Baby Back Ribs Dry Rub

Ingredients

pork loin back ribs
4 slabs
Ingredients (first stage):
dark brown sugar
½ cups (total in recipe ¾ cups)
paprika
½ cups
garlic salt
1/3 cups
onion salt
2 tbsp
chili powder
2 tbsp
cayenne pepper
1 tbsp
black pepper
1 tbsp
white pepper
1½ tsp
pink pepper
1½ tsp
oregano, dried
1½ tsp
cumin
1 tsp
Ingredients (second stage):
apple juice
2 cups
grape juice
2 cups
Ingredients (third stage):
first stage mixture
¾ cups
dark brown sugar
¼ cups
Ingredients (finishing glaze):
red barbecue sauce
1½ cups
honey
½ cups

Instructions

  1. Remove the membrane from the rib slabs. Usually this is easier done when the ribs are still slightly frozen. When things go well, you can simply grab the membrane with a paper towel for a better grip, and pull it slowly off in one piece. When things go badly, it’s a pain in the ass to get the membrane off.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together all the first stage ingredients: dark brown sugar, paprika, garlic salt, onion salt, chili powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, white pepper, pink pepper, oregano, and cumin.
  3. In a second bowl, whisk together ¾ cups of the first stage spice mixture, and an additional ¼ cups dark brown sugar.
  4. In a third bowl, whisk together red barbecue sauce and honey.
  5. Preheat 250°F, put racks in the upper and lower third positions. Use two large cookie sheets. Cook 2hrs 15min for first stage. Cook 1hr for second stage. Cook 30min for third stage. Cook 15min for finishing glaze. Total cook time: 4hrs First stage:
  6. Generously apply first stage dry rub to both sides of the slabs. Gently pat dry rub to ensure that it will adhere to rib. Place slabs meat-side up on cookie sheets. Cook at 250°F for 2hrs 15min. Second stage:
  7. Place each slab, meat-side down, in their own doubled aluminum foil packet (packet should be able to completely close around ribs). Pour 1 cups of second stage juice mixture into each packet. Place packets on cookie sheets (they will leak some while cooking). Cook at 250°F for 1hr. Third stage:
  8. Remove ribs from foil and apply medium coat of the third stage spice/sugar mixture to the meat-side only of the ribs. Place slabs meat-side up on cookie sheets. Cook at 250°F for 30min.
  9. INCREASE OVEN TEMPERATURE TO 350°F. Finishing glaze:
  10. Generously brush both sides of each slab with the finishing glaze mixture. Place slabs meat-side up on the cookie sheets. Cook at 350°F for 15min.

Notes

ribs themselves), will yield a higher quality final product. Also, this recipe takes at least 4 hours. It’s worth the time, so be patient.