Ribs'P - B'Back [Sm] 'Spicy Rub

By Kwasome

No, baby back ribs don't come from baby pigs! Smoked baby back ribs
are very popular. That 's why t hey are one of t he most expensive cut s of meat from t he hog. Lot s of people just love them, so demand has driven up the price.

Back Ribs
Also called "back ribs", they come from the upper part of the pork rib cage, next to the loin along the back. Hence, back ribs. It 's common in the meat industry t o call them "baby" only if t he slab weighs under 1¾ pounds. Unlike spare ribs, baby back ribs require little preparation before they are ready to go in the smoker. The most important part of preparation is to remove the membrane that lines the bone side of the slab. (If you hang your ribs when you smoke them, don't remove it )

Remove The Membrane
The membrane is a whitish- looking and shiny covering on the bone side of
the slab that is tougher than heck. It also prevent s seasonings and smoke flavor from reaching t he meat . If you want tender and flavorful smoked baby back ribs, get rid of the membrane. Take a butter knife or a screwdriver and slip it under t he membrane at oneend of the slab. Pry the membrane up so you get a flap going. Using a paper towel, grip t he flap and slowly peel the membrane off of the ribs. If it tears, pry up another flap and peel some more. One of my meat smoking cronies uses a pair of fish skinning pliers t o do t he job. Works great !

Final Preparation

The only thing left is to trim off any excess fat and loose meat ,then wipe it dry if it needs it . Don't get too carried away trimming the fat …the small pieces will melt away as the baby back ribs smoke. Now it's time to season the ribs. I marinate the ribs first , then give them a
light coating of dry rub.

Ingredients

• Marinade Ingredients (per slab)
• 2 cups apple juice or cider
• 2 Tsp non-iodized salt
• 1 Tsp chopped garlic
• 1 Tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1/2 Tsp cayenne pepper
• Spice Rub Ingredients (per slab)
• 1 Tbs onion powder
• 1 Tbs granulated sugar
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp non-iodized salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp cumin

Preparation

Step 1

Marinate the baby back ribs for at least two hours. Overnight is better.
Turn the ribs in the marinade so both sides get it good.
Remove the ribs from the marinade and let them drain for five minutes or
so. Now it's time for some spice.


Mix t he seasonings well and lightly coat the slab on both sides. Let it rest at room temp while you get the smoker start ed up. When the smoker
reaches 220 degrees, add a little hickory or oak,and throw in the ribs.

Smoke the ribs at 220 for 3 hours, then turn them over. Increase the
smoker temperature up t o 250 and smoke for another hour. Check for doneness. The meat should be just tender enough to tear when you pull
two bones apart . Check every 45 minutes until done.
Your smoked baby back ribs should be fairly dry on the out side, and tender
and moist inside. Barbecue sauce is optional. The seasonings from the
marinade and the dry rib rub flavor this smoked babyback rib recipie nicely.