Smoking Barbecue Ribs - Smoking Barbecue Baby back Ribs

Smoking barbecue baby back ribs is a favorite pastime here in America and is quickly becoming more widespread throughout the food world. I would encourage those of you who have not tried smoking baby back ribs to give it a shot, even if you are not kitchen-handy. Okay, guys, not that kind of kitchen handy.

One thing that I get a kick out of is that there are just so many variations when it comes to smoking barbecue ribs that many people who have not tried it think of it as a complicated science. After all, the list of possible marinades, rubs, wood soaks, charcoals, grill types etc are just plain staggering. I have mentioned this other posts on smoked barbecue ribs but I will say it again: the whole fun of smoking baby back ribs is in the experimentation (redneck interpretation: keep screwing it up until you stumble upon something good).

Feel free to follow other peoples advice on the rib rubs or the marinades but add your own flare to it. I am a garlic fan so I always spruce my smoked ribs up with that. Some like the citrus flavored ribs or the heavy peppered taste; use your own methods to achieve your own unique taste. Even store bought rib rubs are generally good but most are made for the masses and won't feature any one particular flavor so you might want to enhance them. Authors note: if you choose to use a store bought rub, make sure that you lie about using it. This is required.

For smoking barbecue baby back ribs, remember that there is not as much meat on the bone as a traditional spare rib so be careful not to overdo it with the spices and the smoking time. Also, a good piece of advice is to make sure that you smoke at a minimum temperature so that the meat is safe to eat. Many water smokers let so little heat in that it becomes a science experiment. Just smoke the babyback rib slowly and use indirect heat. After they have smoked for around 2 hours per rack (depends on how much smoke you let into the meat chamber), wrap them tightly in a good aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least one hour. Next, put them in the oven or slow cooker for another 4 to 6 hours, rotating the slabs of baby back ribs at least twice to ensure even cooking. Unwrap the ribs put them back on smoker or directly on gas or charcoal grill and turn the fire on medium. If you put them on the smoker then add some charcoal beforehand, set your grate directly over the fire and put the ribs on that. Coat both sides with barbecue sauce and let the sauce caramelize onto the meat for about 5 minutes on both sides. Resprinkle your rub if you prefer a more spicy taste. Remove bbq baby back rib racks and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Do not cover or wrap as that will make the meat tough. Serve with steak fries or garlic potato wedges, smoked bacon beans, corn on the cob, and of course, beer.

A friend of mine has a great series on barbecue video that you check out. Don't use the 3-2-1 bbq ribs smoking method as it leaves a bit to be desired. You can also pick up a great trick for smoking ribs with water.