If you’ve followed my cooking for long, you know how much I love me some good ribs. Today, I’m going to cook up a simple, Everyday Baby Back Rib Recipe. This is a meal you can make for your special company, a party, or just on a random Wednesday to feed the spouse and kids. It’s that easy. 

Let’s get started.

Making My Everyday Baby Back Ribs on the Gateway Drum Smoker | Heath Riles BBQ

Cooking on the grill is fun, but sometimes you don’t want to spend lots of time making a delicious meal. With this easy baby back rib recipe, you don’t have to. The Smoker does most of the work here. The good news is you don’t have to sacrifice taste for easy cooking. Don’t believe me? This recipe will prove it to you!

The Ingredients

Cheshire Pork Baby Back Ribs. Starting with these high-quality ribs makes it simple to get a good result. 

Duck fat spray. This adds flavor and works great as a binder. 

Heath Riles BBQ Everyday Rub. This blend of spices sets meat and vegetables off great. 

Black pepper. Pepper gives my easy baby back ribs recipe a little more depth and flavor. 

The Equipment Setup

I used my Gateway Drum Smoker with some Royal Oak Lump Charcoal set at 275-300° F.

The Process for Making My Everyday Baby Back Ribs on the Gateway Drum Smoker

I recently posted a Youtube video of me making this rib recipe. You can follow along there to watch every step. 

1. Pre-heat the smoker. I set the temperature between 275-300 degrees F.
2. Get the baby back ribs ready. I unpackaged the ribs, dried them off, and took the membrane off the back. I didn’t trim any fat off of them, I just left them as they were. The fat will add to the flavor once the ribs are cooked.
3. Spray the ribs. Using duck fat spray, I coated both sides of the baby back ribs. Duck fat spray adds some flavor and works really well at holding all the spices onto the surface, making a nice crust while it cooks.
4. Add Seasoning. I sprinkled a generous helping of my Everyday Rub on these ribs and then topped it off with a few pinchfuls of black pepper. I used my hand to pat the spices into the meat so they stay in place during the cooking process, and sprayed another layer of duck spray on for good measure. The extra spray ensures the ribs will have a nice crust. Repeat on the other side.
5. Put the ribs on the grill. I laid each slab directly on the grate, closed the lid, let them cook for about 30 minutes, and checked them. They looked good so I closed the lid and let them cook for 30 more minutes. I decided to turn them over and spin the rack around so they can burn a little more fat off and soak up some more flavor. I left them on for about 20 more minutes.
6. Take them off and wrap them in aluminum foil. I removed the baby back ribs from the grill and put them on a pan. They were right where I want them at this point, starting to crust and the bones were starting to pull. I double-wrapped them in aluminum foil, wrapping with the long sides first. I avoid single-wrapping them because the foil can tear and moisture can escape easier.
7. Place the ribs back on the grill. Since these are baby back ribs, they don’t have too long of a cook time. Larger racks of ribs take quite a bit longer.I laid them back on my smoker and kept checking them until they hit the 2 hour mark.
8. Remove the wrapped ribs and let them rest. Once my ribs hit 203 degrees F internal temperature, I pulled them off the grill and let them rest for about 40 minutes. Resting gives the tougher parts of meat a chance to break down further and the juices time to reabsorb into the ribs.
9. Unwrap, slice, and serve. When I unwrapped these ribs, I knew just by eyeballing them that they were going to be outstanding and delicious. The crust was perfect, not too thin or thick, and the ribs moved (I call it a “wiggle”) nicely, telling me they were going to be tender. 

I grabbed my knife and cut one of the racks right down the middle. I could see the moisture collecting inside the rack, so I knew these ribs were going to be juicy. 

The Results

This is pure pork perfection right here, ya’ll! The simple spices I used meshed with the duck fat and combined for an out-of-this-world crust that was tangy and flavorful with a hint of heat. And when I bit into the rib, it was fall-off-the-bone tender and juicy. This is a great go-to baby back rib recipe that is so simple first-time rib cookers can make it with not trouble, but still bursting with flavor in every bite. 

Serving Suggestions for Everyday Baby Back Ribs on the Gateway Drum Smoker

Depending on the size of the rack and how hungry everyone is, you can feed 1-3 people per rack. If you’re using them as appetizers, cut them into smaller pieces and serve them on a big platter, either with or without barbecue dipping sauce. 

Storing Leftovers

If you have leftovers, wrap them up in aluminum foil or put them in an airtight container and stick them in the fridge. You can eat on them for up to 3 days. 

Equipment and Tools

Gateway Drum Smoker, Royal Oak Lump Charcoal, Thermapen ONE, Aluminum pan, Aluminum foil, Metal tongs, Sharp knife