Hickory-Smoked Baby Back Ribs with Spiced Dry Rub

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

Tender baby back ribs smoked over hickory wood with a flavorful spiced dry rub that creates a perfect BBQ crust. This Southern American-inspired barbecue recipe, ready in about 350 minutes, pairs baby back ribs, brown sugar, paprika for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 20 min Cook: 330 min Serves 6 Southern American cuisine 450 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Preheat your smoker to 225°F and soak 2 cups of hickory wood chips in water for 30 minutes to ensure steady smoke.
  2. Step 2: In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons paprika, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 2 teaspoons black pepper, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon onion powder to make the dry rub.
  3. Step 3: Remove the thin membrane from the back of 2 racks of baby back ribs. Rub the dry spice mixture evenly over both sides of the ribs.
  4. Step 4: Place the ribs bone side down in the smoker. Smoke for 3 hours, maintaining a steady 225°F and adding hickory chips as needed to keep smoke going.
  5. Step 5: After 3 hours, wrap ribs tightly in foil with 1 cup apple juice poured inside to steam and tenderize the meat. Return wrapped ribs to smoker for an additional 2 hours.
  6. Step 6: Carefully remove ribs from foil and place back on smoker for 30 minutes uncovered to firm up the bark. Remove and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing between the bones and serving.

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