Paul's Award Winning Smoked Baby Back Ribs

Paul, Clara and I visited my Uncle Richard and Aunt Diane in Virginia one year and Richard (who looks so much like my dad that it is scary and who always tells me that he is my favorite uncle) made these incredible ribs for us on the smoker. So they are really more my Uncle Richard's ribs.  But Paul has adapted them and made them him own and entered them in our ward's Elders Quorum cookoff where they won 1st place so now they are just as much his as Uncle Richard's.  They really are the best ribs ever and were the driving force behind us getting a smoker of our own.

The funny story behind these ribs is that when we got home from our trip and Paul was reminiscing about the ribs, he was 100% convinced that my uncle had grated cheese over the ribs and that somehow they were cheesy ribs.  He totally thought I was pulling his leg when I explained that it was butter that Uncle Richard had been grating over the cooked ribs.  I was laughing until my belly ached over the thought of cheesy ribs and Paul's confusion.

 

Paul's Award Winning Smoked Baby Back Ribs

Rub

 

2 tablespoons ground black pepper

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons paprika

 

Ribs  

 

Dr. Pepper

Baby back ribs

butter, grated

brown sugar

honey

apple flavor wood pellets

Marinate the ribs in Dr. Pepper (in an extra large Ziploc bag) overnight (don’t put in marinade until just before bed). When ready to smoke, start the smoker on “Smoke” with the lid open for at 3 to 5 minutes to get a good smoke established, then close the lid and set the smoker to 225 degrees.

              

Remove ribs from Dr. Pepper and discard the soda. Pat ribs dry with paper towels. Lightly coat both sides with olive oil. Apply even coat of rub to both sides. Place ribs directly on grill, meat side up. Smoke until rib meat ’breaks’ when lifted in the center (2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours). Remove from smoker and place on extra large sheet of aluminum foil. Grate butter on top of ribs, then sprinkle with brown sugar and drizzle honey over the top. Tightly wrap ribs with the foil and return to the smoker for another 20 minutes. Remove from smoker and let sit for 10 minutes. Then cut into individual ribs with sharp knife. No barbecue sauce.