Baby Back Ribs

Prep the grill

• Set the Searwood to 225°F on Smoke or Low & Slow.
• Load apple, cherry or competition blend pellets.
• Let it come all the way up to temperature before the meat goes on.

Prep the ribs

• Pull the membrane off the bone side — grab it with a paper towel and pull.
• Trim loose meat and excess fat.
• Coat lightly with yellow mustard if you want a binder.
• Lay a generous coat of rub on both sides.
• Let them sit 20–30 minutes while the grill heats.

Smoke

• Bone-side down, with space between the racks.
• Keep the lid closed.
• Spritz with apple juice every 45–60 minutes if you like.

How you know: Wrap once the bark looks dark and dry rather than wet.

Wrap

• Wrap each rack tight in foil.
• Before you close it, add 2 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp honey and 2–3 tbsp apple juice.
• Lay the ribs meat-side down in the foil.
• Back on the grill at 225–250°F.

Check tenderness

• Open one foil package.
• Poke between the bones with a toothpick or probe.

How you know: It should slide in with very little resistance. Around 195–205°F, but feel beats the number.

Sauce and finish

• Take the ribs out of the foil and back onto the grate.
• Bring the grill up to 275–300°F.
• Brush on BBQ sauce and cook 10–15 minutes.
• Brush a second thin layer and cook 5–10 minutes more.

How you know: Stop when the sauce is glossy and tacky, not wet.

Rest

• Let them sit before you cut.

Slice and serve

• Cut down between the bones.