Smoked Ribs
These Smoked Ribs are so tender, juicy and fall off the bone, with tons of flavor from the homemade rub and the addition of a honey and bbq sauce glaze. One recipe you want to keep around all year long!
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 483kcal
Ingredients
- 1 rack of baby back ribs
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar packed
- 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon dried mustard
- ½ cup bbq sauce
- 3 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- Take the membrane off the back of the ribs and place them on a large sheet of foil, set aside.
- In a small bowl mix together the brown sugar, paprika, pepper, salt, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and dried mustard. I use a fork to break up any clumps in the brown sugar.
- Evenly distribute the rub on the top and bottom of the ribs.
- Rub it in to make sure the spices stick.
- Preheat your smoker to the “smoke” setting. Place the ribs with the foil open directly on the grates. Smoke for 1 hour.
- Wrap the foil around the rack to form a package. Turn the smoker up to 300°F. It will take about 10-15 for the smoker to come to temp.
- Cook for 2 & ½ to 3 & ½ hours until an internal temperature reaches 195°F. You will need to temp the ribs between two bones in the center of the rack.
- While the ribs are cooking, make the bbq sauce by mixing together the bbq sauce and the honey.
- Once the ribs come up to temp, brush the bbq sauce all over.
- Close the lid and let them continue to cook for 15 minutes, basting with the bbq sauce every 5 minutes. We are looking to produce a baked-on sticky bbq sauce glaze. Take off the smoker and serve immediately.
Notes
- If you are in a rush, you can skip the “smoke step” in the beginning, but it really adds a lot to the flavor and I highly suggest doing this step and not skipping out if you can. We have noticed some smoker brands and models vary and some take longer to cook than others. This is why we suggest keeping them on the grill for 2 & ½ - 3 & ½ hours or until the internal temperature reaches 195°F. When cooked to this temp, the ribs will literally fall off the bone---sooooo good.
- To add a little heat, I like to add 1 teaspoon or more of cayenne, chipotle powder, or red pepper flakes to the rub. I recommend starting with one addition, tasting, and adding more if desired.
- Make sure that you are using baby back ribs, we haven't tested these with any other ribs at this point.
- Try to keep the ribs as one whole rack as you cook them. This will help preserve the moisture in the meat so it's nice and juicy.
- Don't go for the cheapest cut of meat. Get a nice high quality rack of ribs, you'll notice even more flavor and juiciness.
- You can use your favorite bbq sauce or even make your own homemade if you wish. We like to keep ours a brown sugar base and add honey, the honey is optional but highly recommended.
Nutrition
Calories: 483kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 1670mg | Potassium: 588mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 1998IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 3mg