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Smoked Baby Back Ribs

Baby back ribs prepared either with a flexible 2-2-1 wrapping schedule or smoked unwrapped until tender.
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Servings 6 servings
Author Jeff Phillips

Ingredients

Ribs

  • 3 racks baby back pork ribs source allows 2–3 racks, typically 2.5–3 lb each
  • Jeff's original rub a full batch as needed
  • mustard or oil optional binder

Wrapped Method Only

  • ¼ cup apple juice per rack, when wrapping

Instructions

Prepare

  • Remove the membrane from the bone side of each rack.
  • Coat the bone side generously with rub and wait about 10–15 minutes until it looks wet and adheres. Turn over, coat the meaty side and wait for the rub to adhere. Use a light mustard or oil coating first if in a hurry.
  • Prepare the smoker for indirect cooking at about 225°F, using a 50/50 blend of pecan and apple if available. Fill the water pan if applicable.

Option 1: Flexible 2-2-1

  • Smoke bone side down, directly on the grate, for about 2 hours.
  • Wrap each rack in foil with about 1/4 cup apple juice. Return to the smoker.
  • Start checking after about 1 hour in foil rather than automatically waiting the full 2 hours. Check between the bones for about 195°F and confirm tenderness. Unwrap sooner if the ribs are already where you want them.
  • Return unwrapped ribs to the grate to firm the bark, for up to about 1 hour, shortening the stage if they are already tender. Slice and serve.

Option 2: No Wrap

  • Leave the seasoned ribs bone side down on the grate throughout the cook, opening only as needed for wood, water and progress checks.
  • Plan about 5 hours. Check for about 195°F between the bones with a thin probe and confirm the tenderness you prefer with a bend test or a sample rib. Slice and serve when ready.

Notes

Estimated yield: 6 generous servings from three racks, allowing about half a rack per person; two racks yield about four. The wrapping times are adjustable guides rather than mandatory totals. The current article explicitly says to start checking tenderness earlier during the wrapped stage and shorten the finish as needed. Apple juice is 1/4 cup per wrapped rack, so use about 3/4 cup if wrapping all three.