Brown Sugar Hot Mustard Baby Back Ribs - GRILLED (2024)

Sitting on your favorite chair in your yard, simply thinking and enjoying an unseasonably warm and sunny day. Your stomach starts growling and as a true grillardin, your thoughts go to those bbq ribs waiting for you in the fridge. Sometimes, all the bbq ribs recipes and ideas start to look similar. And while most of the time a bbq sauce goes hand in hand with ribs, this particular recipe will answer your longing for a tasty piece of fall-of-the bone bbq ribs without the necessity of making a bbq sauce. Indeed, the perhaps surprising amount of brown sugar will form a crust of the ribs making them especially tender. The sweet to salty ratio is perfectly balanced for succulent bbq ribs, no extra toppings needed. Simple enough that you always have the necessary ingredients, this bbq ribs recipe won’t disappoint.

Ingredients

Ribs

  • 2 Full slabs pork baby back ribs
  • ¾ cup - Spicy brown mustard
  • 1 stick Butter, cut into ¼" thick slices
  • Wood chunks for smoking, preferably oak, hickory or pecan

Brown Sugar Rub

  • 2 cup - Light brown sugar
  • 1 ½ tbsp - Kosher salt
  • 2 tsp - Garlic powder
  • 2 tsp - Onion powder
  • 1 tsp - Black pepper

Brown Sugar Hot Mustard Baby Back Ribs - GRILLED (1)

Preparation

  1. Preheat your smoker to 250°F.
  2. Remove the ribs membrane: using a butter knife and paper towels, flip the ribs bone side up then insert the knife between the thin, rubbery membrane and one of the bones. Grab and pull the membrane with paper towels to remove completely.
  3. In a large bowl, combine all Brown Sugar Rub ingredients, mixing with your fingers to break any lumps. Brush both sides of the ribs with sweet hot mustard then layer a generous amount of brown sugar rub to create a ¼ inch thick crust all around the ribs.
  4. Place ribs in your smoker and toss a few wood chunks onto hot coals for smoking. Cook until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 160°F, about 3 hours.
  5. Remove ribs from your smoker, top with slices of butter then wrap into FDA-approved peach butcher paper. Place back in the smoker and cook until the internal temperature of the ribs reaches 205°F, about 2 to 3 hours.
  6. Remove ribs from your smoker and let rest for 20 minutes before serving.

Group: Smoked Ribs
Category: Dinner
Cuisine: American

Brown Sugar Hot Mustard Baby Back Ribs - GRILLED (2024)

FAQs

What does brown sugar do to ribs? ›

Indeed, the perhaps surprising amount of brown sugar will form a crust of the ribs making them especially tender.

Do you put mustard on ribs before grilling? ›

A very popular technique in the BBQ community is to rub your ribs in mustard before applying your rub. It is said to help the rub adhere to the meat.

Do ribs get more tender the longer you cook them? ›

When using a slower method like the grill, smoker, or oven, you'll need about 3-5 hours. Slower methods can be ready in as little as 30 minutes - however, keep in mind that the longer you cook your pork back ribs the more tender and succulent they'll be.

How long to cook baby back ribs on grill at 250 degrees? ›

Pat the ribs dry and trim any loose fatty ends. Season both sides with your favorite bbq seasoning. Set the grill to 250 degrees, indirect heat and cook for 3 hours.

What is the secret to grilling ribs? ›

Indirect heat is key in grilling ribs so that they don't get too hot too fast. They need to cook for a long time, and direct heat will burn them; you want to keep them away from direct contact over the heat source. For gas, this usually means having at least one burner completely off.

What does brown sugar do to meat? ›

Along with salt, sugar (either brown or white granulated) is a dry-brine must-have, essential both for its browning capabilities and flavor-enhancing properties. Breaking out the sugar is my favorite way to ensure that my turkey comes out perfectly tender and golden brown every November.

What does mustard do to meat when grilling? ›

The mustard actually works to tenderize the meat and you will notice little more than a thin crust of it over the surface of the meat. In fact, mustard can help to produce the crust that is so sought after in traditional barbecue.

Should I put oil on my ribs before grilling? ›

A little vegetable oil is all you need for the spice rub to adhere to the ribs. Use your hands to rub a few tablespoons of oil all over the ribs before applying the rub and it'll stick perfectly. Mustard is another popular option!

Do you put mustard before or after rub? ›

Mustard is a common ingredient in barbecue cooking, and it's commonly “slathered” onto pork butt or ribs before the application of rub. Most people report that they cannot taste the mustard after cooking, so why use it in the first place? One reason is that mustard acts like glue to hold the rub on the meat.

Should you flip ribs on the grill? ›

A rack of back ribs will take between 1 1/2 -2 hours to cook (with lid closed), and you should flip them approximately every 20 minutes. Baste with BBQ sauce each time you flip. To check for doneness and tenderness, insert a sharp-knife between two ribs, it should insert without any resistance.

Why are my grilled ribs tough? ›

If your ribs are chewy, you either forgot to remove the membrane from the back of the ribs or you didn't cook them long enough. If your ribs are dry, you likely cooked them too hot and fast.

Which of the cooking methods is best for baby back ribs? ›

Cooking baby back ribs in the oven is one of the easiest methods. First, wrap the ribs in tin foil and slow-roast them in the oven on a low temperature between 275 and 325 degrees. Bake until cooked through and tender, usually around 2 to 2.5 hours.

Should ribs be wrapped in foil when grilling? ›

Wrapping your ribs are key if you want to lock in all of the moisture and flavor! Double wrap each rack of ribs securely and enjoy some ribs in no time.

What is the best temperature to cook ribs on a gas grill? ›

Ideal Technique & Temperature For Cooking Ribs

Preheat your smoker, charcoal grill, or gas grill to 225°F - the ideal temperature for cooking ribs. Smoke/slow cook for 3 hours using indirect heat. Wrap the ribs in foil with some liquid and continue cooking for 2 hours.

Should I put sugar on my ribs? ›

If it sounds weird to grate butter over ribs or add a touch of sugar and honey to the spice rub, just think about how butter is used to highlight the flavor of good steaks and how many popular BBQ sauces use honey or brown sugar to sweeten them a bit. It may sound strange but it totally works.

What does brown sugar do in BBQ? ›

The brown sugar creates a nice bark. This recipe makes enough to cover two 8-pound pork butts or 6 racks of ribs. The Allrecipes Test Kitchen staff are a team of culinary pros who make and vet recipes using only equipment you'd find in a home kitchen.

Why is brown sugar used in rubs? ›

The Role Brown Sugar Plays In A Dry Barbecue Rub

The role of the brown sugar is to balance out the salt and heat; ideally, you want your dry rub to be composed of about one-third of each.

What's the best way to make your ribs tender? ›

The secret to incredibly tender ribs is baking them low and slow. Baking ribs in the oven is so easy. 95% of the cooking time is spent relaxing while your ribs transform into fall-off-the-bone perfection.

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