Smoked Honey BBQ Baby Back Ribs

Smoked pork ribs with a savory rub and honey barbeque sauce with a smoky, sweet, and tangy flavor.

These smoked honey BBQ baby back ribs are a perfect combination of smoky, sweet, and tangy flavors. The seasoning rub adds a kick of heat with chili powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, oregano, and cayenne. The honey BBQ sauce is the perfect finishing touch, bringing a blend of sweet honey, tangy red wine vinegar, and savory Worcestershire sauce, with a hint of smokiness and a touch of heat from the hot pepper sauce. The ribs are tender and juicy, and the flavors are perfectly balanced. This recipe is sure to become a favorite for any BBQ lover.

Servings

2-4

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

  • Initial grilling phase: About 3 hours
  • Second grilling phase (after wrapping in foil): 2 hours
  • Resting time: 30 minutes

Total Time

  • Total time: Approximately 5 hours and 50 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 rack of baby back or St. Louis style pork ribs

Seasoning Rub:

  • 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tablespoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne

Honey BBQ Sauce:

  • 1/2 cup organic ketchup (fructose-free)
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
  • 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Instructions

Preparation:

  • Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs to allow for better seasoning penetration.

Applying the Seasoning Rub:

  • Coat the ribs evenly with yellow mustard, ensuring all surfaces are covered.
  • Mix the chili powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, oregano, and cayenne together. Rub this seasoning blend generously over the mustard-coated ribs.

Grill Initial Phase:

  • Preheat your grill to 250°F (120°C).
  • Place the seasoned ribs on the grill and cook for about 3 hours, allowing the smoke to infuse the meat.

Preparation of Honey BBQ Sauce:

  • In a bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients and stir until smooth and well-blended.

Basting & Foil Wrapping:

  • Lay out a double layer of aluminum foil large enough to wrap the ribs.
  • Remove ribs from the grill and place them on the foil.
  • Generously baste the ribs with the honey BBQ sauce.
  • Seal the ribs tightly in the foil.

Grill Second Phase:

  • Reduce the grill temperature to 225°F (110°C).
  • Place the foil-wrapped ribs back on the grill and cook for an additional 2 hours.

Resting:

  • After the second cooking phase, remove the foiled ribs from the grill.
  • Let them rest for at least 30 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute and the flavors to meld.

Tip: For an added burst of flavor, serve the ribs with extra honey BBQ sauce on the side. Pair with coleslaw, cornbread, or any of your favorite side dishes.

Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs using a paper towel to grip and pull. Then squirt yellow mustard over the ribs.

Rub the yellow mustard over both sides of the ribs.

Mix together seasoning blend.

Rub the seasoning over both sides of the ribs to coat.

Grill at 250 degrees open on the rack for about 3 hours.

After 3 hours, prepare to baste with BBQ sauce and wrap in foil.

Brush on the BBQ sauce and wrap in 2 layers of foil. Grill for 2 more hours at 225 degrees. Remove wrapped ribs from the grill and let rest at least 3 minutes before serving.