Smoked Baby Back Pork Ribs
Ingredients:
1 rack of baby back pork ribs
Yellow mustard
Spray bottle of spiced apple cider juice
Butcher paper
Directions:
Prepare your ribs by removing them from the packaging and placing them on a clean cutting board. Pat the ribs completely dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture.
Coat both sides of the ribs with a thin layer of yellow mustard. This will act as a binder to help the seasoning adhere and will not overpower the finished flavor.
Generously season the ribs with your favorite BBQ rub or Chef Scout’s All-In-One Seasoning. Place the ribs on a wire rack set over a sheet pan and allow them to rest uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. This allows the seasoning to penetrate the meat and helps develop a better bark during the cook.
When ready to smoke, preheat your smoker to 275°F. Place the ribs on the smoker and begin cooking.
Prepare your spray bottle with your preferred rib spritz and lightly spray the ribs about every 30 minutes throughout the cook. This helps maintain moisture and builds layers of flavor as the ribs smoke.
Baby back ribs typically take 2–4 hours, depending on the size of the ribs and your smoker. To check for doneness, carefully lift the rack from the center. When the ribs begin to bend and show signs of cracking or splitting, they are ready.
Avoid taking the ribs all the way to “fall-off-the-bone” tenderness. Properly cooked ribs should be tender but still have enough structure to hold together when picked up.
Remove the ribs from the smoker and place them on a sheet of butcher paper. Brush generously with Chef Scout’s Bourbon BBQ Sauce or your favorite BBQ sauce.
Wrap or loosely cover the ribs and allow them to rest in a warm oven set to the lowest temperature setting for about 1–2 hours before slicing and serving.
Slice between the bones, serve, and enjoy.
