Meaty Side Up Baby Back Ribs

Serves: Many

Rub Mixture:

½ cup Salt

¾ cup Turbinado Sugar

¼ cup granulated Brown Sugar

1-1/2 Tablespoons Garlic Powder

1 Tablespoon Onion Powder

2 Tablespoons Paprika

3 Tablespoons Chili Powder

2 Tablespoons freshly Ground Pepper

1-1/2 Tablespoons Cayenne Pepper

1 Tablespoon ground Thyme

1 Tablespoon ground Cumin

1 teaspoon ground Nutmeg

Stage 2 ingredients:

3 cups Honey

1-1/2 cups Brown Sugar

1-1/2 cups Apple Juice

2 cups BBQ Sauce

Timeline: Meaty Side Up Ribs take 7.5 hours to make so plan accordingly. Below I have a countdown timeline with the time for each step/time going forward.

The night before the big smoke out combine the ingredients for the rub and store in a freezer bag.

(2hrs/-7.5hrs)

Two hours prior to putting ribs on the smoker remove the membrane from the boney side of the ribs. Next, apply the rub to the ribs covering all surfaces uniformly and wrap each rack of ribs in cellophane. Use 2/3's of the rub on the meaty side and the remaining 1/3 on the bony side.

(2hrs/-5.5hrs)

Fire up the smoker! The smoker temperature should reach 275 degrees before bringing back down to between 215-222 degrees. This ensures that the smoker has reached optimum temperature before the smoking event. While waiting for the coals to reach correct temperature soak the hickory wood chunks in a 50/50 solution of water and apple juice.

(2hrs/-3.5hrs)

Place the ribs on the smoker bony side down, meaty side up and smoke for 2 hours.

(1hr/-2.5hrs)

Next flip ribs and smoke for 1 hour.

(30m/-2hrs)

Remove ribs from the smoker and place in a glass baking pan making sure to use a pan that has sides to catch the juices. Using heavy duty aluminum foil tear 2 sheets long enough to double over to wrap a slab of ribs. Repeat this for each slab.

Lay each sheet of doubled over aluminum foil on a working surface. Pour 1/3 cup of the honey on each sheet, spreading it out where the ribs will rest. Top the honey with ¼ cup of brown sugar spread evenly. Place a slab of ribs, meaty side down on the honey and brown sugar mixture. Top the bony side of the ribs with the same mixture (1/3 cup honey and ¼ cup brown sugar). Crimp up the sides of the foil and pour ½ cup of apple juice into each foil enclosure. Pour along the side of the slab so that the juice runs to the meaty side. Repeat for each slab of ribs. Close up each packet of foil loosely and place back on to the smoker.

(1.5hrs/-30m)

Smoke for 90 minutes checking the foil packets after one hour to make sure the juice has not evaporated. If it has than just add more.

(30m/0m)

Open the foil and place ribs directly on the smoker, meaty side up. Raise the smoker temperature to 350 degrees if possible. Brush on your favorite BBQ sauce (both sides) and flip multiple times over the next 20 minutes.

Carefully transfer the ribs to a serving platter (meaty side up) being careful not to break the slabs.