Slow-Smoked Baby Back Ribs with Tangy Mustard BBQ Sauce

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 low and slow, slathered with a tangy mustard-based BBQ sauce that balances sweet and sharp flavors. This American-inspired barbecue recipe, ready in about 350 minutes, pairs baby back ribs, yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar 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 American cuisine 450 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Remove the membrane from the back of 2 racks of baby back ribs by sliding a knife under it and peeling it off for better smoke penetration.
  2. Step 2: In a bowl, mix 1/2 cup yellow mustard, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, 2 tbsp paprika, 1 tbsp garlic powder, 2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper to make the mustard BBQ sauce.
  3. Step 3: Rub both sides of the ribs evenly with half the mustard BBQ sauce, reserving the rest for basting.
  4. Step 4: Prepare smoker to 225°F using hickory wood chips soaked for 30 minutes.
  5. Step 5: Place ribs bone-side down in the smoker and smoke for 3 hours, basting every hour with the reserved mustard BBQ sauce.
  6. Step 6: After 3 hours, wrap ribs tightly in foil and continue smoking for 1.5 hours until tender and the meat pulls away from the bone easily.
  7. Step 7: Remove foil and smoke ribs uncovered for an additional 30 minutes to set the glaze.
  8. Step 8: Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing between the bones and serving.

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