Baby Back Ribs Dry Rub
intro
Smoky, savory dry-rubbed baby back ribs with a crisp spiced crust and tender, juicy meat, slow-cooked for classic backyard BBQ flavor.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep the rib racks
Remove the thin, papery silverskin membrane from the bone side of each 900g rib rack: slide a butter knife under the membrane at the 3rd bone from one end, grip the loose edge with a dry paper towel, and pull firmly to remove it in one full piece. Pat every surface of both racks completely dry with paper towels to help the dry rub adhere evenly.
Mix the dry rub
In a small glass mixing bowl, combine 80g packed light brown sugar, 3 tbsp smoked paprika, 2 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp onion powder, 1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp dry mustard powder, and ½ tsp cayenne pepper. Whisk thoroughly for 30 seconds to evenly distribute all ingredients, pressing out any brown sugar clumps with the back of the whisk.
Season the rib racks
Sprinkle ⅔ of the mixed dry rub evenly across the top, bottom, and sides of both rib racks, pressing gently with clean, dry hands to press the spice mix into the meat and gaps between bones. Let the seasoned ribs rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the salt to draw out moisture and form a sticky binder for the crust.
Prep grill for low heat
Preheat a charcoal or gas grill to 135°C (275°F), configured for indirect cooking: for gas grills, turn off burners directly under the rib cooking zone; for charcoal grills, pile all lit coals on one side of the grill bed. Place a disposable aluminum drip pan on the cool side of the grill grates to catch fat drippings and prevent flare-ups.
Slow cook the ribs
Place the seasoned ribs bone-side down on the cool indirect zone of the grill, close the lid, and cook for 3 hours, maintaining a consistent internal grill temperature between 125–140°C (260–285°F) the entire time. Every 45 minutes, open the lid quickly to spritz the rib surfaces lightly with 60ml apple cider vinegar in a spray bottle to keep the meat moist; do not flip the ribs during cooking.
Test for doneness
After 3 hours of cooking, check doneness by inserting an instant-read meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat (avoiding contact with bone): the internal temperature should read 93°C (200°F), and a wooden toothpick should slide into the meat with zero resistance. If ribs are not tender, cook for an additional 15 minutes and retest.
Rest and serve ribs
Transfer fully cooked ribs to a clean wooden cutting board, tent loosely with a sheet of aluminum foil, and let rest for 15 minutes to allow meat juices to redistribute. Cut the racks into individual portions between the bones, sprinkle with a pinch of remaining dry rub if desired, and serve.
Tips
2.Avoid cooking ribs over direct high heat, as the brown sugar in the dry rub will burn quickly at temperatures above 150°C (300°F), creating a bitter, charred crust.
3.For extra smoky flavor, add one 10cm chunk of apple or hickory wood to the hot coals at the start of cooking; avoid soft, resinous woods like pine that will impart a bitter taste.
Made these for my son’s birthday backyard party this weekend and everyone was asking for the recipe! The rub caramelizes so nicely on the outside, I didn’t even need to slather on extra sauce (though I put a little on the side for folks who wanted it). Only note is I had to adjust my cook time a tiny bit because my old charcoal grill runs hot, but the end result was fall-off-the-bone tender. 10/10 will make again.
My kids loved it! I was worried the dry rub would be too spicy for them so I cut the paprika in half and added a little extra brown sugar, and they devoured an entire rack between the two of them. Served it with coleslaw and cornbread for our Sunday family dinner, and even my husband who swears by wet ribs said these were better than his usual recipe. SO good.
First time ever making ribs and these were way easier than I thought! I was intimidated by the 3.5 hour cook time but most of it is hands off, so I was able to study while they cooked in the oven. Only thing I messed up was I forgot to remove the membrane on the first rack, oops, but even that one turned out pretty tasty. Will definitely be making these for my roommates soon.
