Smoked Pork Ribs with Homemade Dry Rub
We love these Smoked Baby Back Ribs with a FANTASTIC homemade dry rub! Make these delicious Kansas City-style ribs on your smoker and wow your friends and family.
Ingredients
- 2 racks baby back ribs, 4-6 pounds total
- 4 tablespoons yellow mustard, like French's
For the spice rub:
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
Optional Basting Liquid:
- 1/2 cup apple cider
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Prepare ribs by peeling off the thin membrane (the silver skin) with a small knife and then patting dry with a paper towel.
- Prepare dry rub by combining all ingredients in a small bowl and mixing well.
- Add ribs to large sheet pan, then brush mustard on each rack of ribs.
- Apply spice blend to both sides of the ribs, focusing on the meaty side (not the bone side) then rubbing to coat evenly.
- Cover the tray with plastic wrap and allow the ribs to rest on the counter to remove the chill from the refrigerator.
- While the ribs rest, prepare smoker for smoking on low heat, roughly 225-250 degrees Fahrenheit, with a water pan for added moisture. You can add apple juice or a splash of apple cider vinegar to the water pan for aromatics.
- Add ribs directly to the smoker grate, meat side up. Smoke for 5-6 hours, checking the ribs' temperature about once per hour. (Optional) After the second hour, you can begin occasionally basting or spritzing the mixture of apple cider and apple cider vinegar if you choose to use it.
- (Optional): When the ribs hit 165 degrees or higher, you can choose to wrap your ribs in aluminum foil. If you do wrap, flip the packet so the back side of the ribs are facing up. If you do not wrap, leave the ribs meat side up.
- Pull the ribs off the smoker when they hit the internal temperature of 190-195 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow to rest for 15-20 minutes before carving.
- Serve warm with your favorite BBQ sauce.
Video
Notes
I do not wrap my ribs. We prefer a bark that is a bit chewy and not soft. However, I know a lot of people swear by it, especially those that love a super soft texture to the rib meat. I think the best way to know what you prefer is to try both! If you have two slabs of ribs, try wrapping one in aluminum foil when they hit 165+ degrees F, and leave the other unwrapped!
You will notice a difference in smoke flavor and the meat texture and will be able to sample them side-by-side to figure out your preference.
Again, since we love an intense, chewy bark on our ribs, I do not sauce the ribs while cooking. If you do choose to sauce them while they're still smoking, do that in the last 10-15 minutes or so of cook time. You want the sauce to caramelize a bit (yum), but not to burn, and if it's left exposed to the heat too long, it will burn!
Serving: 1, Calories: 875kcal, Carbohydrates: 12g, Protein: 49g, Fat: 71g, Saturated Fat: 21g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 32g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 238mg, Sodium: 1484mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 8g
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a review or share a photo on Instagram.