BBQ Baby Back Ribs 

BBQ Baby Back Ribs

I started learning to cook ribs with the now famous B.R.I.T.U. recipe, which stands for "Best Ribs in the Universe". It's a sweet rub recipe that uses sugar, salt and some pepper thrown in. The recipe has become a "BBQ standard" and is readily available on the internet. I learned about it from The BBQ Forum.

I usually rub the ribs the night before I want to cook them and leave them in the refrigerator wrapped in Saran wrap to season for several hours. I have been smoking my baby backs at 220-230 degrees on my WSM for 4 1/2 - 5 hours in a Weber Rib Rack using apple chunks or hickory chunks for flavor. I have had my best luck using 1/2 a chimney of lump charcoal and getting it grayed over before placing it in the cooker on top of about three fire starting chimneys full of unlit lump.

I use a stem thermometer placed through the top vent to monitor temperature. On hot days I will start off with much less lit charcoal to allow my cooker to slowly come up to a temperature of 225 degrees. If it gets too hot, I add a little ice to keep things calmed down.

I put the ribs on and if all works according to plan I shut the bottom vents and leave the top vents open and then I am at the desire temperature. If I am still too hot I place foil around the door opening to form a gasket, which seems to seal up the air intake a little bit on my WSM. I don't open the lid for 3 hours then I spot check the meat temp with an instant read thermometer.

I have this process where it works pretty consistently for me.