Best Stovetop Smoked Baby Back Ribs Recipes

STOVETOP SMOKED BABY BACK RIBS WITH MAPLE BBQ SAUCE

Steps:

• Put 4 cups hickory wood chips into a container and cover with 4 cups of water. Allow the chips to soak for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, assemble the dry rub for the ribs. In a small mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, salt, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and chili powder.
• Cut the rib rack into 4 pieces. Put a cooling rack over a baking sheet and put the ribs on top. Let the ribs come to room temperature, then rub the meat all over with the dry rub.
• Set up a stovetop smoker: Make a shallow bowl out of heavy-duty aluminum foil that fits into a 5- to 7-quart Dutch oven, with the sides of the aluminum bowl coming 2 inches up the sides of the pot; put it in the bottom of the Dutch oven. Put the soaked and drained wood chips over the aluminum foil in an even layer. Put a small round of aluminum foil on top of the wood chips. Put a 6-inch steamer basket (make sure the handle is attached in the center for easy removal) on top of the aluminum round. Transfer the smoker to the stovetop.
• Put the ribs in the steamer basket; it is okay if the pieces overlap slightly. Cover the smoker and create a strong seal by wrapping the rim of the lid with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Turn the heat to medium high and smoke the ribs for 45 minutes. Turn off the heat and carefully remove the aluminum foil seal and lid.
• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
• Remove the ribs and steamer basket from the Dutch oven and set aside. Remove the remaining foil and wood chips carefully, as grease from the ribs may have dripped down; use tongs to lift the wood chips and foil bowl out and transfer them to a baking sheet to cool before discarding. Put the ribs back into the empty Dutch oven and cover with the lid. Slow roast until the ribs are completely tender, an additional 2 hours. The meat should pull away from the bones very easily.
• Meanwhile, pour the ketchup, maple syrup, molasses, vinegar, Worcestershire and soy sauce into a small saucepot and stir to combine. Place over medium heat and heat just until simmering. Keep warm.
• Remove the pot from the oven and brush the ribs generously with the BBQ sauce. Preheat the broiler to high.
• Broil the ribs until the sauce is caramelized and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

STOVETOP SMOKED BABY BACK RIBS

Steps:

• Soak 8 ounces (about 4 cups) barbecue wood chips in water to cover for 1 hour. Drain and discard the water.
• Prepare the stovetop smoker: Place a 7-quart black Dutch oven on the stovetop (see Cook's Notes). Cut two pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil long enough to line the bottom of the pot and still come up the sides with overhang. Lay the pieces one on top of the other in a crisscross pattern (like a plus sign). Place the soaked wood chips on top of the foil and spread in an even layer. Fold one piece of foil overhang over the wood chips. Top with a metal steamer basket.
• For the ribs: Whisk together the salt, paprika, cumin, ground mustard, garlic powder, coriander and allspice in a small bowl. Sprinkle generously all over the ribs. Press the spice rub into the ribs with your hands and transfer them to the steamer basket (it's okay if the ribs overlap slightly). Cover with the lid and fold the excess foil over the lid. You can use more aluminum foil to create a tight seal around the lid as needed to keep the smoke in the pot.
• Cook the ribs in the smoker over medium heat until the meat easily pulls away from the bone, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F and prepare the slather sauce: Whisk the ketchup, date syrup, mustard and Worcestershire sauce together in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until warmed through, about 5 minutes.
• Once the ribs are smoked, remove and discard the foil around the seal of the pot. Set the steamer basket of ribs on a sheet pan and carefully lift the warm wood chips out of the pot using the excess foil. Allow them to cool completely on a sheet pan before discarding them.
• Place the steamer basket of ribs back into the pot and cover. Roast until the ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender, about 30 minutes.
• To serve, cut between the bones to separate each rib. Pour the slather sauce on top and serve with coleslaw and cornbread.