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applewood smoked ribs

Classic Applewood Smoked Baby Back Ribs

Baby back ribs smoked over applewood pellets, wrapped with BBQ sauce, and glazed for tender, flavorful results.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, BBQ
Calories: 580
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

Ribs
  • 3 racks baby back ribs 2-2½ lbs each
  • 2 tablespoons yellow mustard optional binder
  • 0.5 cup apple juice for spritzing
  • applewood pellets
Dry Rub
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons paprika
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons coarse black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
Classic BBQ Sauce
  • 1.5 cups ketchup
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar
  • 0.25 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 0.5 teaspoon black pepper

Equipment

  • Pellet Smoker
  • Instant-Read Thermometer
  • Heavy-Duty Aluminum Foil
  • Spray Bottle

Method
 

  1. Remove membrane from back of each rib rack using butter knife and paper towel. Pat ribs dry. Trim excess fat. Optionally coat with yellow mustard as binder.
  2. Combine all dry rub ingredients in bowl. Season ribs generously on all sides. Let sit at room temperature 20 to 30 minutes.
  3. Preheat pellet smoker to 250°F with applewood pellets. Clean grates.
  4. Place ribs meat-side up on grates. Smoke for approximately 3 hours. After 2 hours, spritz with apple juice if ribs appear dry. Smoke until bark is dark and set, surface no longer looks wet.
  5. While ribs smoke, combine all BBQ sauce ingredients in saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and glossy. Remove from heat and cool.
  6. After 3 hours, increase smoker to 275°F. Lay out 3 sheets of heavy-duty foil. Spread thin layer of BBQ sauce on each. Place ribs meat-side down on sauce. Spritz bone side with apple juice. Add more sauce on top. Wrap tightly. Return to smoker.
  7. Cook wrapped ribs for approximately 1 hour until internal temperature reaches 200 to 203°F in thickest part. Test with toothpick. It should slide through with little resistance.
  8. Unwrap ribs carefully. Place on grates meat-side up. Brush with remaining BBQ sauce. Cook 10 to 15 minutes at 275°F until sauce becomes tacky and set.
  9. Remove from smoker. Rest 10 minutes. Slice between bones and serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 580kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 42gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 145mgSodium: 980mgFiber: 1gSugar: 28g

Notes

Remove membrane before seasoning. It creates chewy texture and prevents smoke penetration. Yellow mustard as binder is optional. It doesn't affect flavor but helps rub adhere.
Applewood provides mild, sweet smoke. Substitute hickory for bolder smoke or cherry for fruity notes. Spritz only if ribs look dry. Too much moisture prevents bark formation.
Target temperature is 200 to 203°F. Use toothpick test to confirm tenderness regardless of exact temperature. Ribs should have clean bite, not fall off bone. Falling off bone indicates overcooking.
Rest before slicing. Cutting immediately releases juices and creates drier ribs. Store leftovers up to 4 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen.

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