Slow-Smoked Baby Back Ribs with Sweet and Tangy River Road Sauce

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-09 · Updated 2026-06-09

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.

Juicy slow-smoked baby back ribs glazed with a sweet and tangy barbecue sauce inspired by Louisville’s River Road flavor profile. This American-inspired barbecue recipe, ready in about 290 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 480 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: 270 min Serves 6 American cuisine 480 cal/serving

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Ingredients

2 racks (about 4 lbs total) baby back ribs
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp black pepper
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 cup apple juice
1 cup (store-bought or homemade) barbecue sauce
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp honey

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Instructions

Step 1: Remove membrane from the back of 2 racks of baby back ribs. In a small bowl, combine 1 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp black pepper, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, and 1 tsp onion powder. Rub evenly over both racks of ribs.
Step 2: Preheat smoker to 225°F and place ribs bone side down on the smoker grate. Smoke for 3 hours, spritzing with 1 cup apple juice every hour to keep moist.
Step 3: Mix 1 cup barbecue sauce with 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar and 2 tbsp honey in a bowl. After 3 hours, brush ribs generously with the sauce mixture and continue smoking for another 1.5 hours until ribs are tender and sauce is caramelized.
Step 4: Remove ribs from smoker and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing between bones and serving with extra sauce on the side.