We had a significant birthday in our family this weekend and my usual custom is to allow the person at the center of the cause de celbre’ the opportunity to pick the main course for the festive dinner. When the Birthday Girl announced her choice of Baby Back Ribs my feelings waffled between excitement and trepidation. Excitement, because BBQ’d Baby Back Ribs is one of my favorite main courses; Trepidation, because you need to pay attention to make sure you don’t screw them up. Nothing tastes better than properly cooked, almost fall-off-the-bone, juicy Baby Backs. However, nothing is more embarrassing than serving your guests charcoaled sticks of way overdone pork that would serve better as drawing implements than a main course.

Believe me when I tell you that I learned the hard way. Not ever wanting to pass up a good deal I have been seduced from time to time by bargains on Baby Backs, and I am especially careful when they are referred to as “Danish” depending upon the butcher/market. I’m sure there’s a way to deal with these smaller ribs but my experience is that these seemingly leaner ribs need to be handled with care and cooking times adjusted downward or you’ll end up with the aforementioned sticks of charcoal. My personal preference is the Baby Back Ribs from Costco or Sam’s Club. They are consistently meaty, tasty and cook up nicely on the BBQ. I never boil, cook in the oven or utilize any other shortcut. The best ribs are those smoked from room temperature to the table, outdoors. Examine the package you select and make sure there is plenty of meat wrapped around the rib bones. If you have access to a good old-fashion butcher shop let them know what you are up to and they’ll help you pick out a good selection.

Low and Slow will beat High and Fast every time when it comes to BBQ Ribs. You might need to experiment a little on what the correct level of doneness is for your family but my personal preference is to cook them until they are almost fall-off-the-bone because the meat then has all the characteristics of a good steak enhanced with all that smoke and BBQ flavor. Also, invest in a Rib Rack that allows you to cook 3 -6 racks side by side, vertically. They cost about $30 and can absolutely make the difference. Many of the racks also double as poultry racks.

Papa Craig’s Hickory BBQ Baby Back Ribs

3 full racks of Baby Back Ribs (fresh or fully thawed) (feeds 6)

¼ Cup Brown Sugar

1 Tbsp Cracked Black Pepper

1 Tbsp Seasoning Salt

1 tsp Red Chili Flakes

1 tsp Paprika

1 tsp Dehydrated Onion

1 tsp Dehydrated Garlic

2-3 cups BBQ Sauce

2 cups Hickory Wood Chips

1 large NEW Green Plastic Trash Bag

Day One

Preparation of Ribs: Remove membrane from the backs of each rack of ribs. I find using a paper towel to grip the membrane after loosening it a bit with a thumbnail works best. It’s a pain to do but makes for a higher likelihood of a nearly fall-of-the-bone finished product.

Combine:  Brown Sugar, Black Pepper, Seasoning Salt, Chili Flakes, Paprika, Onion and Garlic together in a mixing bowl and toss together.  Apply liberal amounts to both sides of the ribs with your fingers and rub into the meat. Don’t forget the sides and ends.

Place: the racks of ribs in the Trash Bag stacked one rack atop the other and roll up tightly. Place Bag in refrigerator for 24 hours before cooking.

Day Two

Soak Wood Chips:  Approximately 4 hours before cooking or about 7 hours before you want to eat, soak the Hickory Wood Chips in water, totally submerged until it is time to cook. I use an old cottage cheese container for this part.

Fire Up the BBQ:  About 3 1/2 hours before you want to eat, fire up the BBQ grill to the highest possible pre-heat, engaging all burners.

Remove: Plastic trash bag with ribs from the refrigerator and allow to warm up slightly toward room temperature.

Drain: Hickory Wood Chips and put the damp chips into an aluminum mini-loaf pan or some other metal container that is open at the top and you don’t care what it will look like when you are finished. When the BBQ is pre-heated to around 600F degrees (325C) or as hot at your BBQ can get if you can’t generate that much heat, place the loaf pan with the Hickory Chips on the burner that will stay on all during the cooking process. Wood Chips should begin to smoke within a few minutes.

Start Cooking:  Once the wood chips begin to smoke, remove the racks of ribs from plastic bag and place directly on the grill for 2 or 3 minutes until obvious grill markings start to appear and then turn over and similarly sear the opposite side. Reduce Heat by turning off all burners except one, ideally at the perimeter of the BBQ. Place ribs in a standing rib rack situated where the engaged burner does not directly provide heat. Maintain temperature of the BBQ at 300F (150C). Keep lid closed for at least 1 ½ hours and then rotate ribs in the rib rack so that the opposite end points toward bottom of the BBQ. Continue cooking for another hour with lid closed. Feel free to check occasionally to make sure the ends aren’t burning. Open lid and brush ribs on both sides with BBQ Sauce during the last ½ hour 2 or 3 times. Total cooking time, approximately 3 hours, depending on how meaty the ribs are.

(Note: if you don’t have a Rib Rack, place ribs, meaty side up initially, directly on the grill away from the fire or on an auxiliary rack above the grill. Be sure there is no direct heat and check the ribs regularly, turning over no less than every 45 minutes).

Serve with additional BBQ Sauce, Baked Beans and a Green Salad and a nice Pinot Noir. Your guests will love it!