Description

This easy smoked baby back ribs recipe delivers incredibly tender, juicy, and flavorful ribs with a perfect fall-off-the-bone texture. The ribs are seasoned with a savory spice rub, smoked low and slow, and finished with a luscious barbecue sauce glaze. Ideal for serving with jalapeño cheddar cornbread muffins or roasted fries, this dish is sure to impress at any barbecue or dinner.

Ingredients

Scale

Ribs

2 racks baby back ribs

Spice Rub

3 tablespoons packed light or dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons granulated garlic (or garlic powder)
2 teaspoons granulated onion (or onion powder)
2 teaspoons smoked paprika

Sauce

2/3 cup barbecue sauce, divided
1/4 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes

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Instructions

Prepare the Ribs: Loosen the membrane on the back of each rack of ribs by slipping a small sharp knife between the rib bone and the membrane. Use paper towels to grip and pull off the membrane completely. Discard the membrane.
Apply the Spice Rub: In a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, chili powder, granulated garlic, granulated onion, and smoked paprika. Rub both sides of the ribs thoroughly with the spice mix. For best flavor, cover and refrigerate the ribs overnight or up to 2 days.
Preheat Smoker: Set your smoker to 225 degrees Fahrenheit and let it come to temperature.
Initial Smoking: Place the rib racks on the smoker grates with the meaty side facing up. Smoke the ribs for 3 hours maintaining the steady temperature.
Wrap and Sauce: Remove ribs and keep the smoker lid closed. Lay each rack on a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Brush ribs with one-third of the barbecue sauce, drizzle apple cider and apple cider vinegar around the edges, and dot the tops with butter cubes. Wrap tightly to create a leak-proof packet.
Second Smoking: Return the foil-wrapped ribs to the smoker. Continue cooking for 2 to 3 hours until ribs are tender when pierced with a knife.
Unwrap and Glaze: Carefully unwrap the foil exposing the ribs but keeping the juices inside the foil. Brush ribs with remaining one-third of barbecue sauce. Place ribs back on the smoker uncovered and cook for an additional 15 minutes until the sauce is sticky and caramelized.
Serve: Transfer ribs to a cutting board, reserve the foil packet juices, and cut the ribs into portions. Arrange ribs on a platter, drizzle with reserved juices, and serve with plenty of napkins.

Notes

You can prepare the ribs with the spice rub up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate. Smoke or cook when ready.
If you don’t have a smoker, bake the ribs wrapped in foil at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for about 2 hours until tender, then finish on a grill or under a broiler with the barbecue sauce mixture to caramelize.
Use heavy-duty aluminum foil doubled up to ensure it is leak-proof during cooking.
Choose your favorite barbecue sauce; a peppery, gluten-free brand like Stubbs Original Bar-B-Q Sauce is recommended for best results.
Serve with jalapeño cheddar cornbread muffins, herbed oven fries, or red cabbage slaw for a complete meal.
Before serving leftovers, reheat ribs in foil at 350-400 degrees Fahrenheit until warmed through.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 550 kcal
Sugar: 12 g
Sodium: 800 mg
Fat: 35 g
Saturated Fat: 13 g
Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 25 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 40 g
Cholesterol: 110 mg