Smoked Baby Back Ribs

Instructions

Remove the Silver Skin

1. Before you season, you’ll want to take off the silver skin — that thin, tough membrane on the bone side of the ribs.
2. Lay the ribs bone side up on your cutting board. Slide the tip of a paring knife under the silver skin at one end until you can lift a corner.
3. Grab that corner with a paper towel (it gives you grip) and pull steadily — it should come off in one piece. Removing it makes the ribs more tender and lets the seasoning and smoke really sink in.

Mustard Slather & Seasoning

1. Brush the ribs lightly on all sides with yellow mustard. This doesn’t add much flavor — it’s just glue to help the rub stick.
2. Coat the ribs generously with your dry rub blend, making sure to get the edges too. Don’t be shy — this is where a lot of the flavor comes from.
3. Let the ribs rest at room temperature while you preheat the smoker so the rub starts to mingle with the meat.

First 3 hours: Build Smoke & Bark

1. Preheat your smoker to 160–180°F. Place ribs bone side down directly on the grates.
2. Smoke uncovered for 3 hours to develop that deep smoky flavor and a nice crust (called the “bark”).
3. Optional: Spritz the ribs once per hour with apple juice or broth to keep the surface moist and help the smoke stick.

Next 2 hours: Wrap to Tenderize

1. Raise the smoker temperature to 225°F.
2. Wrap each rack tightly in parchment or butcher paper, meat side down. (Avoid foil if you want a firmer bark — foil makes them softer and more “fall-off-the-bone.”)
3. Return the wrapped ribs to the smoker for 2 hours. This stage locks in moisture and tenderizes the meat.

Final 1 hour: Unwrap & Glaze

1. Carefully unwrap the ribs and discard any juices.
2. Place ribs back on the smoker, bone side down. Brush generously with peach-bourbon BBQ sauce (or sauce of your choice).
3. Cook uncovered for 45 minutes, basting with more sauce every 15-20 minutes until the ribs are glossy, sticky, and beautifully caramelized.
4. Ribs are ready when they bend easily but don’t fall apart — you want them tender but still sliceable.

Rest & Serve

1. Transfer the ribs to a cutting board and loosely tent with foil.
2. Let rest for 10-15 minutes so the juices settle back into the meat.
3. Slice cleanly between the bones.
4. Serve stacked on a platter with a drizzle of warm sauce and garnish with fresh herbs if you’d like.

Gas Grill Adaptation for Smoked Baby Back Ribs

If you don’t have a smoker, you can still make tender, smoky ribs on a gas grill.

First 3 Hours: Smoke / Low Roast Phase

1. Set your grill up for indirect heat — burners on one side, ribs on the other.
2. Place ribs bone side down on the cooler side. Close the lid to trap heat and smoke.
3. Aim for 160–180°F if you can; if your grill won’t go that low, hold it around 225–250°F. Add a foil packet of soaked wood chips (apple, cherry, or hickory) over the lit burners.
4. Replace or refresh the packet every hour for steady, light smoke.
5. Spritz the ribs with apple juice or broth once per hour to keep the surface moist and help the smoke cling.

Next 2 Hours: Wrap & Tenderize

1. Take ribs off the grill and wrap each rack tightly in parchment or butcher paper. (Paper helps preserve bark texture better than foil, which makes them softer.)
2. Return wrapped ribs to the cool side of the grill. Hold temperature between 225–250°F.
3. Cook for 2 hours — the wrap traps steam, which gently braises the ribs and makes them tender.

Final 1 Hour: Glaze & Finish

1. Unwrap ribs carefully and discard the juices. Place ribs back on the cool side of the grill.
2. Brush generously with peach BBQ sauce. Close the lid and let them cook for 45 more minutes.
3. Re-glaze every 15-20 minutes until the ribs are sticky, caramelized, and glossy.
4. Ribs are done when they reach an internal temperature of 200–205°F and bend easily when lifted but don’t fall apart.
5. Transfer the ribs to a cutting board and loosely tent with foil.
6. Let rest for 10-15 minutes so the juices settle back into the meat.