I need to make some baby backs tonight, not a lot of experience with ribs. Basically what I have done is….
1. peel membrane from back
2. apply some sort of rub
3. bake for 2 hours
4. apply sauce and grill for additional hour in foil
What am I mising? Let’s hear how you guys cook baby backs! 
We like to boil them first, finish off on the grill with sauce of choice. Tender every time! Sweet Baby Rays gets the nod in this house 
I have done the boiling way too! However, everyone tells me it’s the worst thing you can do. I thought they were great, about 20 minute boil, hour in foil on the grill, remove foil and coat with sauce and grill for 10-15.
Might try just putting them on the grill in the foil, instead of baking. We add a little water in the foil,like aroung 3 tablespoons then seal up. They will stay moist and turn out tender. When the ribs are done, remove from foil and grill add sauce, turn add sauce…continue til they look good to you.
Do you have a smoker? I don’t mess with the boiling, baking,… I rub a steak seasoning mix, little brown sugar, and some Zateran’s cajun powder on them. In the smoker at at noon, kept at 180-190 degrees, coat with baby rays once every 1-1/2 hours and flip, eat at around 5. Very moist, bold flavor and tender! I use just enough charcoal to keep my smoker going, but use a mix of apple, cherry, and hickory chunks soaked in water over night.
I start out by putting on a good dry rub, then use the 3-2-1 method on the smoker. This method is for cooking on the smoker for 3 hours uncovered, 2 hours covered with foil, and the last hour uncovered. This technique makes those juicy fall off the bone ribs that are to die for. I cook with the smoker at 180 degrees and use Hickory wood chips. My wife also makes an Asain Barbeque sauce called Hoisen or something similar. I put this on when we go into the foil for 2 hours. Geez; I’m hungry now!
Wife boils them first then into a crock pot, they turn out pretty good.
I like to BBQ them, very light rub of choice, grill at 200-225 for up to 4 hours or until done, about half way I add either Famous Dave’s Sweet and Sassy or Baby Rays.
And for the last 20 mins or so crank up the heat to add that slightly charred taste around the edges.
Al
At some point before the sauce you’ll need to brown them
If you are going to use a rub (or not), coat the ribs with yellow mustard first or a mustard/rub mixture and let sit for a couple of hours. I was given this tip by a guy I work with that competes in BBQ’s .. I had no idea. He says the mustard breaks down enzymes in the meat making it more tender and giving it a nice flavor. I’ve done it several times and it is good. You don’t end up with a mustard flavor either.
Have fun!
Chris
Next time go to a locker plant & buy smoked baby backs & start them in the oven or just on the grill on low heat
OK, everyone has there opinion on ribs. I personally don’t think baby backs should be boiled or baked, not that it won’t work. I have been tweaking my baby back technique for a few years. Here it goes:
Step 1: peel membrane off back (grabbing this with a paper towel works really well)
Step 2: rub ribs with a dry rub (not gonna give up my “secret” recipe) lots of rubs out there.
Step 3: wrap ribs in freezer paper and put in fridge overnight (not necessary but really gets the rub flavors into the meat)
Step 4: I use the “smokinator” for a weber kettel grill. Cook low and slow around 230 degs for 4-6 hours. I use hickory chunks for smoke.
Step 5: last hour of cooking mop ribs with mop sauce every 10 minutes. (I use a simple mop sauce of cider vinegar and mustard)
Step 6: take ribs off smoker and wrap in foil, add about a half a cup or so of mop sauce and seal the foil. Put back on grill for about 30 minutes. (this step is called the “Texas crutch”, it gets the ribs fall off the bone tender)
Step 7: open a beer and enjoy, you can use sauce if you like but I prefer my ribs dry.
As TOSetter said there is no better way to prepare baby backs than the 3-2-1 method. The only variation to his is I will spritz mine every 1/2 hour for the first 3 hours with apple juice. Then when I foil them for the 2 hour period I add a few ounces of apple juice in the foil. Make sure the foil is sealed tightly so they actually steam in the foil. Then remove from foil and finish with BBQ sauce of choice for the last hour. I will run my smoker temp at 225* to 235*. This process can be done in an oven, without smoke of course, unless your wife doesn’t mind scrubbing walls 
Ideally the ribs should be rubbed the night before, wrapped tightly in saran wrap and left in the fridge. This allows the seasonings to penetrate the meat more thoroughly. Some ribs cook quicker than others for some reason so the method may have to be adjusted a bit( 2 1/2-1 1/2-1) or any other variation that works for your preference. After the first 3 hours, the meat should be pulling back from the rib tips a bit, After the 2 hour period the meat should be pulled back around a 1/4 to 1/2 inch and when you pick them up in the middle with a tongs they should bend almost to the point of breaking. The last hour is to firm them up a bit and allow the BBQ sauce to soak in. If done properly you will not be dissapointed
If you go on Youtube and search for babyback ribs there are some SWEET recipes and walkthroughs of everything you need to do!! I’ve done a couple different recipes on there and they’ve both turned out delicious!!
