Let’s talk about how to smoke the best baby back ribs so they are full of flavor and practically falling off the bone. These ribs are so tender and so flavorful made with our signature dry rub and infused with delicious smoke flavor. After years of making ribs, we figured out techniques for the best results and ready to share it.
SMOKED RIBS
You know that the ribs are good when you hear “oh wow, these ribs are so good, they practically fall off the bone!” This is what I want to hear from my ribs because that’s what people love. We’ve heard it from every customer ordering ribs at the smokehouse restaurant and from every guest at our barbecues.
When it comes to pleasing the crowd, you gotta give them what they want. And what they want is juicy, tender ribs that are full of flavor, have a beautiful bark, and falling off the bone.
It’s one of our favorite things to smoke so there has been many chances to practice. After many successes and failures, it’s easy to learn what to do, what not to do, which techniques work, and which to avoid. There are little things you can do to ensure that everyone will be complimenting your ribs from choosing them at the store, to cleaning, seasoning, and actually smoking them.
QUICK SMOKING NOTES:
Smoker temperature for ribs: 225° (If smoking on charcoal or wood smoker, don’t let it go below 225° or above 250°.)
Types of wood for smoking pork: apple, pecan, maple, cherry. Fruit wood is great with pork. For strong smoke flavor, try mesquite or hickory.
How long does it take to smoke ribs: depending on the size of each rib, it will take 6-8 hours.
How to tell when ribs are done: the best way to tell is the bounce test to see how easily meat cracks and how much bounce there is. (Learn more below.)
CHOOSING RIBS
Try to choose the rib rack that has even amount of meat throughout. If one side is a lot thicker than another, it won’t cook evenly.
If you’re planning on making several racks of ribs at once, try to get them close to the same size and weight so they all cook evenly.
PREPARE RIBS
Take Off The Membrane
Some butchers take the membrane that runs underneath the rib off before selling it but most of the time, you will need to take care of it yourself. You don’t want to leave it on because it will be tough and chewy. It’s a very unpleasant experience biting into a membrane.
To take off the membrane, turn the ribs over onto its back and you will see a thin white covering on the bones all along the rack. Starting at one end, use a small knife to slide right under the membrane and gently pull up, but don’t cut it. The easiest spot to get under the membrane is right on the bone and not on the meat.
Grab the membrane with a paper towel. (Paper towel will give you a nice grip so you can hold onto it as you pull.) Gently but firmly pull the membrane off the entire rib. 9 times out of 10 it will come off nice and smooth with no problem.
Season
If you can remember it, I highly recommend starting the ribs the night before. Season and place ribs on a sheet tray and cover them with plastic wrap. Refrigerate them overnight.
If you forget to do this the night before, it’s not a big deal. Just season the ribs with dry rub before starting the smoker. It will give them about an hour in seasoning before going onto the smoker.
To season ribs with dry rub, mix all ingredients for the rub together in a bowl. Then, generously sprinkle the rub in an even layer over both sides of the rib so the meat is not showing. Gently pat and even out the seasoning with your hands. Let ribs sit while preparing the smoker.
If you want to learn more about our signature dry rub, you can read all about it on our sister site. (Don’t worry, the recipe is included here.)
HOW TO SMOKE RIBS
Set up your smoker and preheat it to 225°. I highly recommend including a water pan or water/drip pan to the smoker. Use a digital oven thermometer to track the temperature on the grill grate. Don’t rely on the thermometer built into the lid of the smoker, they are always at least 20 degrees off. (This is the thermometer I use to monitor smoker temperature.)
When the smoker temperature is at 225°, place ribs on the grate and close the lid. Smoke ribs for 5-7 hours, depending on the size of ribs. (Large, meaty racks could take a little longer, and if you stack more than 2 racks in a rib holder, expect to add 1-2 more hours.)
How To Tell When Ribs Are Done?
Since ribs have so little meat between the bones, digital thermometer won’t be much of help here. Our no fail test to check if the ribs are done is the bounce test. Use long metal tongues to gently lift the rib rack off the grate but hold it only about 1/3-1/2 of the way up the rack. Give it a gentle bounce to see how easily the meat cracks. (See picture below.)
If it cracks easily and right away, the ribs are ready. If the meat is having a bit of a hard time cracking and feels rubbery when bouncing, the ribs need at least another hour.
After a few smoke sessions, you will get used to the way fully cooked ribs feel and will be able to tell easier and easier.
CAN I USE BBQ SAUCE?
Adding BBQ sauce is always a personal preference. Some people never add sauce and only use dry rub on the ribs because they don’t want to loose the bark or overwhelm the dry rub flavor. While others love the addition of a good BBQ sauce.
So make that personal decision or try it both ways and see what you like! If you plan to add the sauce, glaze ribs with sauce an hour before they are ready. Remember to keep the lid of the smoker open as little as possible so you don’t let the heat out. This is especially important for wood and charcoal smokers.
