have so much surface area, the heat and smoke hit from all angles. Smoke for around an hour, flipping 3-4 times, and pull your ribs when they reach an internal temperature of 195 degrees F. You’ll finish cooking them in the next step.

Remember, when it comes to pork ribs, the key to nailing fall-off-the-bone tenderness is internal temperature. Grills and cuts of meat can be temperamental, and this is especially true with your single ribs. Internal temperature will ensure all that rich, porky fat breaks down, and that your ribs are safe to eat. You should always use cooking times as a guideline, and use a reliable, instant-read thermometer.

Smoke Frying Your Ribs

Yes, these party ribs are already original, but a quick fry in some of my Crispy Wing Batter takes them to a whole other place. This step is totally optional, but in my humble opinion, it sets them apart from run-of-the-mill ribs. Everybody loves ribs with a crispy bark. Smoke frying your ribs takes that concept and turns the volume up until the knob breaks off.

If you snagged yourself a Wing Kit, then you just need to follow the directions on the bag of batter to coat your ribs. You can also use any fry batter you like, or make your own using the recipe in these Baja fish tacos. Again, you can skip this step and still get totally amazing ribs. If you opt to shortchange your tastebuds and your loved ones, you’ll want to let them cook fully on the smoker before puling.

Sweet Heat Rib Glaze

You’re probably thinking it can’t get any better than tender, smoky ribs fried in a delicate, crispy batter, but it can and it will. After you give your ribs a couple minutes to rest on a wire rack after frying, it’s time to get saucy. Place your ribs in a medium-sized bowl, pour on a thick layer of my Sweet Heat Glaze, then give them a good a good toss. You want to ensure each rib is smothered in the sticky-smooth glaze, then you’re ready to serve with your favorite sides.

Serving Suggestions

When it comes to BBQ sides, appetizers, and salads to serve with ribs, Hey Grill Hey is your one-stop shop. Check out the Sides section of the site or the Hey Grill Hey App for dozens of easy recipes to serve next time you’re cooking up ribs. To kickstart the inspiration, here are some of my favorite sides to serve with ribs:

Sides

Honey Lime Watermelon Salad

Vegetables

Easy Grilled Corn

Sides

Grilled Potato Salad

Sides

Best Homemade Coleslaw

Fast Smoke Fried Party Ribs Recipe

Follow the recipe card for an unforgettable Smoke Fried Party Rib experience, and give it a 5-star rating if you loved making it. Remember, an incredible feature of party ribs is that you can make multiple flavor profiles with a single rack of ribs. Don’t be afraid to get adventurous and try something bold. Make sure to tag @heygrillhey on Instagram and Facebook with some photos of your creative combos so we can all get inspired to head to the backyard and get grilling.