Maple-Glazed Smoked Baby Back Ribs

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-13 · Updated 2026-06-13

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 developed and reviewed.

Baby back ribs gently smoked and finished with a sticky maple glaze for a sweet-savory crust. This American-inspired barbecue recipe, ready in about 255 minutes, pairs baby back ribs, kosher salt, black pepper 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: 15 min Cook: 240 min Serves 6 American cuisine 450 cal/serving

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Ingredients

2 racks (about 4 pounds total) baby back ribs
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp garlic powder
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 cups soaked wood chips (applewood)

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Instructions

Step 1: Remove the membrane from the back of 2 racks of baby back ribs and pat dry. Mix 1 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp black pepper, 1 tbsp garlic powder, 2 tsp smoked paprika, and 2 tbsp brown sugar, then rub evenly over both sides of the ribs.
Step 2: Preheat your smoker to 225°F and add 2 cups of soaked applewood chips. Place the ribs bone side down on the smoker rack and smoke for 3 hours.
Step 3: While ribs are smoking, whisk together 1/2 cup maple syrup, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, and 1 tbsp Dijon mustard in a small bowl to make the glaze.
Step 4: After 3 hours, brush the ribs generously with the maple glaze and continue smoking for another 1 hour, brushing again every 20 minutes until the ribs are tender and the glaze is sticky and caramelized.
Step 5: Remove ribs from the smoker, let rest for 10 minutes, then slice between the bones and serve with extra glaze on the side.