Beginner Smoked Baby Back Ribs
Look no further for the best beginner rib recipe! Beginner Smoked Baby Back Ribs turn out tender and delicious every single time and you’ll love this super easy smoker method. In about 6 hours, you can have mouth-watering ribs on the table for your hungry family.
Beginner Smoked Baby Back Ribs Recipe – Here’s the best way to make 3-2-1 Ribs on Your Smoker
Howdy! Chef Alli Here. Let’s Get You Cookin’…. Shall We?? 🙂
My family loves all things MEAT so I was anxious to learn to make baby back ribs on my smoker pellet grill. I decided to use the 3-2-1 method since it seems like such a great approach for us first-timers. I was pleased with how the ribs turned out – this method didn’t disappoint.
When I served these ribs to my guys, I went all out. We got to enjoy a big skillet of Grandma Lucille’s Warm German Potato Salad and Saucy Cowboy Beans, followed by White Chocolate Strawberry Poke Cake – it was such a wonderful meal! (And I was exhausted.)
What to love about this recipe
- This rib recipe is straight-forward and simple.
- Make fool-proof, tender baby backs every time!
- All you need are a few basic ingredients.
photo here
Save this Recipe
Enter your email address and we will send you this recipe to your mailbox for easy reference! Plus, we will send you our latest recipes every week!
Ingredients you’ll need to make these beginner sweet-and-sticky ribs
- Baby back pork ribs
- Olive oil
- Your favorite rib rub
- Unsalted butter
- Honey
- Your favorite bbq sauce
How to make beginner smoked baby back ribs
**Print the full recipe from the RECIPE CARD at the bottom of this post
Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees F.
Unpackage the ribs and flip them onto a clean work surface, bone-side-up. Remove the membrane that covers the back side of the ribs where the bones are. This is easiest to do by inserting a butter knife (or a screwdriver!) beneath the membrane at one corner of the end. Once the membrane is loosened a bit, grab a couple paper towels to grip the membrane with then pull it right off the ribs in once bit piece; repeat with the second rack of ribs.
Next, drizzle each rack of ribs with olive oil, then use your fingers to rub the oil all over the surface of both sides. Season to taste with your favorite rib rub on both sides, pressing the rub into the meat a bit with your fingers as you go. Place both racks of the prepared ribs directly onto the smoker grate.
After 3 hours, pull the ribs off the smoker. At this point, the ribs will look rather crusty and dry on the exterior, exactly as they should – don’t worry.
Onto your work surface, lay down two sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place 4 chunks of butter on top of each sheet of foil in a line (make these about as long as your rib racks are), then sprinkle the butter with a generous sprinkle of the rib rub, followed by a good drizzle (about 2 Tbs.) of honey.
Place the a rack of the ribs onto one of the sheets of the prepared foil, making sure to place it meat-side-down; tightly wrap the ribs in the foil. Repeat with the second rack of ribs and the second sheet of prepared foil.
Return the wrapped ribs to the smoker, still set at 250 degrees F., letting the wrapped ribs smoke for another 2 hours.
Remove the wrapped ribs from the smoker and place them onto your work surface again. Carefully open up the foil to expose the ribs. At this point, they are still bone-side-up.
Turn the ribs over so they are meat-side-up in the foil. Slather each rack of ribs with your favorite bbq sauce. Fold the foil back to create a packet (a “boat” of foil, if you will) so that all the juicy goodness within the foil can stay right in place for the final hour on the smoker.
Place both racks of ribs back on the smoker grate, still set at 250 degrees F., making sure the foil is open and the ribs are exposed. Smoke the ribs for one more hour. This is when the sauce will get really sticky and nicely caramelized.
Remove the ribs from the smoker. Carefully lift the racks of ribs from the foil packets to a cutting board. Slice the racks between the bones to create individual ribs. Serve at once with more sauce, as desired.
Answers to Common Questions Asked About This Recipe
Why is this a good rib recipe for beginners?
This rib recipe is basic and straight forward. This of it this way: Ribs are 3 hours in the smoker NAKED. Next, the ribs are 2 hours in the smoker WRAPPED. And, lastly, the ribs are 1 final hour in the smoker WITH SAUCE. The ribs are cooked 6 hours total, with the cooking process broken down into an easy way to follow and do.
