Rotisserie St. Louis Ribs x Corey Seigel
Rotisserie St. Louis Ribs
These rotisserie ribs are everything low-and-slow BBQ should be. A bold yellow mustard binder goes on first, followed by a deeply smoky spice rub — salt, pepper, chili powder, paprika, allspice and thyme working together to build a proper bark. Then the rack gets snaked onto the spit and spun slowly over charcoal on the Big Green Egg for four hours, spritzing with apple cider vinegar every hour to keep things moist and glossy.
The finish is a harissa BBQ glaze that pulls everything together — fruity heat from the harissa, depth from coconut aminos and tomato paste, brightness from the vinegar. Brush it on in the final moments, let it set, and you've got ribs that are sticky, lacquered and fall-off-the-bone tender.
"Snake the ribs onto the spit and let the rotisserie do the work — four hours of even, all-around heat is what makes these ribs."
— Chef Corey SiegelIngredients
1. The Ribs & Rub
| 1 rack | St. Louis cut ribs |
| 4 tbsp | Yellow mustard |
| ¼ cup | Kosher salt |
| ⅛ cup | Black pepper |
| 1 tbsp | Chili powder |
| 1 tbsp | Paprika |
| 2 tsp | Allspice |
| 2 tsp | Dried thyme |
| 1 cup | Apple cider vinegar (for spritzing) |
- 1 Combine all dry rub ingredients — salt, pepper, chili powder, paprika, allspice and thyme — in a bowl and mix well. Set aside 3 tbsp of this blend for the harissa BBQ sauce.
- 2 Flip the rack bone-side up and remove the membrane from the back of the ribs by sliding a butter knife under it, grabbing it with a paper towel and pulling it off in one piece.
- 3 Slather yellow mustard all over both sides of the rack — this acts as the binder and adds a subtle tang that bakes into the bark.
- 4 Season the ribs generously all over with the rib rub, pressing it into the mustard so it adheres well.
- 5 Snake the rack onto the rotisserie spit in a weaving S-shape, ensuring it is balanced and secure before mounting on the BGE.
St. Louis cut ribs are trimmed square, which makes them much easier to snake onto the spit evenly than spare ribs. The uniform thickness also means more consistent cooking across the whole rack.
2. Harissa BBQ Sauce
| 1 cup | Mild harissa sauce |
| ¼ cup | Coconut aminos |
| ¼ cup | Tomato paste |
| ¼ cup | Apple cider vinegar |
| 3 tbsp | Rib rub spice (from above) |
- 1 Combine all sauce ingredients — harissa, coconut aminos, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar and rib rub — in a bowl or blender jug and stir to combine.
- 2 For a smoother glaze, blitz with a stick blender or in a countertop blender until silky. Set aside until the ribs are ready to glaze.
Use mild harissa here so the heat is present but not overwhelming — the rib rub spice blend already brings chili heat. If you prefer more punch, swap to hot harissa or add a pinch of cayenne.
Rotisserie Method & Serving
- Set up your Big Green Egg with the Rotisserie attachment. Stabilise the temperature at 275°F (135°C) for direct cooking.
- Mix the rib rub, apply mustard to both sides of the rack and season generously all over. Snake the rack onto the rotisserie spit and secure it firmly.
- Prepare the harissa BBQ sauce by combining all ingredients and blending until smooth. Set aside.
- Mount the spit on the BGE, start the motor and close the lid. Cook the ribs at 275°F for approximately 4 hours total.
- Every hour, open the lid and spritz the ribs all over with apple cider vinegar. This keeps them moist and helps build the bark.
- After 4 hours, check for tenderness — the meat should have pulled back from the bone ends and the rack should flex easily when you pick it up from one end.
- Brush the ribs generously all over with the harissa BBQ sauce and allow it to set on the rotisserie for a few final minutes until sticky and lacquered.
- Remove from the rotisserie, cover loosely with foil and rest for 20 minutes before slicing between the bones to serve.