Baby Back Ribs with Dry Rub

Hands-on time: 20 min.; Total time: 3 hr., 55 min. (including rub)

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Other: 6 hours
Yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• Mesquite wood chips
• 2  slabs baby back pork ribs (about 4 lb.)
• 2  tablespoons  mesquite liquid smoke
• 2  tablespoons  olive oil
• 3  tablespoons Dry Rub

Preparation

1. Soak wood chips in water 30 minutes. Prepare smoker according to manufacturer's directions, bringing internal temperature to 225° to 250°; maintain temperature for 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Rinse and pat ribs dry. If desired, remove thin membrane from back of ribs by slicing into it with a knife and then pulling it off. (This will make ribs more tender.) Coat both sides of ribs with liquid smoke and olive oil. Sprinkle ribs with Dry Rub, and rub into ribs.
3. Drain mesquite wood chips, and place on coals. Place pork ribs on lower cooking grate; cover with smoker lid.
4. Smoke ribs, maintaining temperature inside smoker between 225° and 250°, for 3 to 4 hours or until tender.

Dry Rub

Hands-on time: 5 min.; Total time: 5 min. When grinding the spices it is best to use a mortar and pestle or a small spice grinder. The rub produced by a food processor is too coarse.

Yield: Makes about 1/2 cup

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons  dried rosemary
• 2  tablespoons  dried thyme
• 2  tablespoons  kosher salt
• 2  tablespoons  white peppercorns

Preparation

Combine dried rosemary, dried thyme, kosher salt, and white peppercorns in a mortar bowl or spice grinder; grind using a pestle or grinder until herbs and pepper become a medium-fine powder. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place up to 6 months.