Big John’s Chili-Rubbed Ribs

December rolling in unusually warm. Cody borrowed Mr. Garcia’s smoker for the weekend and made chili-rubbed ribs. Two racks dry-rubbed with chili powder, brown sugar, paprika, garlic, salt. Smoked at 225 for five hours. Mopped with a vinegar-and-pepper sauce in the last hour. Cody said, eating, Kay, I think I might have a future as a barbecue cook. I said, you might.

The recipe is below.

Big John’s Chili-Rubbed Ribs

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes | Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 racks pork baby back ribs (about 4–5 lbs total)
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup barbecue sauce, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat oven. Heat your oven to 300°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set a wire rack on top.
2. Remove the membrane. Flip the ribs bone-side up and use a butter knife and paper towel to pull off the thin silvery membrane from the back of each rack. This helps the rub penetrate and the ribs cook more evenly.
3. Make the dry rub. In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, smoked paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Stir until evenly mixed.
4. Season the ribs. Brush both racks lightly with olive oil, then press the dry rub generously all over both sides of each rack, patting it in firmly so it adheres.
5. Slow-roast. Place the ribs bone-side down on the wire rack. Cover the entire baking sheet tightly with foil and roast for 2 hours, until the meat is tender and beginning to pull back from the bones.
6. Finish uncovered. Remove the top foil and increase oven temperature to 425°F. Roast uncovered for an additional 20–30 minutes, until the surface is caramelized and slightly crisped at the edges.
7. Rest and serve. Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before slicing into individual ribs. Serve with barbecue sauce on the side.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 610 | Protein: 44g | Fat: 38g | Carbs: 18g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 780mg