Go Back
–+ servings
Applewood-smoked honey chipotle baby back ribs glazed with honey BBQ sauce on a sheet pan with roasted chipotle corn

Hot and Fast Smoked Baby Back Ribs

Baby back ribs with the membrane scored and left on, seasoned with chipotle rub and smoked hot and fast over applewood at 275°F to 300°F. Wrapped with butter, brown sugar and apple juice for 45 minutes, then glazed with honey BBQ until it sets. Roasted chipotle corn on the side.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Rest Time 8 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 28 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, BBQ
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Honey Chipotle Baby Back Ribs
  • 2 racks baby back ribs Membrane scored and left on.
  • Chipotle BBQ seasoning Enough to generously season both racks. Store bought, or any BBQ seasoning you like.
  • 4 tbsp butter Four pats, into the wrap.
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar Into the wrap.
  • 0.25 cup apple juice Into the wrap.
  • Honey BBQ sauce For glazing. Store bought is fine.
  • Applewood For smoking. Cherry is a good alternative.
Roasted Chipotle Corn
  • 4 ears corn Cut into thirds or quarters.
  • 1 tbsp olive oil 1 to 2 tbsp, as a binder.
  • Chipotle BBQ seasoning To taste, on the corn.
  • 2 tbsp butter 2 to 4 tbsp, for tossing the corn after roasting.

Equipment

  • Smoker Running at 275°F to 300°F with applewood. Cherry works too.
  • Heavy-Duty Aluminum Foil For the wrap. It needs to seal tight.
  • Tongs For the bend test.
  • Sharp knife For scoring the membrane.
  • Basting brush For the glaze.
  • Mixing Bowl For the corn.

Method
 

Prep and Season
  1. Score the membrane on the back of each rack in a crosshatch, without cutting into the meat. Leave it on. At this temperature it renders down and crisps up. Remove it entirely if you prefer.
  2. Season both sides of the ribs generously with chipotle seasoning. Let them sit while the smoker comes up to temperature so the seasoning works into the meat.
Smoke
  1. Preheat your smoker to 275°F to 300°F with applewood. Place the ribs on and cook until the bark is set and the color looks right, usually around 175°F internal. Go by bark and color rather than the number.
Wrap
  1. Lay out a large sheet of heavy duty foil. Place each rack meat side down, bone side facing up.
  2. Put 4 pats of butter, 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup apple juice on top of the bone side. Wrap tightly and seal well, so the steam stays in and the ribs braise.
  3. Return to the smoker for approximately 45 minutes.
Check, Glaze and Serve
  1. Open the foil and check with the bend test. Pick the rack up with tongs about halfway along. If it bends easily, goes floppy, and the meat starts to crack slightly along the surface, it is ready. If it holds its shape, wrap it back up and keep going.
  2. Remove the ribs from the foil and brush generously with honey BBQ sauce. Return them uncovered just long enough for the sauce to set into a sticky glaze.
  3. Start the corn while the glaze is setting. Drain the cut corn, toss with olive oil and chipotle seasoning, and roast about 15 minutes, turning occasionally until charred to your liking. Toss with butter while still hot.
  4. Rest the ribs 5 to 10 minutes, then flip them bone side up and cut between each bone. Serve with the corn and extra BBQ sauce on the side.

Notes

Leave the membrane on: It gets removed in most recipes because it will not render at low and slow temperatures. At 275°F to 300°F it renders and crisps, and scoring it lets the heat in so it breaks apart instead of staying whole. It also protects the bone side during the cook.
Bend test, not temperature: Ribs are done when the rack bends, goes floppy, and the meat cracks slightly on the surface. The 175°F figure is for when to wrap, and even that is a guideline behind bark and color.
Meat side down in the wrap: The liquid goes on the bone side above the meat, so it runs down through the rack as it melts rather than pooling underneath.
Set the glaze, do not cook it: Once the sauce is on you only need long enough for it to go tacky.
Corn in water: Keep the cut pieces in a bowl of water until you are ready to cook them.
Timing: Cook time is an estimate. Neither source gave a duration for the unwrapped phase before the wrap, only the 175°F guideline and the 45 minutes wrapped.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!