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Baby Back Ribs Rub With Brown Sugar for Indirect Heat

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Tender and juicy, my Uncle Richard's Brown Sugar & Beloved Smoked Baby Dorsum Ribs don't need whatsoever BBQ sauce at all! They are astonishing just the way they are when they come off the smoker and will take everybody licking their fingers and reaching for more!

If you take a traeger and honey smoked meats, you lot are also going to want to endeavor my Smoked Pork Abdomen Burnt Ends, Smoked Spatchcock Chicken, and Texas Smoked Brisket!

An close image of a smoked baby back rib with spice rub and butter, brown sugar, and honey glaze.

I originally posted these smoked babe back ribs style dorsum in the summer of 2017! It was high time I updated the post with new pictures and step-by-step photos to show you how nosotros brand these award-winning ribs! Everybody goes crazy for these ribs and they are one of our kids favorite things ever!

Sweet & Spicy Baby Back Ribs

With the weather finally warming up, it's time to start cooking outside over again, don't yous think? For us, that ways lots of delicious smoked meat, especially Paul's favorite: baby back ribs!

We dearest our Traeger smoker that Paul got for Father'south Day a few years ago and nosotros utilise it often to makes these incredible brownish sugar & honey smoked baby back ribs, too as the most astonishing smoked turkey ever. (Seriously, that turkey is SO Skilful that we make information technology year circular, non just at Thanksgiving).

We besides practise chicken, tri-tip, salmon, and brisket in the smoker because non only does everything come out super flavorful, only it's also an incredibly easy method of cooking where you pretty much simply get the grill upwardly to temperature, then put your meat on and leave it lonely for a few hours until information technology's done. I recollect of it like an outdoor, smoky version of a tiresome cooker where you prepare information technology and forget it!

Sliced baby back ribs.

Texas relatives mean you learn to dear real BBQ

My Uncle Richard, along with most of the residual of my dad'south side of the family, is from Texas. He is the one who introduced u.s.a. to these incredible ribs, that are definitely a scrap of a departure from the classic, saucy ribs that most people are used to.

Uncle Richard looks and then much like my dad that I could swear they were born twins, and he always tells me that he is my favorite uncle, lol. He made these ribs for the states one Sunday afterwards church building a few years ago when we were visiting at their house.

When we got dwelling house from our trip, Paul couldn't terminate talking about the ribs Uncle Richard had made.

A pork rib on it's side to show the smoked meat.

We had hung out with Richard and his wife and kids in the kitchen while dinner was existence prepared. He explained smoking to us (this was earlier we had ever attempted it ourselves) and nosotros watched him prep the ribs for the final part of the smoke. This is where a "gruel" (Uncle Richard's give-and-take - I'chiliad not certain if this is a technical term associated with smoking ribs or not) of brownish sugar, honey, and grated butter gets sprinkled over the nigh finished ribs, and so they get wrapped upward in heavy duty foil and placed back on the grill.

If it sounds weird to grate butter over ribs or add together a bear upon of sugar and beloved to the spice rub, just think well-nigh how butter is used to highlight the flavor of good steaks and how many pop BBQ sauces use love or chocolate-brown sugar to sweeten them a bit. It may audio strange but information technology totally works.

Grating cold butter over smoked ribs.

I didn't think anything of it at the fourth dimension, but Paul seemed flabbergasted by the procedure and just weeks afterward did I realize that Paul had missed some crucial info and was 100% convinced that my uncle had grated cheese, non butter, over the ribs. Information technology wasn't until he started talking about the "cheesy ribs" and trying to convince me that he had seen cheese on the ribs that I realized his error!

He totally thought I was pulling his leg when I explained that it was a stick of cold butter that Uncle Richard had been grating directly over the cooked ribs, not swiss cheese.

I was laughing until my abdomen ached over the thought of cheesy ribs and Paul's defoliation.

Piles of meaty smoked pork ribs.

When I was deciding which smoker to buy, Uncle Richard sent me a couple of emails with his recommendations (including the Traeger we ended purchasing) and his tips and tricks for making his amazing ribs.

