For some reason, smoking meat seems like a very ‘homesteady’ thing to do. I’m not sure if it’s the presence of fire, the smoke, large cuts of meat or the ‘art’ of it all. In the end, there’s a certain primal instinct that comes out when you smoke meat and I think a lot of us associate that feeling with getting back to the earth and homesteading. I got that feeling this weekend when I smoked some baby back ribs on the Smokenator!

What’s a Smokenator you ask? Well, in short, it’s a nifty little contraption that allows you to turn your Weber One-Touch Gold Kettle Grill into a smoker. You won’t be able to do large quantities of meat on it, but it’s the perfect size for your family – it fits a rack of baby back ribs perfectly. And, with their Hover Grill, you can probably accommodate a decent size dinner party worth of baby back ribs. Don’t know what a Hover Grill is? Click the Smokenator link above and you’ll find out!

Let’s get into the nitty gritty on how I smoked these Baby Back Ribs.

Baby Back Ribs Dry Rub

Full disclaimer, I got this recipe from the good guys over at The Smoker King.

• 1c Brown Sugar
• 1/2c Paprika
• 2-1/2tbsp Ground Black Pepper
• 2-1/2tbsp Salt
• 1tbsp Mustard Powder
• 1-1/2tbsp Chili Powder
• 1-1/2tbsp Garlic Powder
• 1-1/2tbsp Onion Powder
• 1tsp Cayenne

Simply mix all the ingredients together and store in an empty seasoning container. This recipe is great on baby back ribs – or any kind of rib.

Direction

Written direction can be found below the video:
[youtube_sc url=SBm-SlAVN1Q]

1. If there is any fat on the baby back ribs, trim them so you have a layer about 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick.
2. Trim the membrane off the baby back ribs. Everyone has their own technique for this task. Personally, I use a pairing knife to get under the membrane and give me a little bit of a flap to work with. Then I use a butter knife and work my way down the ribs. After a few times, you’ll get the feel for it. It may help if you use a paper towel to increase your grip.
3. Place the baby back ribs on a cooking sheet and cover both sides of them with olive oil. You can probably use a yellow mustard here as well. I’ve never tried that, so I can speak for it, but it does seem like a lot of people use mustard in this step. The idea is to provide a wet surface the rub will bond to.
4. Apply the rub as liberally or frugally as you want. I tend to be heavy-handed on this step, but it’s up to your own preference. Be aware that this rub does have a bit of heat to it, so choose accordingly.
5. I usually let baby back ribs sit overnight in the fridge with the rub on. This step allows the rub to permeate the meat a bit. It’s not a necessary step – I’ve smoked ribs with applying the rub only a half hour before they were put on the smoker and they turned out good. Allowing them to set up overnight just seems to push the taste a bit.
6. Take the ribs out of the fridge about 1/2-hour before you’re ready to smoke them. The ribs will have less of an effect on your smoker temperature the closer to room temperature they are.
7. Bring your smoker up to roughly 250F. It’s not an exact number. I’ve run them anywhere from 225F to 300F with great results.
8. Place the baby back ribs on the smoker, close the lid and get a beer or two. The only reason you should open the smoker over the next 2.5-hrs is to tend to the fire and smoke.
9. At the 2.5-hr mark, remove the ribs and wrap them in heavy gauge aluminum foil. Put them back on the smoker for another hour.
10. Remove the baby back ribs from the smoker, unwrap and let sit for 10-min. Cut and enjoy!

Recommendations

Recommendation #1: Beer is always good with BBQ!

Recommendation #2: Bring lots of napkins!

There’s really not much more to recommend. As with any BBQ, traditional items like baked beans, mac and cheese, collard greens and cornbread go well as sides. The idea should be to let the baby back ribs speak for themselves and let the sides be supporting players.

This approach is simple and efficient. Your family will love these baby back ribs and you’ll have honed another skill around the suburban homestead. And, if you ace these baby back ribs, you just might earn the moniker of Neighborhood Pitmaster!