321 Baby Back Ribs Recipe
This delicious 321 Ribs recipe is a tried-and-true cooking procedure that renders juicy, flavorful, and tender ribs every single time.
Ingredients
- 2 racks of baby back ribs 1 /2 to 2 pounds each
- 6 tablespoons pork lard
- 1 tablespoon coarse salt
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon granulated onion
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 cups BBQ sauce
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup apple juice
- ½ cup water
- 1 stick unsalted butter
Instructions
- Add your wood to your hopper, start making coals, and preheat your smoker until it reaches 225°.
- Remove the membrane on the back side of the ribs by using a butter knife to wedge in between the meat and the membrane and lift to expose it.
- Rip the membrane off in both directions, completely removing it. If you need to get a good grip, use a paper towel to hold on and rip it off.
- Next, rub the baby back ribs down on each side with 1 ½ tablespoons of pork lard or another bunder completely covering it.
- Generously season the ribs on each side with ¾ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of pepper, ¾ teaspoon of garlic granules, ¾ teaspoon of onion granules, and ¾ teaspoon of paprika.
- Place the ribs 2 to 3 inches apart on the smoker bone side down, close the smoker door, and smoke for 3 hours at 225°.
- With about 15 minutes left in the 3-hour smoking process, add the BBQ sauce and apple cider vinegar, apple juice, water, and butter to a medium-sized pot and heat it up over low heat until the butter is melted. Keep it warm.
- Remove the ribs from the smoker and place one rack bones side down in the center of a 36” sheet of peach or butcher’s paper about 6” from the bottom.
- Brush on about 3 to 4 tablespoons of the hot BBQ sauce on each side of the ribs.
- Next, fold the bottom of the peach paper up over the ribs. There should be about 1” inch of the ribs at the top that are still exposed. Fold the right side of the paper over to the center and make a crease. Do the same thing to the left side. Fold forward twice, wrapping the baby ribs completely with the open fold underneath the ribs. Repeat the same saucing and wrapping process with the other rack of ribs.
- Place the ribs back onto the smoker and smoke at 225° for 2 hours.
- Remove the ribs from the smoker and remove them from the peach paper. It’s okay if the paper is saturated from the sauce and ribs.
- Put the ribs back out on the smoker bone side down 2 to 3 inches apart from each other brush 2 to 3 tablespoons of the BBQ sauce on the top of the baby backs, and smoke for 1 more hour.
- Take the ribs off the smoker, cover them with foil, and let them rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Finish by brushing more hot BBQ sauce onto the smoked ribs. Slice and serve.
Notes
Make-Ahead: These ribs are meant to be eaten when they’re done cooking. However, you can keep them warm in a pan covered with foil in the oven at low temperatures (<200°) for up to 1 hour before serving.
How to Store: Cover and keep the ribs in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. These will freeze covered for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator for 1 day or until thawed.
How to Reheat: Add the desired number of ribs to a pan and cover with foil. Bake at 350° for 8 to 10 minutes and then uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes or until hot.
This method can be used on spareribs or St. Louis-style ribs using the exact cook times and temperatures for this recipe, and procedures.
Other binders you can use are Dijon mustard, yellow mustard, softened butter, or oil.
Swap out the garlic and onion granules with garlic and onion powder.
Removing the membrane on the back side is optional, as it will likely cook off after the long smoke period.
This recipe will not work in an oven.
If you are using pork lard, it should be room temperature or colder so it is easy to spread onto the pork.
Nutrition
Calories: 525kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 19gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 66mgSodium: 2232mgPotassium: 553mgFiber: 2gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 817IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 76mgIron: 2mg