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Smoked Baby Back Ribs with Dry Rub

Smoked baby back ribs with dry rub deliver a smoky, sweet, deeply seasoned bark using low-and-slow smoking. The foil-wrapped tenderness phase creates fall-off-the-bone texture, then an unwrapped hour firms up the crust.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 6 minutes
Total Time 6 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 850
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

ribs
  • 2 baby back ribs about 2–2.5 lbs each
  • 2 tbsp yellow mustard as a binder
dry rub
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1.5 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 0.5 tsp cumin
  • 0.5 tsp dried oregano
  • 0.25 tsp cayenne
  • 1 BBQ sauce optional variation for the final 30 minutes of the unwrapped phase

Equipment

  • 1 smoker
  • 1 aluminum foil

Method
 

Prep the ribs
  1. Slide a butter knife under the edge of the membrane on the back of each rack and pull it off in one piece.
  2. Coat both sides of the ribs with a thin layer of yellow mustard as a binder.
  3. Combine brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, black pepper, chili powder, cumin, dried oregano, and cayenne in a bowl, then apply the dry rub generously to all sides and press it in firmly.
  4. Let the ribs sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to set the rub, or refrigerate uncovered overnight for deeper flavor.
Smoke low and slow
  1. Preheat your smoker to 225°F using hickory or apple wood.
  2. Place ribs bone-side down in the smoker and smoke for 3 hours without opening the lid.
  3. Wrap each rack tightly in two layers of aluminum foil and return to the smoker at 225°F for 2 more hours.
  4. Unwrap the ribs and return them to the smoker for 1 final hour to firm up the bark.
  5. If doing the competition-style glaze variation, brush with BBQ sauce during the final 30 minutes of the unwrapped phase.
  6. Check doneness: ribs are done when they bend easily and the meat has pulled back from the bones by about 1/2 inch.
  7. Rest the ribs for 15 minutes before slicing between the bones.

Notes

Pro tip: keeping the lid closed during the first 3 hours is the easiest way to lock in that smoky bark. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 4 days; freeze yes—cool completely, wrap well, and freeze up to 3 months. For a gluten-free option, verify your BBQ sauce is gluten-free for the glaze variation.