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Two racks of barbecued baby back ribs, and a third rack cut into individual ribs, resting on a knife.
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5 from 1 vote

Barbecued Baby Back Ribs

These barbecued baby back ribs are first brined to keep them juicy, then liberally coated with a superlative spice rub made with paprika, chile, cumin, and pepper, and finally grilled low and slow until they're almost falling-off-the-bone tender. So spectacular they require no sauce whatsoever.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time5 hours 30 minutes
Total Time6 hours
Course: Mains
Cuisine: Southern
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 658

Ingredients

For the dry rub (makes 1 cup)

  • 4 tablespoons sweet paprika
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons ground cumin
  • 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon ground white pepper
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

For the baby back ribs

  • 1/2 cup table salt*
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 quarts cold water
  • 2 (2-pound) full racks baby back ribs or loin back ribs, membranes removed* (see * Note)
  • 1/4 cup dry rub
  • 2 (3-inch) wood chunks
US - Metric

Instructions

Make the dry rub

  • In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients.

Brine the baby back ribs

  • In a container large enough to contain the ribs, combine the salt, granulated sugar, and water, stirring until everything dissolves, about 2 minutes.
  • Submerge the baby back ribs in the brine and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  • Remove the ribs from the brine and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels.
  • Place the racks on a rimmed baking sheet. Rub each side of each rack with 1 tablespoon of the dry rub. Refrigerate the racks for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.

Prepare the grill

  • While the ribs are brining, soak the wood chunks in cold water to cover for 1 hour.
  • Meanwhile, light a large chimney starter filled 3/4 full with charcoal briquettes (about 4 1/2 quarts) and let burn until all the charcoal is covered with a layer of fine gray ash, about 30 minutes.
  • Build a modified 2-level fire by spreading the coals on 1 side of the grill, piling them up in a mound 2 or 3 briquettes high, leaving the other half with no coals. Keep the bottom vents completely open.
  • Drain the wood chips and place them on the charcoal. Place the cooking grate in place, open the grill lid vents completely, and cover with the lid, turning it so the vents are opposite the wood chunks to draw smoke through the grill. Let the grate heat for 5 minutes.

Grill the baby back ribs

  • Place the baby back ribs on the cooler side of grill. Cover, again positioning the lid so the vents are opposite the wood chunks to draw smoke through the grill. The temperature inside the grill should register about 350°F (175°C) but will soon start dropping.
  • Cook the ribs , every 30 minutes flipping the rib racks and rotating them 180° and switching their position so the rack nearest the fire is on the outside, until the grill temperature drops to about 250°F (120°C), about 2 hours.
  • Add 10 fresh briquettes to the pile of coals. Continue to cook with the grill temperature registering 275 to 300°F (135 to 150°C ) and every 30 minutes flipping, rotating, and switching the ribs every 30 minutes, until the meat easily pulls away from the bone, 1 1/2 to 2 hours more.
  • Transfer the ribs to a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut between the bones and pile the ribs on a platter. Set them out immediately and watch them disappear. Originally published August 5, 2005.

Notes

*What You Need To Know About Substituting Kosher Salt For Table Salt

If you wish to make your brine using kosher salt rather than table salt, it’s not quite as simple as substituting it 1:1 due to the different densities of the types of salt. To further complicate matters, the two most popular brands of kosher salts differ in their densities, which means the same amount of one brand could work perfectly fine while the same amount of another could render your ribs a little (or a lot) too salty. We did all the weighing and testing for you so you don’t have to worry. Simply use the following handy conversion chart:
1/2 cup table salt = 1 cup Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
or
1/2 cup table salt = 3/4 cup Morton Kosher Salt

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 658kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 55g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 196mg | Sodium: 1138mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g