This recipe uses it all—a spice rub, barbecue sauce, mop, and hickory smoke—providing four layers of well-balanced flavor.
Instructions
- To prepare the kettle grill for indirect, low & slow cooking, place an aluminum foil pan on one side of the charcoal grate and fill halfway with water. On the other side, place about ½ a charcoal chimney’s worth of coals (about 50 briquettes or 2 ½ lbs.).
- Prepare the grill for indirect, low & slow cooking, 225°–275°F. Remove the grates from the indirect side of the grill and place a foil drip pan on the flavorizer bars, then fill with 4 cups of water. Replace the cooking grates over the drip pan.
- Set the grill to 250°F. When the grill has come to temperature, brush the grates clean.
- Place the wood chunks on top of the unlit charcoal. Light the coals with 8–10 lit briquettes and adjust the dampers to achieve a temperature of 225°–275°F.
- Place the wood chips in a smoker box over the lit burners. Preheat the grill until smoke appears and brush the grates clean.
- Remove the tough membrane from the bone-side of the ribs and remove any excess fat.
- Remove the tough membrane from the bone-side of the ribs and remove any excess fat.
- Spread 1 tbsp of mustard all over each of the racks of ribs to act as a binder for the rub.
- Spread 1 tbsp of mustard all over each of the racks of ribs to act as a binder for the rub.
- Starting with the bone-side, and finishing with the meat-side, generously coat the ribs all over with the rub, patting the rub into the meat. Allow the rub to sit on the ribs for 30 minutes before placing them on the grill.
- Starting with the bone-side, and finishing with the meat-side, generously coat the ribs all over with the rub, patting the rub into the meat. Allow the rub to sit on the ribs for 30 minutes before placing them on the grill.
- Place the ribs, bone-side down, and cook for 2 hours. Meanwhile, tear off four sheets of aluminum foil, each about 2 feet long.
- Place the ribs, bone-side down, on the grill grates above the foil pan.
- After 2 hours, check to see if the bark has set by rubbing a finger over the ribs. If the rub comes off on your fingers like a paste, continue cooking.
- Cook the ribs for 3 hours, adding 5 unlit briquettes every hour. Meanwhile, tear off four sheets of aluminum foil, each about 2 feet long.
- Cook the ribs for 3 hours. Meanwhile, tear off four sheets of aluminum foil, each about 2 feet long.
- If the bark has set, place the ribs, bone-side up, on a double layer of aluminum foil. Pour ¼ cup of apple juice over each of the ribs and fold the foil over the ribs, being sure not to crimp the foil too tightly.
- After 2 hours, check to see if the bark has set by rubbing a finger over the ribs. If the rub comes off on your fingers like a paste, continue cooking.
- Place the ribs, bone-side up, back on the grill and cook for another 1 ½ hours.
- After 2 hours, check to see if the bark has set by rubbing a finger over the ribs. If the rub comes off on your fingers like a paste, continue cooking.
- If the bark has set, place the ribs, bone-side up, on a double layer of aluminum foil. Pour ¼ cup of apple juice over each of the ribs and fold the foil over the ribs, being sure not to crimp the foil too tightly.
- If the bark has set, place the ribs, bone-side up, on a double layer of aluminum foil. Pour ¼ cup of apple juice over each of the ribs and fold the foil over the ribs, being sure not to crimp the foil too tightly.
- After that time, check to see that the ribs are tender by piercing with a wooden skewer or thermometer probe. If the ribs have very little resistance, the ribs are tender.
- Place the ribs, bone-side up, back on the grill and cook for another 1 ½ hours.
- Place the ribs, bone-side up, back on the grill and cook for another 1 ½ hours.
- Remove the ribs from the foil and place them back on the grill, bone-side down, and cook until the ribs have dried off, about 15 minutes.
- After that time, check to see that the ribs are tender by piercing with a wooden skewer or thermometer probe. If the ribs have very little resistance, the ribs are tender.
- After that time, check to see that the ribs are tender by piercing with a wooden skewer or thermometer probe. If the ribs have very little resistance, the ribs are tender.
- Brush the meat-side of each of the ribs with the BBQ sauce and cook until the sauce is glossy and has adhered to the ribs, 15–20 minutes.
- Remove the ribs from the foil and place them back on the grill, bone-side down, and cook until the ribs have dried off, about 15 minutes.
- Let the ribs rest for 10–15 minutes, cut into portions and serve with extra BBQ sauce.
- Brush the meat-side of each of the ribs with the BBQ sauce and cook until the sauce is glossy and has adhered to the ribs, 15–20 minutes.
- Let the ribs rest for 10–15 minutes, cut into portions and serve with extra BBQ sauce.
Special Equipment
- 4 handfuls hickory wood chips
- heavy-duty aluminum foil
- large disposable foil pan
- rib rack
- silicone basting brush
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