Baby Back Ribs - Full Rack Recipe

Preheat and remove membrane

Preheat your oven to 275°F (135°C). If the membrane (silver skin) remains on the bone side of the rack, slide a butter knife under the membrane at one end, lift and loosen it, then grab with a paper towel and peel it off in one piece.

Pat the rack dry with paper towels. Brush the yellow mustard evenly over both sides of the ribs (this acts as a binder for the rub). Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the meat side and press lightly so it sticks.

In a small bowl mix kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and smoked paprika. Evenly rub the spice mixture over both sides of the rack, concentrating a bit more on the meatier top side.

Place the seasoned rack bone-side down on a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil (or in a shallow baking pan). Pour the apple cider, apple cider vinegar and water around the ribs — avoid pouring directly over the seasoned meat so you don't wash off the rub. The liquid should come up slightly but need not cover the ribs.

Tightly tent or wrap the ribs with foil, sealing the edges to create a tight packet. Place on a rimmed baking sheet or in a roasting pan to catch any leaks.

Bake in the preheated oven for 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours, until the meat is very tender and pulls back from the ends of the bones about 1/4 to 1/2 inch. The internal temperature near the bones should read about 195–205°F (90–96°C) for fall-off-the-bone tenderness.

Carefully remove the ribs from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Open the foil and discard the braising liquid. Increase oven temperature to 425°F (220°C) or preheat a grill to medium-high.

In a small bowl combine the BBQ sauce, honey (or maple) and optional hot sauce. Brush a generous layer of sauce over both sides of the rack.

For oven finish: place the sauced ribs on a baking sheet and return to the oven, broiling or baking at 425°F for 6–10 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and slightly caramelized. Watch carefully to avoid burning. For grill finish: place ribs bone-side down over direct heat and grill 4–6 minutes, flipping once, until sauce chars lightly and becomes sticky.

Remove ribs from heat and rest for 10 minutes to allow juices to redistribute. During resting, place the butter on top of the hot rack so it melts into the sauce.

Slice between the bones into individual ribs. Sprinkle chopped parsley over the ribs and serve with any remaining warmed BBQ sauce on the side.