Smoked Ribs
Learn how to make tender, flavorful baby back ribs every time with this simple recipe for Smoked Ribs! Using the 3-2-1 method is an easy way to make ribs on the smoker. Simply season and smoke the ribs for 3 hours, wrap and smoke the ribs for 2 hours, then sauce and smoke the ribs for 1 hour. This method results in perfectly tender, fall-off-the-bone baby back ribs every time!
Ingredients
- 2 racks baby back ribs, about 2 ½ pounds each
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 4-5 tablespoons dry rub for ribs, click link for the recipe
- ½ cup apple juice
- ½ cup bbq sauce
Instructions
- Preheat a smoker to 180°F.
- If the silver skin, or membrane, has not been removed from the ribs, use a small, sharp knife to loosen it at the corner, then use a paper towel to pull it off of the ribs and discard it.
- Rub both sides of each rack of ribs with yellow mustard, then season them with the dry rub, using 1 tablespoon per pound of meat.
- Place the ribs on the preheated smoker, meat side up, and smoke at 180°F for 3 hours. Spritz the outside of the ribs approximately every 30 minutes with apple juice. This helps keep the ribs juicy.
- Wrap the ribs in aluminum foil and place them back on the smoker meat side up. Increase the temperature of the smoker to 225°F and smoke the ribs for 2 hours.
- Unwrap the foil from the ribs, leaving the ribs sitting on the foil, but completely uncovered. Brush the ribs with bbq sauce and smoke for an additional hour.
- Wrap the foil back up and over the ribs and remove them from the smoker. Let them rest for 30-60 minutes before unwrapping and serving them. Slice between each of the ribs with a sharp knife to serve them.
Notes
- Never smoke frozen ribs. The ribs should be fully defrosted before making this recipe. Since you’re cooking at such a low temperature, the ribs would be in the “danger zone” (40-140°F) for far too long.
- For this recipe, I recommend mild to medium flavored wood or pellets, preferably from a sweet tree. Apple is my personal preference, as it pairs perfectly with the flavor of the pork, but maple, peach or cherry will also work.
- When planning for how many ribs per person, I recommend about a half rack per person, if this is the only meat you’re serving, and the main entree at the meal. Each rack of ribs contains about 12 ribs, so plan for 6 ribs per person. If serving this along with another meat, you can plan for 3-4 ribs per person.
- Store leftover smoked ribs in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for up to 5 days. To reheat the ribs, I recommend wrapping them in aluminum foil and placing them in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes, or until warmed throughout.
Nutrition Facts
Calories 728kcal (36%)Carbohydrates 21g (7%)Protein 55g (110%)Fat 47g (72%)Saturated Fat 17g (85%)Polyunsaturated Fat 8gMonounsaturated Fat 20gCholesterol 196mg (65%)Sodium 700mg (29%)Potassium 853mg (24%)Fiber 1g (4%)Sugar 15g (17%)Vitamin A 253mg (5%)Vitamin C 1mg (1%)Calcium 147mg (15%)Iron 4mg (22%)
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