Are you looking for a tasty way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo? Try my Gringo Baby Back Ribs! These Mexican-inspired ribs smoke low and slow on the Traeger Timberline 1300. If you love a dry-rubbed rib with plenty of moisture, you’ll go crazy for this recipe!

This recipe is perfect for Cinco de Mayo but is excellent whenever the mood strikes. With hints of chili, lime, and garlic, you can’t go wrong. Serve it at your next fiesta and watch the crowd go wild.

Many people shy away from dry ribs because of the title. This is one instance where you can’t judge a book by its cover! When cooked right, dry ribs are every bit as juicy as those with injection. In this post, you’ll learn my simple trick to keeping dry ribs moist. You’ll have great results every time! 

The Ingredients

These Gringo Baby Back Ribs require just 5 ingredients. You won’t use all your hot sauce or rubs, so save the remainder for the next great recipe! Here’s what you need to add to your shopping cart. 

• Prairie Fresh Baby Back Ribs. Pitmasters everywhere are raving about Prairie Fresh Ribs. These ribs are high-quality and turn out great every time. They require minimal trim work, which is ideal for lazy Summer days. I use them on the circuit and can’t recommend them enough. 
• Valentina’s Hot Sauce. If you’re looking for a flavorful hot sauce that won’t burn your mouth, try this one. Instead of mustard or olive oil, I used hot sauce as a binder to keep with the Mexican-inspired theme. It worked great and gave the ribs a great undertone of heat. 
• Heath Riles BBQ Simple Citrus Rub. This cheery rub adds a bright hint of lime and lemon to the Gringo Baby Back Ribs. If you love adding fresh citrus to your food, you’ll want to snag a bottle while you can! This blend goes great on seafood, ribs, steak, and veggies. 
• Malcolm’s Grande Gringo Mexican Seasoning. This seasoning blend is from my good buddy Malcolm Reed. It’s one of the best Mexican-inspired seasonings out there! It features a delicious blend of garlic, cumin, and smoked paprika. Use it on your tacos, ribs, nachos, and margaritas. 
• Fresh limes. A hint of fresh citrus juice keeps the ribs juicy and adds a burst of flavor. You won’t believe how great it tastes! Be sure to save some lime juice for your margarita. 

The Smoker Setup

Here’s the primary equipment I used for this cook. More of my grilling must-haves are in the Equipment and Tools section. 

• Pellet grill/smoker. I used a Traeger Timberline 1300 for this cook. This pit is incredible because you can use it to grill or smoke. The Traeger Timberline 1300 has many excellent features, like a pellet sensor, a super smoke button, and easy transportation. 
• Pellets. I stoked the pit with Royal Oak Charcoal Hardwood pellets. I love this brand because you get clean smoke with no fillers. The charcoal burns hot and fast! 

The Process for Making Gringo Baby Back Ribs

You can find a detailed demonstration of this recipe in the video and recipe card. For now, here’s a quick rundown of how I pulled these Gringo Baby Back Ribs together. 

• Fire up the pit. I stoked the Traeger Timberline 1300 with Royal Oak Charcoal Hardwood Pellets and fired it up to 275℉. 
• Prep the ribs. The first thing I did was prep the baby back ribs. My ribs came from Prairie Fresh, and as always, they were top-notch! All I had to do was remove an uneven pocket of fat and the membrane. Check out the video to learn my easy trick for removing membranes. 
• Add binder and seasoning. I wanted to bring on the heat, so I drizzled the ribs with Valentina’s hot sauce. Hot sauce is a fun binder that’s great for when you want a change of pace. Next, I sprinkled the ribs with Heath Riles BBQ Simple Citrus Rub, followed by a dusting of Malcolm’s Grande Gringo Mexican Seasoning. I flipped the ribs and repeated the process on the other side. I let the Gringo Baby Back Ribs sweat in for about 10 minutes while the Traeger Timberline 1300 finished preheating. 
• Start cooking. I laid the ribs directly on the grill’s grates and let them cook undisturbed for 1 ½ hours. Then, I squeezed half a lime over each slab of ribs. I shut the grill’s lid and let the ribs smoke for another hour before wrapping them. 
• Wrap the ribs. Once the ribs reached the 2 ½ hour mark, I removed them from the grill. I laid the Gringo Baby Back Ribs on a double-lined sheet of foil, then wrapped them tightly. I went with a dry rub, so I added nothing to the wrap. This step keeps the moisture where it belongs..inside the rib! 
• Finish cooking. I laid the wrapped ribs back on the Traeger Timberline 1300 and let them go for another 45 minutes. My ribs had a total cook time of 3 hours and 15 minutes and were at the 203℉-205℉ range. 
• Garnish and serve. I let the Gringo Baby Back Ribs rest for 20 minutes before unwrapping them. I garnished each slab of ribs with another squeeze of lime juice and a sprinkle of Malcolm’s Grande Gringo Mexican Seasoning. I let the flavors marinate for 10 minutes before slicing into the meat. 

The Results

The Gringo Baby Back Ribs came off the grill with gorgeous color and an even better smell. The ribs themselves were flavorful without burning your mouth. If you’re looking for a mild, Mexican-inspired rib, you’ve got to try this recipe! 

Serving Suggestions for Gringo Baby Back Ribs

My Gringo Baby Back Ribs would taste great with a margarita! Here are a few other recipes that would be great additions to a Cinco de Mayo spread. 

• Dips. Everyone loves a good dip! If you want a classic queso, try my Easy Smoked White Queso Dip. It tastes similar to something you’d find at your local restaurant! If you want to experiment, try my Chicken Enchilada Dip. Though this dip is easy, it’s full of unique flavors. Add a bag of tortilla chips, and you’re good to go! 
• Tacos and Quesadillas. To stretch your meat, add some tacos to the mix. I recommend my Smoked BBQ Carnitas. They’re filled with sweet and spicy notes and braised in a tangy sauce. If you prefer quesadillas, check out my BBQ Quesadillas. This simple recipe is a favorite as it comes together fast! 

Storing Leftovers

If you find yourself with leftovers, you can refrigerate them for up to 4 days or freeze them for 4 months. 

Equipment and Tools

Traeger Timberline 1300, Royal Oak Charcoal Hardwood pellets, disposable cutting board, Nechtik BBQ Gloves, ChefAlarm, Victorinox Fribrox Pro Chef’s Knife, metal tongs, Thermapen One