Baby back ribs

ribs (pork, baby back) · verified system recipe · Backyard staple

Pit temp
225°F
Wrap at
195°F
Pull at
200°F
Total time
~4.3 hr

Phase timeline

150m
90m
20m
Smoke (bare)Wrap (foil)Glaze + settotal: 4h 20m

Step-by-step

  1. 1. Smoke (bare)

    → 165°F · ~150 min

    225°F pit, cherry + apple for a lighter smoke. Spritz with apple juice every 45 min after hr 1.

  2. 2. Wrap (foil)

    → 200°F · ~90 min

    Brown sugar + honey + butter wrap. Baby backs are leaner and faster than spares.

  3. 3. Glaze + set

    → 200°F · ~20 min

    Brush with sauce or honey glaze, unwrapped, until tacky. Test by lifting one bone — should feel like cooked meat, not falling apart.

Rub
Brown sugar + paprika + chili + salt
Spritz / mop
Apple juice
Wrap method
foil_with_honey_butter
Rest method
tent_5min
Minimum rest
5 min

📐 Scale for guests

Target weight
4.0 lb
1 lb/guest
Cuts needed
1
~5 lb per cut
Cook time / cut
4h 20m
+ 5m rest

Each cut cooks at its own rate — even if you double up, plan the same hours. For very large crowds, run multiple cuts in parallel and stagger by 30 min.

🎯 Adjusted for your pit

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