Solid dry rub recipe. I added a little extra cumin and a pinch of cayenne for an extra kick, which worked great for my taste. Cooked these on my offset smoker at 225 instead of the oven and they turned out restaurant quality. Will be adding this rub to my regular rotation for weekend smokes.
Game changer for my weekly meal prep! I make a full two racks on Sunday, portion them out with roasted veggies and mac and cheese, and they reheat perfectly all week long. The rub doesn’t get soggy when you reheat them in the air fryer, which is a huge win. I was worried ribs wouldn’t hold up for meal prep but these absolutely do.
Made these yesterday for a pool party and they were gone in 20 minutes flat! I did three racks because I thought we’d have leftovers, nope, everyone came back for seconds and thirds. The only reason I’m not giving 5 stars is I wish the recipe had a note about how long to let them rest before serving, I cut into mine too early and some of the juices ran out. Still tasted amazing though!
Made these for my wife for our first anniversary dinner at home and she said they’re better than the ribs we had at our wedding! I was so nervous I’d mess them up because I barely know how to use our oven, but the step by step instructions were super easy to follow. Paired them with her favorite baked beans and a bottle of wine, 10/10 night.
Great rub ratio. I usually make my own dry rub from scratch and eyeball all the measurements, but this one is perfectly balanced so I actually measured for once and it came out consistent across both racks. Nice hint of brown sugar sweetness that doesn’t overpower the smoked paprika and garlic powder. Will be keeping this recipe saved.
Brought these to my neighborhood block party last weekend and I swear three people asked me to cater their summer parties after tasting them! I cooked them the night before and kept them warm in the cooler wrapped in foil, and they were still perfectly tender when we served them. 100% making these for every summer gathering from now on.
OMG I can’t believe how good these were! I’ve tried so many dry rub rib recipes that come out bland or too salty, but this one is perfect. I cooked mine on the gas grill over indirect heat per the tip in the recipe notes, and the crust was perfectly crispy without being burnt. My dad who is a total BBQ snob even said these were top tier.
Good, solid rib recipe. I’ve been making ribs for over 50 years and I have to say, this rub is right up there with my own recipe. I added a little extra black pepper like I always do, but didn’t change a thing otherwise. Cooked ’em low and slow on my old Weber and they came out just how I like ’em. Tasty stuff.
Made these in my tiny apartment oven and they still came out amazing! I don’t have a grill or a smoker so I was worried I wouldn’t be able to get good ribs at home, but the oven method worked perfectly. My whole small apartment smelled like BBQ for two days, which was totally worth it. 10/10
Made these for my teen son’s football team dinner and the whole team went crazy for them! I made 4 full racks and there was literally nothing left but bones. The kids kept saying these were better than the ribs they get at the local sports bar, which is high praise coming from a bunch of 16 year olds who eat nothing but fast food.
I was a little skeptical of a dry rub rib recipe without any liquid smoke, but you don’t even need it! The combination of spices slow cooked gets that perfect smoky flavor all on its own. I served these with roasted garlic potatoes and grilled corn, and it was the perfect rainy Sunday dinner. SO good.
Good recipe, but I found the rub a little too heavy on the garlic powder for my taste. Next time I’ll cut the garlic by half and add a little more brown sugar to balance it out. Cook time was spot on though, the ribs were perfectly tender after 3.5 hours in the oven. Overall a solid base recipe to tweak to your own tastes.
Made these for my girl’s game night with our friends and everyone was raving! We had ribs, wings, nachos, and all the game day snacks, but the ribs were the first thing to go. I added a little honey to the rub for extra stickiness and it was chef’s kiss. Will be making these for every fight night and watch party from now on.
I make ribs at least once a month and this is hands down the best dry rub recipe I’ve ever tried. I didn’t change a single thing, followed the cook temp and time exactly, and they came out perfect. The bark was crispy, the meat was juicy, the flavor was spot on. Don’t overcomplicate it, just make this recipe.