Want to know how smoked baby back ribs are made in the top BBQ competitions across America? In this guide Malcom Reed of Killer Hogs explains how he prepares and cooks his award-winning smoked baby back ribs…
Smoked Baby Back Ribs Competition Style
Preparing Your Baby Backs
The Yoder came up to 235 in about 15-20 minutes, and it was ready to roll.
The ribs used for this guide were 2.5 lbs baby backs. If you are not familiar with trimming ribs yourself, ask your butcher to square the racks on each side and remove any fragments left from the processor.
RELATED: How To Trim Spare Ribs (St. Louis Style Cut Ribs)
To prep the ribs competition style, slather with a little mustard and apply a layer of Killer Hogs The BBQ Rub. You can use any other BBQ rub you prefer.
Smoking Your Ribs for Competition
Preheat your smoker to 235°F and place your ribs on the pit. Make sure temperatures are stable, and aim for a light blue smoke.
To keep the ribs moist I typically use a basic mop of:
- 1 cup Apple Juice
- 1/4 cup Garlic Red Wine Vinegar
- 1/4 cup Olive Oil
- 1 cup Water
Pour all ingredients into container. Shake well and keep refrigerated. You can substitute Italian dressing for the oil and vinegar.
After about 2 hours the ribs should have the color you want, then it’s time to wrap! Use a good dose of margarine, brown sugar, & honey inside the foil, and place back on the smoker to tenderize. Check the ribs about 1 ½ hours into the wrap stage just to get a feel for the tenderness.
If the ribs still needed a little longer, give them 30 more minutes. When they are ready, take them off the pit, vent and drain the juices from the foil to stop the cooking process.
Glazing Your Baby Back Ribs
“Everyone knows that judges eat with their eyes first!”
– Malcom Reed
…and that’s why it’s time to glaze the ribs! For the final glaze, use a BBQ sauce of your preference. The one used for this guide is the Killer Hogs The BBQ Sauce, as it enhances not just flavor but also the final appearance of the meat.
Finishing Them Off In The Smoker
Once both sides were sauced, place the smoked baby back ribs back on the smoker. Keep a close watch on the ribs, checking them every 15 minutes for darkness. Once the glaze has set, pull them off the pit again, and let them rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!
Smoked Baby Back Ribs Related Recipes
Smoked Pork Country Style Ribs
Smoked Beef Ribs Recipe (BBQ Beef Ribs)
What were the ribs “based” with? The liquid being mopped on seemed too thin to be BBQ sauce. Thank you.
Baste:
1 cup Apple Juice
1/4 cup Garlic Red Wine Vinegar
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1 cup Water
Pour all ingredients into container. Shake well and keep refrigerated.
You can substitute Italian dressing for the oil and vinegar.
What were the ribs “based” with? The liquid being mopped on seemed too thin to be BBQ sauce. Thank you.