Apple-smoked ribs

Ingredients:

• 2.7 kg pork ribs (lean with a lot of meat)
• 1 lemon, cut in half
• 1 apple, cut into quarters
• 1 cup apple juice or cider
• 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• Coarse salt
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp chili powder (spice mix with chili pepper) see recipe)
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• Vegetable oil for greasing
• 8-10 cups mesquite chips or any other hardwood chips
• Small spray bottle

Preparation:

1. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, chili powder, paprika, cumin, mustard powder and 2 tablespoons salt.
   
   Rub the ribs with lemon, then with the spice mixture, and place them in a large baking dish or an airtight plastic bag. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.
2. Meanwhile, soak the wood chips in water for 1 hour. Prepare the grill for smoking by filling the smoker with a quarter of each wood chips and apples.
3. Prepare the ribs for smoking: About 30 minutes before smoking, remove the ribs from the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature. Meanwhile, combine the apple juice, Worcestershire sauce, and vinegar in a small spray bottle. Shake well.
   
   How to prepare ribs
   Place the ribs meat-side down. Insert a knife under the membrane covering the back of the ribs. Use the knife to separate the membrane from the meat. Then, use your fingers to remove it completely.
4. When the grill reaches 120 degrees Celsius (250 degrees Fahrenheit), lightly oil the grates and place the ribs on the cooler side of the grill, meat side up. Drizzle with the apple juice mixture. Cover and smoke for 1 hour.
5. Prepare the ribs: Fill the smoker with a third of each of sawdust and apples. Turn the ribs over so that the meat side is facing down, with the opposite end facing the smoker. Spray with the apple mixture, close the lid, and smoke for another hour.
   
   Repeat this process every hour until the ribs are dark brown and tender, and the meat begins to fall off the bones. This will take about 2 more hours. Remove the ribs from the grill and let them rest for 5 minutes, then cut into pieces.