Memorial Day is coming up and as we honor our veterans who served in the military, many of us get together with family and cook outdoors. I love this time of year when we have cookouts and spend time together. This year I’m smoking baby back ribs out on the pellet smoker. I used to smoke ribs on my charcoal grill, but I found it time consuming and a lot of work to keep the coals hot as well as adding more briquettes when needed. A pellet smoker is so easy, just add your pellets, set the temperature and smoke. Ribs are easy in that you don’t have to read an internal temperature, they generally smoke approximately 4 hours give or take. How do you know when they are done? Do the bend test. Take your tongs and lift the ribs, if they bend they are ready, if not let them go another 30 minutes or until they bend easily and the meat begins to separate from the bone. They always turn out delicious no matter what rub you choose or what liquid you use to achieve that tasty caramelization. Once they pass the bend test, you can brush on your favorite barbeque sauce and put them back on the smoker for 30 minutes. The sauce makes a glaze that looks amazing and the aroma is out of this world! One year while I was smoking ribs in the backyard, a UPS driver delivered a package. He came to the door and instead of leaving our package at the door, he rang the doorbell just to ask “What is that amazing smell”? He could smell it from the street and said it was making him hungry!
The day before you plan to smoke, prep the ribs. First thing is to rinse them with cool water, then pat dry with paper towels. Underneath the ribs beneath the bone is a membrane that should be peeled off. Now sometimes that membrane is tough and hard to peel away. But these were a breeze, I just placed the tip of a knife underneath and pulled it up and away from the bone where I could grab it with my fingers and peel it away. It gets easier over time.
I have 3 racks of baby back ribs and have removed the membrane. I am using the spice blend from Midwest Magazine for Oklahoma Joe’s rib rub. I started using Coca Cola to spritz my ribs. Just pour some into a spray bottle and do a fine mist over the ribs every hour. They will taste fantastic!
Here’s another fantastic rub that you can order at The Kansas City BBQ Store ! Order The Squeal Hog Rub here.
Sprinkle the rub generously over the ribs.
Then rub it into the meat with your hands.
Place some heavy duty aluminum foil over top and refrigerate overnight.
The day of smoke: Take the ribs out from the refrigerator and let sit for 1 hour. 30 minutes before you plan to smoke, prep your smoker, add the pellets, start the smoke cycle. When you see the smoke coming through the chimney set the temperature to 225 degrees. When the smoker reaches 225 degrees you can set the ribs on the smoker and pull the lid down. After an hour in, use your spray bottle with the coke to spray a fine mist over the ribs. Spritz the ribs every hour until the ribs are cooked throughout.
Hour 2 and 3 you can see the change of color as the ribs smoke.
These ribs were ready sometime around the 4th hour. I did my bend test and they are ready for sauce. My favorite sauce will forever be Joe’s Kansas City Original BBQ Sauce! It’s what they serve at Joe’s Kansas City BBQ in Olathe, Leawood and at the original gas station on the corner of 47th and Mission Rd. in Kansas City, KS. Order Joe’s Kansas City Original BBQ Sauce here.
Use a silicone brush to liberally brush the sauce over the ribs. Let it smoke for another 30 minutes.
The ribs on the left have the Oklahoma Joe’s Rub and the ribs on the right have The Squeal Hog Rub. Which ribs do you want to try first!
Pellet Smoker Baby Back Ribs
1 – 4 slabs of Baby Back Ribs (or as many that will fill your smoker)
Joe’s Rib Rub, recipe follows
Joe’s KC Bar-B-Que Sauce, (or your favorite BBQ sauce)
Smoker Pellets (I used Traeger Signature Blend with Maple, Cherry and Hickory flavors)
Liquid such as Coca Cola, Dr. Pepper, Apple Juice, Beer or any liquid of choice to flavor and caramelize
Joe’s Rib Rub (adapted from Midwest Living Magazine)
2 tablespoons Granulated Sugar
1 tablespoon Packed Brown Sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
1 1/2 teaspoons Ancho Chile, coarsly ground
1 1/2 teaspoons Paprika
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Onion Powder
1 teaspoon White Pepper
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
In a small bowl combine all ingredients together and store in a covered container at room temperature.
The day before you smoke:
Rinse the ribs under cold water, then pat dry. Remove the membrane underneath the ribs by sliding a knife underneath to get it started then slowly peel it off. Generously sprinkle rub over both sides of the ribs. Wrap the ribs in aluminum foil and place in the refrigerator overnight.
Smoke day:
Pull the ribs from the refrigerator and let sit out for 1 hour prior to smoking. At 30 minutes prior, begin to prep your smoker with pellets, turn on the smoker and let it get hot enough to where you see visible smoke coming from the chimney. Turn the smoker temperature to 225 degrees. When it reaches 225 degrees, set your ribs on the smoker, pull the lid down and let smoke for 4 – 4 1/2 hours. Pour your liquid of choice into a spray bottle and mist your ribs each hour. This will build flavor and caramelization. At 4 hours start checking your ribs by using tongs to see if the ribs will bend easily. When this happens, the meat will crack around the bone. At this time the ribs are cooked throughout and should be tender and tasty. Brush your barbeque sauce over the ribs and let cook for 30 minutes more. Remove ribs and let sit out for 30 minutes before serving. Serve with additional barbeque sauce if desired.
When the ribs have cooled, you can vacuum seal and freeze the ribs. They freeze great and can be reheated easily. Thaw the ribs completely, remove from vacuum seal and wrap ribs in aluminum foil, place on a baking sheet and place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Turn the ribs over and continue to heat for an additional 15 minutes. Remove the foil and heat an additional 5 minutes. Remove from oven, place on a cutting board, bone side down and use a sharp knife to cut between each bone.
An Inspired Cook 