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Flavorful Smoky Kansas City Style BBQ Pork Baby Back Ribs Recipe Easy and Perfect for Grilling

Kansas City Style BBQ Pork Baby Back Ribs - featured image
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This recipe delivers tender, smoky, and sweet Kansas City style BBQ pork baby back ribs that are easy to prepare and perfect for grilling. The two-step cooking process ensures fall-off-the-bone ribs with a sticky, caramelized glaze.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 racks (4-5 pounds) pork baby back ribs, membrane removed
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar (dark preferred)
  • 2 tablespoons paprika (smoked paprika optional)
  • 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup ketchup (Heinz or Hunt’s recommended)
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons molasses
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • Liquid smoke (optional, a few drops)

Instructions

  1. Remove the silver membrane from the back of the ribs using a butter knife and peel it off. Pat ribs dry with paper towels.
  2. Mix brown sugar, paprika, black pepper, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper in a bowl to make the dry rub.
  3. Rub olive oil over the ribs to help the seasoning stick, then coat both sides generously with the dry rub. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
  4. Preheat oven to 275°F (135°C). Place ribs meat-side up on a foil-lined baking sheet or roasting pan. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 2 hours until tender but not falling apart.
  5. While ribs cook, whisk together ketchup, apple cider vinegar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and liquid smoke in a saucepan. Simmer on low for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until slightly thickened.
  6. Preheat grill to medium-high heat (about 350°F / 175°C). For charcoal grills, set up for indirect heat.
  7. Place ribs on grill over indirect heat. Brush ribs with BBQ sauce, flip every 5 minutes, and baste repeatedly for 15-20 minutes to build a sticky, caramelized glaze. Watch for flare-ups.
  8. Check ribs for doneness; meat should pull away easily from the bone and internal temperature should be about 190°F (88°C).
  9. Remove ribs from grill and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing between bones. Serve with extra BBQ sauce.

Notes

Remove the membrane for better texture and seasoning penetration. Slow-cook ribs at low temperature to keep them juicy and tender. Use indirect heat on the grill to avoid flare-ups and build a sticky glaze by basting every 5 minutes. The BBQ sauce can be made a day ahead to deepen flavors. If grill gets too hot, move ribs to a cooler spot and baste gently. Leftovers can be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for 2 months. Reheat gently in oven and finish on grill or broiler to revive glaze.

Nutrition

Keywords: Kansas City BBQ, pork ribs, baby back ribs, smoky ribs, BBQ sauce, grilling, summer BBQ, easy ribs recipe

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