Easy Baby Back Ribs

First things first... This recipe is for baby back or pork back ribs because those are the best.  Don't waste your time or money on those St. Louis Style or Country Style ribs.  Baby/Pork Back ribs come from the top of the hog nearest the spine (hence, eating "High on the Hog).  They are most tender and easiest to cook and eat.

Get yourself a big casserole dish and splash in some white vinegar to tenderize the meat during cooking.  Place your ribs in the dish careful not to overlap them too much.  Here's where you baste on some of the cheap BBQ sauce (save the good stuff like Sweet Baby Rays for later) or go with a basic rib rub including brown sugar, paprika, cayenne, pepper, salt, garlic, onion and whatever else.  Cover tightly with foil and bake low and slow.  For thin ribs, go 220 degree for 3-4 hours, for thicker Costco ribs, go 300 degrees for the same time.  Always check them after 3 hours and test there "Fall off the bone" potential with a fork.

When they are done baking, transfer them to the grill set on low.  Now you can baste the ribs with your favorite BBQ sauce.  When the sauce is sticky and a bit charred, you're done.

Moistened towels at plate side add a special and necessary touch.

IF SMOKING THEM...  THE 3,2,1 method 

Preheat the smoker to 225.  

Season the ribs by smearing yellow mustard on the outside and covering with your brown sugar spice blend.

Place on the smoker for 3 hours, remove and wrap them in foil OR butchers paper and back on the smoker for 2 hours, remove the wrap and back on the smoker for 1 hour.  The last hour, you can baste with sauce if wanted.