Are these ribs the same as 3-2-1 ribs?
Yes. 3-2-1 ribs are cooked using the same smoking times as directed in this recipe. The ribs are smoked 3 hours, uncovered, directly on the smoker rack. Then, the ribs are wrapped in foil and smoked for 2 more hours. Lastly, the ribs are sauced and smoked for 1 more hour, unwrapped, so the sauce can nice and sticky on the top. 3-2-1 Ribs!
Will the 3-2-1 method of cooking ribs work in the oven? Or is the 3-2-1 method for ribs just for pellet smokers?
This is a great question, and though I’ve not tried it (YET), I DO think 3-2-1 would work splendidly in the oven. No, you won’t have the smokiness in the meat that you will from using a smoker, but the ribs would still be tender, juicy, and sticky sweet.
More favorite meat recipes to enjoy
- INSTANT POT STICKY CHICKEN THIGHS
- SAUCY BACON-WRAPPED PORK LOIN ROAST
- AIR FRYER BANG BANG SALMON
- CHERRY PECAN PORK TENDERLOIN MEDALLIONS
- INSTANT POT EYE OF ROUND ROAST BEEF (DELI ROAST BEEF)
Printable Beginner Smoked Baby Back Ribs Recipe
Beginner Baby Back Ribs {Sweet and Spicy Smoker Style}
Ingredients
- 2 racks baby back pork ribs
- 2 Tbs. olive oil
- 2-4 Tbs. your favorite rib rub, to taste
- 8 Tbs. unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 cup your favorite bbq sauce
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees F.
- Unpackage the ribs and flip them onto a clean work surface, bone-side-up. Remove the membrane that covers the back side of the ribs where the bones are. This is easiest to do by inserting a butter knife (or a screwdriver!) beneath the membrane at one corner of the end. Once the membrane is loosened a bit, grab a couple paper towels to grip the membrane with then pull it right off the ribs in once bit piece; repeat with the second rack of ribs.
- Next, drizzle each rack of ribs with olive oil, then use your fingers to rub the oil all over the surface of both sides. Season to taste with your favorite rib rub on both sides, pressing the rub into the meat a bit with your fingers as you go.
- Place both rack s of the prepared ribs directly onto the smoker grate. After 3 hours, pull the ribs off the smoker. **At this point, the ribs will look rather crusty and dry on the exterior, exactly as they should – don't worry!
- Onto your work surface, lay down two sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place 4 chunks of butter on top of each sheet of foil in a line (make these about as long as your rib racks are), then sprinkle the butter with a generous sprinkle of your rib rub, followed by a good drizzle (about 2 Tbs.) of honey over the top of everything.
- Place the a rack of the ribs onto one of the sheets of the prepared foil, making sure to turn it meat-side-down; tightly wrap the ribs in the foil. Repeat with the second rack of ribs and the second sheet of prepared foil.
- Return the wrapped ribs to the smoker, still set at 250 degrees F., letting the wrapped ribs smoke for another 2 hours.
- Remove the wrapped ribs from the smoker and place them onto your work surface again. Carefully open up the foil to expose the ribs. At this point, they are still bone-side-up.
- Turn the ribs over so they are now meat-side-up in the foil. Slather each rack of ribs with your favorite bbq sauce, then return them to the smoker for the final cooking phase.
- Place both racks of ribs back on the smoker grate, still set at 250 degrees F., making sure the foil is open and the ribs are exposed. Smoke the ribs for one more hour. **Leaving the foil packets opened so the ribs are exposed at this point is what will make the sauce sticky and caramelized.
- Remove the ribs from the smoker. Carefully remove the ribs from the foil packets to a cutting board. Slice the racks between the bones and serve at once with more sauce, as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
We love hearing from our readers and followers, so leave us a comment if you’d like. If you don’t hear back from us shortly, know that we may not have seen your comment. Feel free to reach out to us by email: ChefAlli@ChefAlli.com.
Let’s Get You Cookin’,
Chef Alli
Please Note: We do use referral and affiliate links here for products and services that Chef Alli loves and recommends. If you click on a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.