This smoked baby back rib recipe is absolutely the best way to cook ribs. Guaranteed to be tender, delicious and juicy – every time!
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What are baby back ribs?
Pork ribs are cut from the rib cage of a pig and are cooked by smoking, grilling or baking. Baby backs tend to have shorter bones and leaner meat while spare ribs are longer boned and have more fat.
They are most often prepared with a spice rub and BBQ sauce then cooked bone tender for an amazing flavor. The best way to enjoy juicy ribs is by smoking them on a pellet smoker. Let us show you how…
How to prepare ribs for smoking:
- Begin by removing the membrane covering the bone side of the ribs. If left on it prevents the flavour and smoke from penetrating the meat and leaves a leathery skin on the ribs.
- Make our amazing dry rub for ribs and homemade barbecue sauce before moving to the next steps.
- Rub the entire rack of ribs with a thorough coating of dry rub. Be sure to cover the top, bottom and sides of the ribs.
- Place the ribs, bone side down, on the grill of the smoker to begin the 2-2-1 cook process.
Smoked Baby Back Ribs:
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Supplies:
- Traeger 780 Pro Smoker Grill
- BBQ tongs
- Basting brush
- Paper towels
- Aluminum foil
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
Ingredients:
- 2 racks of back ribs (about 2lbs each), raw and defrosted
- 1/3 cup dry rub of choice*
- 1/2 cup barbecue sauce of choice**
*We love to use this homemade dry rub recipe – it makes the most amazing ribs! You’ll need brown sugar, salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cinnamon and cayenne pepper.
**This is the best homemade BBQ sauce recipe to use!
These are both personal preference but highly recommended for the best smoked baby back ribs that you have ever had – promise!
These delicious ribs are cooked with the 2-2-1 method. They are smoked at 225 degrees F for 2 hours uncovered, 2 hours covered and 1 hour uncovered while basting every 15 minutes.
Directions:
1. Cut the thin membrane from the back of the ribs.
2. Pat the racks of ribs dry with paper towel.
3. Cover the front and back of each rib rack with the rib rub. Be sure to get the back and sides of the ribs.
4. Preheat the Traeger to 225 degrees F.
5. Place ribs on the bottom grill grate, bone side of the ribs down.
6. Smoke for 2 hours.
7. At the 2 hour mark, open the smoker, wrap each rack of ribs in aluminium foil and place back on the grill.
8. Smoke for 2 more hours.
9. At the four hour mark, remove the ribs from the foil, place back on the grill and baste with BBQ sauce.
10. Continue to flip and baste the ribs at 15 minute intervals for the last hour.
11. After a total cook time of five hours, remove the ribs from the grill.
12. Cut into pieces using a sharp knife.
This recipe makes two racks of the best ribs you’ve ever had! Enough for a family of four or two hungry adults.
Look at those amazing smoke rings! The red color around the outer edge of the meat is a sign of a great smoke and flavour.
What to serve with BBQ ribs:
- Grilled corn – a summer time staple!
- This classic potato salad is a family favorite.
- This Alabama White Sauce with worcestershire sauce is a must try!
- Corn salad is a perfect pairing.
- Dill pickle pasta salad is my go to salad for back yard barbecues.
Rib cooking tips:
Apple juice or apple cider vinegar in a spray bottle could be used as an alternative to bbq sauce. Basting makes for the most tender meat
An electric smoker can also be used just be sure that the internal temperature of the ribs comes to 190 degrees F.
Cover leftover ribs in plastic wrap or place them in an airtight container to store in the fridge for a few days.
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Kitchen Essentials For Cooking:
- These Rubbermade containers are perfect for storing and packing food.
- These silicone tongs are great for flipping and grasping food.
- This Henckel Knife is my favorite for slicing and dicing in the kitchen.
- I love using this non-stick bakeware for all of my cooking.
Be sure to check out these 20+ Best Smoker Recipes on a Pellet Grill too!
If you love these smoked baby back ribs, please give them a five star review and help me share them on Facebook or Pinterest so that others can enjoy them too!
Smoked Baby Back Rib Recipe
This smoked baby back rib recipe is absolutely the best way to cook ribs. Guaranteed to be tender, delicious and juicy - every time!
Ingredients
- 2 racks of back ribs (about 2lbs each), raw and defrosted
- 1/3 cup dry rub of choice
- 1/2 cup barbecue sauce of choice
Instructions
1. Cut the thin membrane from the back of the ribs.
2. Pat the racks of ribs dry with paper towel.
3. Cover the front and back of each rib rack with the rib rub. Be sure to get the back and sides of the ribs.
4. Preheat the Traeger to 225 degrees F.
5. Place ribs on the bottom grill grate, bone side of the ribs down.
6. Smoke for 2 hours.
7. At the 2 hour mark, open the smoker, wrap each rack of ribs in aluminium foil and place back on the grill.
8. Smoke for 2 more hours.
9. At the four hour mark, remove the ribs from the foil, place back on the grill and baste with BBQ sauce.
10. Continue to flip and baste the ribs at 15 minute intervals for the last hour.
11. After a total cook time of five hours, remove the ribs from the grill.
12. Cut into pieces using a sharp knife.
Notes
We use this delicious dry rub recipe.
This homemade barbecue sauce is our favorite.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 92Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 371mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 0gSugar: 12gProtein: 2g
All values are approximate and based on ingredients used by the recipe writer. Always calculate your own individual nutritional values for the most accurate calculation.
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