Baby Back Ribs: Hot and Fast BBQ Recipe
Author
These hot and fast baby back ribs bring the cook down to about 2 hours and 15 minutes, with a low smoke stage followed by higher heat and a short wrapped finish. The result is a smoky, tender rack with rib rub and barbecue sauce in the mix.
More recipes from @thegalleryBBQ that you'll love
Watch How to Make It
There is room to use a favorite rub and favorite sauce, so the seasoning direction can stay familiar while the cooking method stays consistent. Start with one rack and give the ribs the full sequence of seasoning, smoking, higher-heat cooking, sauce, foil, and a brief rest.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
This method starts the ribs under 200°F, then raises the grill to 400°F for the hot and fast portion of the cook. The ribs are wrapped only after reaching the 195-200°F internal temperature range, then return to the grill at 300°F for the final 15 minutes.
The rub gets up to 45 minutes on the ribs before they go on the grill, giving it time to sweat into the meat and become tacky. Barbecue sauce is added in a bead or band across the top before the ribs are tightly wrapped in foil.
Get @thegalleryBBQ’s Latest Creations
Subscribe to get new content from @thegalleryBBQ delivered to your inbox.
Ingredients You'll Need
Use one rack of baby back ribs along with a favorite rib rub and favorite barbecue sauce. The rub seasons both sides of the rack, while the sauce is added near the end of the cook.
Keep water available for spritzing, or use a 50/50 mixture of apple cider vinegar and water instead. Either option is included for the spritzing step before the ribs are removed and wrapped.
How To Make It
Follow the steps in order, from trimming and seasoning through the smoke, high-heat cook, wrap, and rest. The internal temperature target arrives near the 2-hour mark, before the ribs move into their foil finish. Prep the Ribs
Remove the ribs from the cryovac and pat them dry. Trim away loose pieces of meat, fat, or anything dangling from the back side of the ribs.
Remove the membrane from the back if preferred, or score it with a sharp knife. Keep the rack ready for seasoning once the back side has been cleaned up.
Season
Keep the ribs meat-side down and apply a nice, even coating of favorite rib rub to the back side. Flip the ribs over and generously season the meat side.
Let the seasoned ribs sit on the cutting board for up to 45 minutes. During this time, the rub sweats into the meat and gets tacky.
Smoke
Fire up the Z Grills and set it to the Smoke setting at 160°F, or use any temperature under 200°F. Place the ribs on the middle shelf and smoke them for 1 hour.
Crank Up the Heat
After the first hour, remove the ribs from the grill and raise the Z Grills temperature to 400°F. Once the grill reaches temperature, return the ribs to the grill.
Cook the ribs hot and fast for another 45 minutes to 1 hour. Around the 2-hour mark, the ribs should be in the neighborhood of 195-200°F internal temperature.
Spritz the ribs and remove
Sauce & Wrap Spritz the ribs with water or a 50/50 mixture of apple cider vinegar and water, then remove them from the grill once they reach the temperature range. Lay a sheet of foil on the cutting board and place the ribs on the foil.
Add favorite barbecue sauce across the top of the ribs. Use a nice bead or band of sauce rather than drowning the rack.
Wrap the ribs tightly in the foil. While wrapping, lower the grill temperature to 300°F.
Finishing
Place the wrapped ribs back on the grill and cook for another 15 minutes. This completes the hot and fast cook in about 2 hours and 15 minutes.
Rest & Enjoy
Remove the ribs from the grill and place them on the cutting board. Carefully unwrap them and let them rest for a few minutes.
Slice the ribs, grab a bone, and enjoy. The finished ribs are hot, fast, smoky, tender, and damn good.
Serving & Variations
Serve the ribs after their brief rest, sliced into individual bones or portions. The barbecue sauce and rib rub are both based on favorites, so those two ingredients can reflect the flavors already on hand.
For the spritz, choose water or the 50/50 apple cider vinegar and water mixture included in the recipe. Keep the final sauce application to the bead or band across the top before wrapping.
No. You can remove the membrane from the back if you prefer, or simply score it with a sharp knife. Let the seasoned ribs sit on the cutting board for up to 45 minutes so the rub can sweat into the meat and become tacky. Smoke the ribs at the Smoke setting (160F), or any temperature under 200F, for 1 hour. Then cook them at 400F for 45 minutes to 1 hour. After wrapping, lower the grill to 300F and cook for 15 more minutes. Sauce and wrap the ribs once they are around 195-200F internal temperature, which should be near the 2-hour mark. Add a nice bead or band of barbecue sauce across the top, wrap tightly in foil, and finish them at 300F for 15 minutes.Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to remove the membrane from the ribs?
How long should the seasoned ribs sit before smoking?
What temperatures are used for the hot and fast cooking method?
When should I sauce and wrap the ribs?
Wrapping Up
This baby back ribs method moves from a 1-hour smoke to a 400°F hot and fast cook, then finishes wrapped at 300°F. Watch for the 195-200°F internal temperature range near the 2-hour point, then give the rack its final 15 minutes in foil. Recipe created by @thegalleryBBQ for Trust Me Try It.
Even more from @thegalleryBBQ
Ingredients
- 1 rack baby back ribs
- Your favorite rib rub
- Your favorite barbecue sauce
- Water for spritzing
- OR a 50/50 mixture of apple cider vinegar and water
Instructions
- Prep the Ribs: 1, Remove the ribs from the cryovac and pat them dry. Trim away any loose pieces of meat, fat, or anything dangling from the back side of the ribs. You can remove the membrane from the back if you prefer, or simply score it with a sharp knife.
- Season: Keeping the ribs meat-side down, grab your favorite rib rub and go to town. Give the back side a nice, even coating. Flip the ribs over and generously season the meat side. Once they’re seasoned, let the ribs sit on the cutting board for up to 45 minutes. This gives the rub time to sweat into the meat and get nice and tacky.
- Smoke: Fire up your Z Grills and set it to the Smoke setting(160f), or any temperature under 200°F. Place the ribs on the middle shelf and let them smoke for 1 hour.
- Crank Up the Heat: After that first hour, remove the ribs from the grill and crank the Z Grills up to 400°F. Once the grill reaches temperature, put the ribs back on. Now we’re cooking hot and fast. Cook the ribs for another 45 minutes to 1 hour. At around the 2-hour mark, you should be somewhere in the neighborhood of 195-200°F internal temperature.
- Spritz the ribs and remove: Sauce & Wrap: Once the ribs hit that temperature range, lay a sheet of foil on your cutting board and remove the ribs from the grill. Place the ribs on the foil and add your favorite barbecue sauce. You don’t need to drown them – just put a nice bead or band of sauce across the top.
- Wrap the ribs tightly in the foil. Finish: While you’re wrapping the ribs, lower the grill temperature to 300°F.
- Place the wrapped ribs back on the grill and cook for another 15 minutes. That’s it – hot and fast ribs in about 2 hours and 15 minutes.
- Rest & Enjoy: Remove the ribs from the grill and place them on your cutting board. Carefully unwrap them and let them rest for a few minutes. Slice them up, grab a bone, and enjoy! Hot. Fast. Smoky. Tender. And damn good ribs.
