- Makes
- 2 racks
- Grill setup
- Indirect heat, gas or charcoal
- Grill temp
- 250–275°F
- Cook time
- About 3 hours, plus the glaze
Ingredients
Makes 2 racks (about 4–5 lbs).
- 2 racks baby back ribs (about 4–5 lbs total)
- ¼ cup yellow mustard (as a binder)
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp paprika (smoked if possible)
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup BBQ sauce (sweet or smoky)
- ½ cup apple juice or apple cider, plus a splash for wrapping
Instructions
Prep the ribs
- Remove the membrane from the bone side of the ribs. It helps the seasoning get in and makes the ribs more tender.
- Pat the ribs dry with paper towels.
Season
- Rub the mustard evenly over the ribs. It won't add flavor, but it helps the rub stick.
- Mix the brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, salt and black pepper in a bowl.
- Coat both sides of the ribs generously with the rub.
Set up the grill
- Gas grill: preheat one side to medium-low (about 275°F) and leave the other side off for indirect cooking. Charcoal grill: bank the hot coals to one side.
- Set a disposable pan with ½ cup of apple juice or cider under the grate on the cool side to keep the ribs moist.
Cook low and slow
- Place the ribs bone-side down on the cool side of the grill and close the lid.
- Keep the grill at 250–275°F and cook for about 2 hours.
- Wrap the ribs in foil with a splash of apple juice inside, then cook for 1 more hour.
Glaze and serve
- Unwrap the ribs, brush them with BBQ sauce, and place them directly over the heat for 5–10 minutes per side, until the sauce caramelizes. Stay with the grill: sugary sauce can burn or flare up quickly.
- Check the thickest part with a food thermometer: it should read at least 145°F.
- Let the ribs rest for 10 minutes, then slice between the bones.
Food safety for this recipe
- USDA's safe minimum for pork is 145°F, measured with a food thermometer, followed by at least a 3-minute rest. The long, slow cook here is for tenderness.
- Once the ribs are done, keep them hot until serving, and use a clean platter rather than the one that carried them raw.
Tips
- If the sauce or fat flares up during the glaze, move the ribs back to the cool side and close the lid.
- A grill with heavy grease buildup in the firebox or grease tray flares up more during that final direct-heat step.
Grill safely
- Use a food thermometer. Beef and pork steaks, chops and roasts are safe at 145°F with a 3-minute rest. Ground meats need 160°F, and all poultry 165°F.
- Marinate in the refrigerator, not on the counter. To brush marinade on while grilling, use fresh marinade or bring the used one to a boil first.
- Keep raw and cooked apart. Put cooked food on a clean platter, never the one that held raw meat.
- Mind the heat. Keep cooked food at 140°F or warmer until serving, and don't leave it out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when it's above 90°F outside.
- Set up the grill safely. Keep it well away from the house, deck railings and overhanging branches. Open a gas grill's lid before lighting it, keep kids and pets 3 feet away, and never leave a lit grill unattended.
- Clear grease and fat buildup from the grill and the trays below it. Built-up grease is a fire risk, and it's exactly what our grill cleaning removes.
Sources: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart and Grilling and Food Safety; NFPA, Grilling safety.