Barbecued Baby Back Ribs for Gas or Charcoal Grill

Its best if you brine and dry the ribs, then coat them with the rub, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate overnight before grilling.

If you're using a gas grill, leaving one burner on and turning the other(s) off  for indirect heating. 

If you are using charcoal organize the coals so that the ribs can be placed on the grill with no coals below. 

Get a rib rack for the grill (looks like a letter rack).  This allows you to set the ribs on their side and up away from the grilling surface.   Weber makes one for < $10.


Ingredients
2      racks  baby back ribs (about 2 pounds each), or loin back ribs

Brine
1/3      cup  kosher salt
1/2      cup  granulated sugar 

Rub
1      tablespoon  sweet paprika plus additional 1/2 teaspoon
1 1/2      teaspoons  chili powder 
1 3/4      teaspoons  ground cumin 
1 1/2      teaspoons  dark brown sugar 
3/4      teaspoon  table salt or 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4      teaspoon  dried oregano 
3/4      teaspoon  ground black pepper 
1      teaspoon  ground white pepper 
1/2      teaspoon  cayenne pepper 

1. To brine the ribs, dissolve salt and sugar in 4 quarts cold water in stockpot or large plastic container (a 5 gallon bucket lined with a trash bag, cooler, ...)  Submerge ribs in brine and refrigerate 1 hour until fully seasoned.  If you don't have room in your refrigerator add some ice to the water.   Remove ribs from brine and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels.

2. While ribs are brining, cover two cups wood chips (oak, cherry, any nut wood and/or apple) with water and soak 30 minutes, then drain. Combine spice rub ingredients in small bowl. When ribs are out of brine and dried, rub each side of racks with 1 tablespoon spice rub; refrigerate racks 30 minutes.

3.To barbecue the ribs: Place soaked wood chips in small disposable aluminum pan, (or homemade container as illustrated below); set pan on burner that will remain on. Turn all burners to high, close lid, and heat grill until chips smoke heavily, about 20 minutes. (If chips ignite, extinguish flames with water from squirt bottle.) Scrape grill grate clean with wire brush; turn off burner(s) without wood chips.

4. Arrange ribs on cool side of grill and cover (grill temperature should register about 275 degrees on grill thermometer). Cook for 4 hours, until meat easily pulls away from bone, flipping rib racks, switching their position so that rack that was nearest fire is on outside, and turning racks 180 degrees every 30 minutes.  When ribs are done, wrap ribs in foil and place wrap bundles of ribs in a paper grocery bag.  Let sit for 15 mins.   Remove ribs from bag, unwrap and transfer ribs to cutting board, then cut between bones to separate ribs; serve.

Wood Chip Bundles : Wrap soaked wood chips, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg,… in foil to make bundles about as long as you hand.   Use a fork to poke some small holes in each bundle to let smoke out.   Add bundles to grill every 30 to 60 mins.   Wood chips,…. should be soaked for a few hours or overnight.  If you are short for time, use warm/hot water.