Big Daddy's BBQ Ribs — The Smoker Repays Attention

Brianna's week. The Tigers report to spring training next month. The conversation in every break room turns to baseball. Plant had a quality issue Wednesday. Caught it. Antoine and I rebuilt fourteen Jeeps in three hours. Earned the team a pizza party.

Pop's in the recliner. Tigers on. Sugar in range this week. Sunday at Mama's. She made greens with hambone the way she has since 1985.

Baked mac and cheese this week. Three cheeses — sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack, a little Gruyere because I am fancy now. Topped with crumbs.

Aiden's 9. He's all elbows and questions. Asked me Wednesday why bread has holes. Zaria's 7. Helps me cook on a step stool. Has opinions about the seasoning.

I sat on the back porch with a beer and looked at the smoker and thought about nothing for an hour.

I made grocery lists on the back of envelopes the way Mama did. The list this week was short — onions, garlic, half-and-half, cornmeal, a pound of bacon. The list is the recipe of the week before it happens.

The grass came in fast this week. Cut it Saturday morning before the heat. The mower had been sitting all winter. Took three pulls to start. Once it ran, it ran. Some things just need patience.

Stopped at Eastern Market Saturday. Got chicken thighs, bacon, a watermelon, and a pound of greens that I did not need but bought anyway. The vendors know me by name now. Three of them asked about the family.

Aiden had practice Tuesday and Thursday. I drove. He shot threes for an hour after.

The basketball court at the rec center got refurbished. New floor. Plays different. Bouncy. I shot a few from the elbow before practice Wednesday. The knee held. The shot fell short.

A reader wrote in about the smothered pork chops. Said her late husband loved them. I wrote back. I told her about Pop. We exchanged three emails. She's in Saginaw. She's coming to the city in the spring.

The block had a small drama Tuesday. Somebody parked in front of Ms. Diane's driveway. Ms. Diane addressed it directly. The car moved within the hour. The neighborhood polices itself on small things.

The kids next door knocked over my trash cans Tuesday night. Their dad made them help me clean up Wednesday morning. Good man. The kids apologized. I gave them each a Capri Sun. Cycle complete.

I took a walk around the block Sunday morning. The neighborhood was quiet. The trees were the trees. The light was good. I waved at three porches. The porches waved back. Brookline holds.

Plant ran clean this week. The line ran. The body held. The paycheck is the paycheck.

Truck needed an oil change Saturday. Did it myself in the driveway. Took an hour. The neighbor across the street gave me a thumbs-up from his porch. I gave him one back. Detroit men do not waste words on car maintenance.

The Lions on TV Sunday. Lost on a missed field goal. Detroit. The neighborhood collectively groaned at the same moment. You could hear it through the windows.

I cleaned the smoker Sunday morning. Brushed the grates. Emptied the ash. Wiped down the body. The smoker repays attention. So does most everything that matters.

Watched the Tigers Sunday afternoon. Lost in extras. Detroit reflex. I yelled at the TV the way Pop used to yell at the TV. The TV did not respond. The bullpen will probably not respond either.

Filled the propane tank Wednesday. The smoker is the only appliance I baby. Wiped it down. Checked the gaskets. Checked the temperature gauge. The smoker is mine the way Pop's torque wrench was his.

I cleaned the smoker Sunday morning—brushed the grates, emptied the ash, wiped down the body—and I didn’t do all that work just to let it sit. The smoker is mine the way Pop’s torque wrench was his, and some weekends the only right answer is to fire it up and let it do what it does. Big Daddy’s BBQ Ribs are the reason I keep the propane tank full and the gaskets checked—low and slow, patient as the mower on a cold morning, and the result is worth every pull of the starter cord.

Big Daddy’s BBQ Ribs

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 3 hrs 30 min | Total Time: 3 hrs 50 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 racks pork baby back ribs (about 4 lbs total)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 1/2 cups your favorite BBQ sauce, plus more for serving
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

1. Prep the ribs. Remove the membrane from the back of each rack by sliding a butter knife under the thin silver skin at one end, grabbing it with a paper towel, and pulling it off in one steady motion. Pat the racks dry with paper towels.
2. Mix the dry rub. Combine brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, salt, cayenne, and dry mustard in a small bowl. Stir until evenly mixed.
3. Season generously. Apply the dry rub all over both sides of the racks, pressing it into the meat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight if you have the patience—and you should have the patience.
4. Prepare your smoker or grill. Set up your smoker for indirect heat at 225°F–250°F. Add your preferred wood chips (hickory or apple work well). If using a grill, set up a two-zone fire and maintain low heat on the indirect side.
5. Smoke low and slow. Place ribs bone-side down over indirect heat. Close the lid and smoke for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until the meat has pulled back from the ends of the bones by about 1/4 inch and the bark is set and deep reddish-brown.
6. Make the finishing sauce. While the ribs smoke, stir together the BBQ sauce, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce in a small saucepan over low heat for 5 minutes. Set aside.
7. Glaze and finish. During the last 30 minutes of cooking, brush the ribs generously with the finishing sauce every 10 minutes, building up a sticky, lacquered glaze. The smoker repays attention—stay with it.
8. Rest and slice. Remove ribs from the smoker and let them rest on a cutting board, loosely tented with foil, for 10 minutes. Slice between the bones and serve with extra sauce on the side.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 520 | Protein: 36g | Fat: 28g | Carbs: 28g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 740mg