If you’re obsessed with all things buffalo-flavored, you’ll want to try my Hot Wing Ribs! They’re the best combination of salted butter, hot sauce, and juicy pork. With just six ingredients, this recipe is simple yet delicious. I guarantee you won’t be able to eat just one!

Serve these Hot Wing Ribs at your next tailgating party, summer cookout, or just because. Friends and family won’t be able to stop raving about this recipe. I’m confident you’ll love it just as much as I do.

Hot Wing Ribs on the Outlaw Patio Smoker | Heath Riles BBQ

There’s nothing better than experimenting in the kitchen. With a fun variety of ingredients, any pitmaster can create mind-blowing combinations. These Hot Wing Ribs are one of my favorite creations yet. This recipe shares one of my favorite methods for cooking ribs on the Outlaw Patio Smoker, complete with a tasty wrap! 

The Ingredients

These Hot Wing Ribs taste gourmet but require less than ten ingredients. The best part? You’ll have extra rub for other tasty recipes! Here’s what you need to add to your shopping list. 

Prairie Fresh Ribs. I can’t say enough good things about Prairie Fresh Ribs. These ribs are high-quality and turn out great every time. If you’re looking for ribs that require minimal trim work, give Prairie Fresh a shot. 

Mustard. Mustard is one of my favorite binders. It gives the pork an excellent bit of twang without overpowering its natural flavors. I recommend using smooth mustard as it helps the spices stick better. 

Heath Riles BBQ Chicken Rub. This delicious blend of herbs, salt, and garlic is for more than just chicken. Use it on pork, turkey, pheasant, steak, or veggies. The sky is the limit! 

Heath Riles BBQ Hot Rub. My Hot Rub gives food a slight kick that won’t burn your mouth. I used this blend to win the 2022 Memphis in May Rib Championship. I know it’ll make you feel like a winner, too! 

BBQ Bob’s Mighty Mitch’s Wing Sauce. This tasty sauce comes from a good buddy of mine, BBQ Bob. It’s a great blend of honey, buffalo sauce, and BBQ flavor. Once you try it, you’ll never go back to any other kind! 

Butter. For this wrap, I used plain salted butter. This ingredient kept the buffalo flavor central and gave the ribs a silky texture. Half a stick of butter PER slab of ribs was the perfect amount.

The Smoker Setup

Here’s the main equipment I used for this recipe. More of my grilling favorites can be found in the Equipment and Tools section. 

• Smoker. I cooked these ribs over the Outlaw Patio Smoker. This is one of my favorite setups because it’s durable, high-quality, and easy to use. If you’re in the market for an excellent stick burner, check out the Outlaw. I use Outlaw’s BFO model when competing! 
• Charcoal. I stoked the pit with Royal Oak Charcoal and a few hickory logs. This combination created the best smoke with no fillers. I love using Royal Oak Charcoal because they’re high-quality, and their ingredients list passes the test. 

The Process for Making Hot Wing Ribs

You can see this recipe's detailed demonstration in the video and recipe card. For now, here’s a brief overview of how these delicious Hot Wing Ribs came together. 

• Fire up the grill. I stoked the Outlaw Patio Smoker with Royal Oak Charcoal and fired it up to a temperature of 275℉-300℉. 
• Trim the ribs. I removed the ribs from their packaging, trimmed any uneven pockets or flaps of fat, and removed the membrane. Be sure to watch the video to learn how to remove membranes without any fuss!
• Add binder and seasoning. Next, I added my binder and seasoning. I drizzled mustard on the ribs, then laid down a layer of Heath Riles BBQ Chicken Rub and Heath Riles BBQ Hot Rub. I flipped the ribs over and repeated the process on the other side. I let the ribs sweat in for 15-20 minutes before moving to the next step. 
• Start cooking. I laid the Hot Wing Ribs directly on the Outlaw Patio Smoker’s grates and let them cook for one hour, undisturbed. After an hour, I spritzed the ribs with water. This attracts the smoke to the ribs and keeps them juicy. I shut the lid and let the ribs go for another 45 minutes. 
• Wrap the ribs. I took the Hot Wing Ribs off the Outlaw Patio Smoker and laid them on a double-lined sheet of foil. Then, I added a tiny drizzle of BBQ Bob’s Mighty Mitch’s Wing Sauce. To finish the wrap, I laid half a stick of butter on the top. I tightly wrapped the ribs and laid them back on the pit for another hour. 
• Make the basting mixture. While the ribs finished cooking, I created my buffalo basting mixture. I added 1 tablespoon of butter and BBQ Bob’s Mighty Mitch’s Wing Sauce to a cast-iron pan. I let the basting mixture warm on the pit until the butter was melted. 
• Baste and finish. Once the ribs hit the 203℉-204℉ range, I pulled them from the grill and let them rest for 20 minutes. Then, I unwrapped the Hot Wing Ribs and basted them with my buffalo mixture. At this point, you could set your ribs back on the pit for a few minutes to char up. I decided it was time to dig in! 

The Results

The Hot Wing Ribs came off the Outlaw Patio Smoker with a beautiful golden color and a mouth-watering smell. This rib had the BBQ trifecta; flavor, moisture, and beauty. Each bite was filled with smoky buffalo flavor. 

Serving Suggestions for Hot Wing Ribs

Serve these Hot Wing Ribs with a side of blue cheese dressing and a wedge salad. Or, try one of these hearty side dishes. 

• Mississippi Coleslaw. Cool things down with this chill slaw recipe. It features a flavorful white sauce and crisp cabbage. This is coleslaw done right! 
• Smoked Pecan Pie. If you’re looking for a dessert you can make on the pit, try this pie. It’s a great combination of shortcut ingredients and from-scratch flavor. 
• Smoked Brisket Baked Beans. Baked beans are always a good idea, and this recipe takes the cake. It includes a brilliant mix of seasonings, brisket, and creamy beans. 

Storing Leftovers

If you have leftovers, you can store them in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze them for up to 4 months. 

Equipment and Tools

Outlaw Patio Smoker, Royal Oak Charcoal, disposable cutting board, aluminum foil, Victorinox Fribrox Pro Chef’s Knife,  Nechtik BBQ Gloves, ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE, ThermoWorks hi-temp silicone brush, metal sheet pan, cast-iron pan.