Paul has made them countless times since then and adapted the recipe and technique just a bit. He even entered them in our church building congregation'southward men's cookoff where they won 1st place. Prestigious, I know. But really, they are the best ribs ever!

A spice crusted smoked baby back rib.

Tips for making Smoked Babe Back Ribs

To trim or non to trim the membrane?

If you can't notice the membrane to trim it, don't sweat it. It's a thin, slightly opaque piece of, well, membrane, on the behind of a rack of ribs that some people like to remove before cooking ribs.

Many places sell babe back ribs with the membrane already removed for you and chances are, that's what you bought if you can't effigy out what the heck needs to be trimmed. And even if the membrane is there, there is contend in the ribs world nearly whether to even bother removing it.

Since ribs fume over a longer period of time, most of the membrane disintegrates anyhow. And the bit that is left is actually enjoyed by some people who say that it gives the lesser side of the ribs a fleck of a snap when y'all seize with teeth into it, sort of like a the casing effectually a quality bratwurst.

Some say that it helps keep more of the fat on the rib while it's smoking, resulting in fifty-fifty more tender ribs. Honestly? We don't trim it. But if y'all do or call up you might want to, I included instructions below.

Baby back ribs on the grill.

Foil Wrap (aka Texas Crutch)

We use a foil wrap (sometimes called a Texas Crutch) on these ribs, which helps tenderize the ribs and gives a better texture than if you just smoked the ribs open the unabridged time.

Since we don't sauce these ribs, doing a foil wrap for the last hour of cooking gives the butter and chocolate-brown sugar and honey time to combine and time for the meat to tenderize more thanks to the additional wet that gets trapped in the foil wrap. This results in a super moist, tender rib that doesn't "demand" sauce.

Wrapping ribs in foil for a Texas "crutch".

How to tell when baby back ribs are done

Since ribs are tricky to make up one's mind doneness using a meat thermometer, there are other tests to know when they are done. One way is when the meat starts pulling away from the bone so yous tin see the exposed os tips, you know you are going to be good to go.

Our favorite method is to pick upwards the entire rack of ribs toward one finish with a pair of tongs to encounter if it bends and small cracks grade along the summit surface of the ribs.

Using tongs to lift baby back ribs off the grill.

Ane more way to check whether your ribs are done is to insert a toothpick into the meat between the ribs. If it goes in and out easily, your ribs are ready to eat!

But remember that our approach to smoking babe dorsum ribs is not meant to requite you "autumn off the bone" ribs. Don't get me wrong--the meat will be super tender and juicy--merely your rack of ribs won't just fall apart when you become to remove information technology from the grill. If that's what you lot are going for, y'all volition want to cook them longer (or but do pulled pork instead!).

Melting butter, sugar, and honey drizzled over smoked baby back ribs.

In case you lot are wondering nearly the pink ring around the within of the meat, it is called a fume ring and it'south what you want when smoking meat. It'due south just the poly peptide's reaction to the smoke and it means the flavor of your smoked meat is going to exist amazing!

Sliced baby back ribs on a wooden cutting board.

How to make smoked baby dorsum ribs

  1. Marinate the meat. If you accept time, nosotros like to soak the ribs in Dr. Pepper overnight to tenderize the meat. Coca-cola would work every bit well. Just go the actress large ziplock bags that will fit a rack of ribs, stick the meat in, and fill it up with a liter of Dr. Pepper, then stick them in the fridge overnight.
  2. Brand the rub. In a small container, combine blackness pepper, coarse kosher salt, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and chili onion powder. This simple rub is and then skilful and then basic that yous could use information technology on tons of other cuts of meat that you would like to smoke like chicken or beef.
Spices used to make a rub for baby back ribs.
  1. Rub and smoke. Sprinkle the rub over both sides of the meat and rub it in. At that place is no such thing equally besides much rub, in my opinion, so go ahead and be generous with it. Get your smoker going and set the temperature to around 225 degrees F. Nosotros similar to utilize applewood pellets when we are doing ribs. Smoke for 2 ½ to 3 ½ hours until the meat starts to "pause" or crack with yous lift it up with the tongs on one stop.
  1. Sprinkle, drizzle, and wrap. Pull the ribs off the smoker and grate some cold butter correct over the top of them. Sprinkle with brown sugar and drizzle with honey. Then wrap the ribs upwards in some heavy duty foil and throw them back on the smoker for another 40 minutes or and so.
Smoked ribs drizzled with honey, sprinkled with brown sugar, and topped with grated butter.
  1. Rest and so piece. Once the ribs are done, remove them from the grill, unwrap, and let them rest for 10 minutes. So use a sharp knife to slice between the basic of the ribs and serve!