WHY WE DON’T WRAP
Remember that testing of different techniques I mentioned earlier? We tested wrapped ribs vs. unwrapped ribs several times, and mostly in the same cooking batch. Every time we came to the same conclusion that unwrapped ribs result in slightly better texture.
In reality, the difference is so minor but it still is better when unwrapped. You also run the risk of turning the meat mushy if cooked too long in a wrap. The bark is will also be lost as well as some of the dry rub. So wrapped ribs would have to be sauced.
HOW TO REHEAT RIBS
First, you have to be okay with the fact that reheated ribs won’t taste the same as freshly cooked. That’s just a fact.
Having said that, oven is your best method for reheating ribs. Preheat the oven to 250° and wrap leftover ribs or rack in foil. Place in a baking pan and reheat it low and slow to preserve the moisture inside. Reheat until hot throughout. It could take up to 30 minutes to reheat depending on the amount and size of ribs.
SOME MORE RECIPES FOR YOUR SMOKER
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Smoked Ribs
Ingredients
- 2 racks of baby back ribs
Dry Rub:
- 4 tbsp dark brown sugar (or brown sugar)
- 4 tbsp smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
- 2 tbsp coarse salt
- 1 tbsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2-1 tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions
Taking Off The Membrane:
- Turn the ribs over onto its back and you will see a thin white covering on the bones all along the rack. Starting at one end, use a small knife to slide right under the membrane and gently pull up, but donāt cut it. The easiest spot to get under the membrane is right on the bone and not on the meat.
- Grab the membrane with a paper towel. (Paper towel will give you a nice grip so you can hold onto it as you pull.) Gently but firmly pull the membrane off the entire rib.
Seasoning:
- You can clean and season the ribs the night before or about an hour before smoking. If you will season the night before, make sure to place them on a metal rimmed tray and cover with plastic wrap air-tight. (Keep in refrigerator if holding them overnight.)(It's good to prepare the ribs the night before if you need to get them on the smoker bright and early the next day. Just take them out of the refrigerator before preparing the smoker.)
- Mix all ingredients for the rub together in a bowl. Pat ribs on all sides with a paper towel.
- Generously sprinkle the rub in an even layer over both sides of the rib so the meat is not showing. Gently pat and even out the seasoning with your hands. Let ribs sit while preparing the smoker.
Smoking The Ribs:
- Set up your smoker and preheat it to 225Ā°. I highly recommend including a water pan or water/drip pan to the smoker. Use a digital oven thermometer to track the temperature on the grill grate. Donāt rely on the thermometer built into the lid of the smoker, they are always at least 20 degrees off.
- (If using wood or charcoal smoker, maintain the temperature right around 225Ā° but don't let it get below 225Ā° or over 250Ā°)
- When the smoker temperature is at 225Ā°, place ribs on the grate and close the lid.
- Smoke ribs for 5-7 hours, depending on their size. (Large, meaty racks could take a little longer and if you stack more than 2 racks in a rib holder, expect to add at least 1 more hour.)
How To Tell When Ribs Are Ready:
- Use long metal tongues to gently lift the rib rack off the grate but hold it only about 1/3 -1/2 of the way up the rack. Give it a gentle bounce to see how easily the meat cracks. (See picture in the post.)If it cracks easily and right away, the ribs are ready. If the meat is having a bit of a hard time cracking and feels rubbery when bouncing, the ribs need at least another hour.
If You Want To Add Sauce:
- If you plan to add the sauce, glaze ribs with BBQ sauce an hour before they are ready. Remember to keep the lid of the smoker open as little as possible so you donāt let the heat out. This is especially important for wood and charcoal smokers.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Do you add smoke continuously the whole time the ribs are cooking? Thanks, Randy
Hey Randy,
Yes, we like our ribs with just the rub, no sauce, and I smoke them continuously until done. I don’t wrap because we love the crust that forms on the outside. If I ever have to wrap any meat, I wrap in butcher paper so that the there is still air-flow and it does preserve some of the crust.
After a certain period of time (I think it’s within the first hour), you will not be able to add anymore smoke flavour, and are just wasting wood chips/chunks (although, the BBQ/smoker will smell pretty good) š
Thank you for being one of the very few, who do not preach the 3-2-1/Texas Crutch method š
If one can get a water pan in their smoker, there is no need for the 3-2-1.
The 3-2-1 method, I find, is only for those that need to rehydrate their ribs after 3hrs, because they can go dry. But with a water pan, you can keep moisture in the chamber. As well, a mopping every hour or so will help keep your ribs from becoming dry.
Right now I’m doing a couple of racks in my smoker and I put a couple of throw-away tin pans under the grill grates, and use apple juice.
I absolutely agree!! With my old smoker, I always just added a pan with water/juice and with the egg, there isn’t even a need for the water but I do add a pan for ribs as a habit š