Free recipe
Smoked Baby Back Ribs
Built around racks baby back pork ribs and brown sugar -- the method starts by patting the ribs dry.
Anchored by racks baby back pork ribs, brown sugar and smoked paprika, this BBQ dish starts by patting the ribs dry and comes together in about 50 minutes -- the kind of medium recipe that earns a permanent spot in the rotation.
Worth the 50 minutes -- this is a weekend project that pays off.
A few technique steps to focus on, but nothing that needs special equipment.
Built around racks baby back pork ribs, so the flavor comes from real ingredients, not a spice packet.
Ingredients
- 2 racks baby back pork ribs
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- Wood chips (optional)
Nutrition (estimated, per serving)
Calculated from this recipe's own ingredient list; treat as an estimate, not a lab measurement.
Method
Pat the ribs dry. Peel the thin papery membrane off the back of each rack - grip it with a paper towel and pull. This lets seasoning in and keeps the ribs tender.
Mix the brown sugar, paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder into a rub. Coat the ribs all over and rest 30 minutes.
Set up your grill or smoker for low indirect heat, about 250F/120C (heat on one side, ribs on the other). Add soaked wood chips if you have them.
Cook the ribs, covered, over indirect heat about 3 hours, keeping the temperature steady. Low and slow is what makes them tender.
Brush with BBQ sauce and cook another 30 minutes until sticky and the meat pulls back from the bone ends.
Check they are done: a toothpick should slide into the meat with no resistance.
Rest 10 minutes, cut between the bones, and serve with extra sauce.
The step worth not rushing: Pat the ribs dry. Peel the thin papery membrane off the back of each rack - grip it with a paper towel and pull. This lets seasoning in and keeps the ribs tender.