More Smoked & Grilled Meat Recipes You'll Love

  • Texas Smoked Brisket
  • Smoked Pork Abdomen Burnt Ends
  • Smoked Pulled Pork
  • Hot Smoked Salmon
  • Perfect Grilled Pork Chops with Sweetness BBQ Pork Rub
  • How to Brand a Brined & Smoked Turkey
  • Sriracha Mayo Marinated Grilled Lamb Chops
  • Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken Thighs
  • Grilled Santa Maria Tri-Tip

Did you make this recipe? Permit me know what you idea with a comment and rating below. Y'all can as well take a pic and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I tin meet.

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Rub

  • two Tablespoons black pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • ½ teaspoon chili pulverization
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder

Ribs

  • 1 liter Dr. Pepper
  • 1 rack babe dorsum ribs
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • ¼ loving cup cold butter
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • loving cup honey

Other equipment

  • Applewood pellets or chips for your smoker
  • On the dorsum side of the ribs there is a thin membrane that some people like to remove. If you want to remove it, trim the membrane by using a very sharp knife to make a small cut nether the membrane at ane end of the ribs. Apply your fingers to peel up part of the membrane, so grip it with a paper towel, which helps to hold onto the membrane, and pare the rest of the membrane off the dorsum of the ribs.

  • Place the trimmed ribs in a large Ziploc purse and pour the entire liter of Dr. Pepper over it, and so seal tightly and place in the fridge overnight to marinate.

  • When ready to smoke, start the smoker with the lid open up to become a good fume established (about 3 to five minutes on our Traeger), then close the lid and set the heat setting to 225 degrees. Allow the smoker to come up up to temperature.

  • Remove ribs from the Dr. Pepper and discard the soda. Pat the ribs dry with newspaper towels and lightly coat both sides with a little fleck olive oil. This will help the dry out rub stick to the ribs.

  • Apply rub to both the top and bottom sides of the ribs. Some people like to wrap their ribs upwardly in foil at this signal and permit them sit with the rub on to penetrate the meat for a while before cooking, but I don't feel like this makes any difference.

  • Place ribs directly on grill, meat side up. Smoke until rib meat 'breaks' when lifted in the center (ii ½ to 3 ½ hours).

  • Remove from smoker and identify on extra large sheet of aluminum foil. Grate butter on superlative of ribs, then sprinkle with brown carbohydrate and drizzle honey over the acme. Tightly wrap ribs with the foil and return to the smoker for another twoscore minutes to an hour.

  • Remove from smoker and permit sit for 10 minutes before slicing the ribs between each bone and serving.

Calories: 847 kcal | Carbohydrates: 96 g | Protein: 28 1000 | Fat: 42 chiliad | Saturated Fat: 17 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: v g | Monounsaturated Fat: xviii 1000 | Trans Fat: 1 grand | Cholesterol: 128 mg | Sodium: 2032 mg | Potassium: 498 mg | Fiber: 1 1000 | Sugar: 92 g | Vitamin A: 969 IU | Vitamin C: 1 mg | Calcium: 102 mg | Fe: 2 mg

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Baby Back Ribs Rub With Brown Sugar for Indirect Heat

Source: https://houseofnasheats.com/brown-sugar-honey-smoked-baby-back-ribs/