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Flavorful Slow Smoked Baby Back Ribs Recipe Easy Homemade Dry Rub Guide

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This recipe delivers tender, smoky baby back ribs with a simple homemade dry rub, smoked low and slow for hours to develop a flavorful crust and juicy meat.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 full rack baby back ribs (about 2 to 2.5 pounds / 900 to 1150 grams), trimmed of excess fat
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon paprika (smoked paprika recommended for extra depth)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Hardwood chips or chunks (hickory or applewood recommended) for smoking

Instructions

  1. Remove the silver skin membrane from the back of the ribs using a paper towel to grip and pull it off in one piece (10 minutes).
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, black pepper, salt, cayenne pepper, and mustard powder. Stir well to blend (5 minutes).
  3. Lightly coat the ribs with olive oil, then generously sprinkle the dry rub over all sides. Massage it in with your hands to ensure it sticks well (5 minutes).
  4. Preheat the smoker to a steady 225°F (107°C). Add hardwood chips or chunks. Avoid using lighter fluid (15-20 minutes).
  5. Place ribs bone-side down on the smoker rack. Maintain temperature at 225°F (107°C) and smoke for 3-4 hours without opening the smoker too often.
  6. Optional: After 3 hours, wrap ribs tightly in aluminum foil to trap moisture and soften the meat (1 hour).
  7. Unwrap the ribs and place them back on the smoker for the last hour to firm up the crust and deepen smoke flavor.
  8. Check doneness with a meat thermometer; ribs should reach 195°F to 203°F (90°C to 95°C) internally and feel tender with meat pulling back from bones (5 minutes).
  9. Let the ribs rest wrapped loosely in foil for 15 minutes before slicing to allow juices to redistribute.

Notes

Remove the silver skin membrane for better flavor penetration and tenderness. Maintain smoker temperature between 225°F and 250°F. Use a water pan inside the smoker to keep ribs moist. Resist opening the smoker frequently to avoid heat loss. Wrap ribs in foil after 3 hours for extra tenderness. Let ribs rest before slicing. Optional glaze can be applied in the last 30 minutes of smoking.

Nutrition

Keywords: baby back ribs, smoked ribs, dry rub, barbecue, slow smoked ribs, easy ribs recipe, backyard cookout, smoky ribs

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