I can tell you from lots and lots of practice that low heat and longer time (patience) will get your ribs falling off the bone and tender. I don’t grill them much but keep the heat low and give em at least 2 hrs if not 3. I second the Sweet Baby Rays It is the best we have found. Good Luck!
Quote:
OK, everyone has there opinion on ribs. I personally don’t think baby backs should be boiled or baked, not that it won’t work. I have been tweaking my baby back technique for a few years. Here it goes:
Step 1: peel membrane off back (grabbing this with a paper towel works really well)
Step 2: rub ribs with a dry rub (not gonna give up my “secret” recipe) lots of rubs out there.
Step 3: wrap ribs in freezer paper and put in fridge overnight (not necessary but really gets the rub flavors into the meat)
Step 4: I use the “smokinator” for a weber kettel grill. Cook low and slow around 230 degs for 4-6 hours. I use hickory chunks for smoke.
Step 5: last hour of cooking mop ribs with mop sauce every 10 minutes. (I use a simple mop sauce of cider vinegar and mustard)
Step 6: take ribs off smoker and wrap in foil, add about a half a cup or so of mop sauce and seal the foil. Put back on grill for about 30 minutes. (this step is called the “Texas crutch”, it gets the ribs fall off the bone tender)
Step 7: open a beer and enjoy, you can use sauce if you like but I prefer my ribs dry.
This is the way to do it!!!! I might add a little apple cider to the mop or a leinies’ honeyweiss. You sound like a true rib guy!
BRAISE IT!!! Alton’s rib recipe
I have NEVER been let down by any of Alton Brown’s recipes. Follow this recipe, braise it LOW AND SLOW and they will turn out spectacular. Its very difficult to overcook them while braising, I often cook a little longer than normal to get them really fall-off-the-bone tender. I often add another hour when doing spare ribs, just to make sure all that collagen/connective tissue gets broken down into tender goodnes… 
Carmelize the glaze under the broiler for a minute or two at the end… Awesome!!
Note, when I make these, I tend to add some extra brown sugar when reducing the glaze – helps to reduce it faster, helps to get a great, dipping sauce, helps to add a little carmelization to the end product, and adds a little more sweetness, which I prefer…
Bon apetit!
You’ll laugh when you hear this recipe. You can bake the ribs in a slow cooker, crock pot or covered roaster pan in the oven (doesn’t matter). Put them in desired pan and pour a can of Coca-Cola over the top of the ribs. Bake at 250 degrees for about 4 hours. The ribs will be falling off the bone. Then I add barbeque sauce (Sweet Baby Rays is my favorite) and bake on a broiler pan (350 degrees) for about 10 minutes per side. These are the easiest things I know how to make.
BZZSAW, your Coke recipe is very similar to Alton’s recipe (the one I always make)… Basically you are braising the ribs (cooking LOW and SLOW), then finishing with the broiler. 
Alton’s recipe calls for wine/honey/worchestershire/vinegar for the liquids (Vs Coke), but same deal…
AWESOME!!!
Reminds me a little of boiling eelpout backstraps in mountain dew…. Mmmmmmm, freshwater lobster!!!
Thank you all for your replies! 
They are on the grill right now, here’s what I did, a little different this time,
1. remove membrane
2. boiled for 15 minutes, let cool/dry on tray
3. applied a rib rub and coated with brown sugar(saw this on the food network)
4. wrapped in foil, placed on the top rack with one burner going, it’s staying at about 235.
5. filled a pie tin with water to moisture in there.
I’m going to cook for about 2 hours, checking every half to make sure they are moist. I’ll remove from foil and lather on some Sweet Baby Rays and grill for another 20 minutes. I’ll let you know how they come out! 
Post pics if you can!!!
mmmmmmm….
Gonna have to stop at the butcher shop on the way home, now… 
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Post pics if you can!!!
mmmmmmm….
Gonna have to stop at the butcher shop on the way home, now…
Great idea, glad I followed this post, awesome recipes 
i like to put some tequila in my pan in the oven to help steam the ribs. i worked at a rib joint for 3 years and that’s the secret to keeping them moist when u bake them is put some liquid to steam it… i like tequila but u can use water
I guess I’m just lazy. Put a package of thawed ribs in the slow cooker. Add 1 bottle of Sweet Baby Ray’s or Hunts BBQ sauce. Put slow cooker on low setting. Go to work. Come home in 9 hours and enjoy ribs done perfectly.
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I guess I’m just lazy. Put a package of thawed ribs in the slow cooker. Add 1 bottle of Sweet Baby Ray’s or Hunts BBQ sauce. Put slow cooker on low setting. Go to work. Come home in 9 hours and enjoy ribs done perfectly.
BBQ sauce does not make them BBQ ribs…that being said, those taste good too, but you can’t beat a good baby back off the smoker.
I think the only food I’ve made that I took a picture of is the Baby Back ribs I made over a year ago (using the Coke recipe posted above). Up until then, I wasn’t too into ribs (too fatty). Now, ribs are one of my favorite meals. They couldn’t be any easier to make.
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