Kansas City-Style Dry Rub Ribs with Sweet and Tangy BBQ Glaze

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-21 · Updated 2026-06-21

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.

Slow-cooked pork ribs coated with a spicy-sweet Kansas City dry rub, finished with a luscious, tangy barbecue glaze for a balanced and smoky bite. This American-inspired barbecue recipe, ready in about 320 minutes, pairs pork 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 600 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: 300 min Serves 6 American cuisine 600 cal/serving

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Ingredients

3 racks (about 6 lbs) pork baby back ribs
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp black pepper
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tbsp molasses
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp honey

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Instructions

Step 1: Mix 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp paprika, 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp onion powder, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, 2 tbsp kosher salt, and 1 tbsp black pepper in a bowl to make a dry rub. Remove the silver skin membrane from 3 racks of baby back ribs and coat all sides evenly with the rub. Wrap ribs in plastic and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Step 2: Preheat smoker or grill to 225°F using indirect heat. Place ribs meat-side up and smoke for 3 hours, maintaining temperature.
Step 3: In a saucepan, whisk together 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tbsp molasses, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, and 2 tbsp honey. Simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes until thickened slightly and glossy.
Step 4: After 3 hours, remove ribs from smoker and brush both sides generously with the BBQ glaze. Return ribs to smoker and cook for an additional 1 hour, basting every 20 minutes with more glaze until ribs are tender and edges caramelized.
Step 5: Remove ribs, let rest 10 minutes, then slice between bones and serve with extra glaze on the side.