BBQ Smoked Baby Back Ribs

Name: BBQ Smoked Baby Back Ribs
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 220 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 racks baby back ribs (1 rack), membrane removed; 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed; 2 tbsp smoked paprika; 2 tsp garlic powder; 2 tsp onion powder; 2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground; 2 tsp kosher salt; 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper; 1 tsp dry mustard; 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar; 1.5 cups your favorite BBQ sauce; 1 tsp liquid smoke (hickory or mesquite)

Tender, fall-off-the-bone baby back ribs rubbed with a smoky spice blend, slow-cooked in the oven to render the fat, then finished on the grill with layers of tangy barbecue sauce. Plan ahead: ribs need at least 1 hour to rest with the rub before cooking.

220 minHardServes 4680 cal/serving

AmericanDinnerGrill and StovetopStandardHigh ProteinLow CarbPork-FreeCorn-Free

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Ingredients

2 racks baby back ribs (1 rack), membrane removed
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tbsp smoked paprika
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp dry mustard
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1.5 cups your favorite BBQ sauce
1 tsp liquid smoke (hickory or mesquite)

Instructions

1

Pat 2 racks baby back ribs (1 rack) dry. Flip rack bone-side up and slide a butter knife under the thin membrane at one end; peel it away and discard.
2

Mix 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, 2 tbsp smoked paprika, 2 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp onion powder, 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, 2 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, and 1 tsp dry mustard together to form the dry rub. Coat both sides of the ribs generously and press to adhere. Let rest at room temperature at least 1 hour, or refrigerate overnight.
3

Preheat oven to 275°F (135°C). Place rubbed ribs meat-side up on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Mix 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar and 1 tsp liquid smoke (hickory or mesquite) and drizzle over ribs. Seal tightly with foil.
4

Bake for 2.5 to 3 hours until the meat pulls back from the bone ends and the internal temperature reaches at least 190°F (88°C) for tender, braised-style ribs.
5

Preheat grill to medium-high (about 400°F / 200°C). Remove ribs from foil, brush both sides generously with 1.5 cups your favorite BBQ sauce.
6

Grill ribs 3-4 minutes per side, brushing with additional BBQ sauce each time you flip, until lacquered and slightly charred. Watch closely to avoid burning the sugary sauce.
7

Rest 5 minutes, then slice between bones and serve with remaining BBQ sauce on the side.

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Questions

What temperature do I cook BBQ Smoked Baby Back Ribs at?

For BBQ Smoked Baby Back Ribs, the oven is set to 275 F (about 135 C) in step 3. The longest stretch at that heat is 3 hours, in step 4. The target internal temperature is 190 F (about 90 C), given in step 4. A probe thermometer removes the guesswork. The oven is also used at 400 F (about 205 C) in step 5.

Why rest the meat in BBQ Smoked Baby Back Ribs?

Step 7 reads: "Rest 5 minutes, then slice between bones and serve with remaining BBQ sauce on the side." Heat drives the juices toward the center. The rest in step 7 lets them spread back out, so they stay in the meat instead of running onto the board when you cut.

Is there a substitute for brown sugar in BBQ Smoked Baby Back Ribs?

The entry for BBQ Smoked Baby Back Ribs calls for 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed. In its place: White sugar with a tablespoon of molasses per cup. Without molasses, plain white sugar works but bakes up crisper and paler.

Is BBQ Smoked Baby Back Ribs spicy?

Moderately. The heat in BBQ Smoked Baby Back Ribs comes from 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper. For a milder plate, halve the cayenne; nothing else in the method changes. For more, add it at the table rather than in the pot, so everyone sets their own level.

Can I start BBQ Smoked Baby Back Ribs the day before?

Yes. Step 2 is a built-in pause of overnight, or about 8 hours: "Let rest at room temperature at least 1 hour, or refrigerate overnight." Do everything up to that point ahead of time and pick up at step 3 when you are ready to finish.

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