Half Rack Ribs Combo Recipe

Prepare the ribs

Preheat oven to 275°F (135°C). If ribs are whole, remove membrane from the bone side: slide a small knife under the thin silvery membrane at one end, lift, grab with a paper towel, and pull it off in one piece. Trim any excess fat or ragged bits.

Make the dry rub

In a small bowl combine kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin and cayenne (if using). Stir until uniform.

Pat ribs dry with paper towels. Generously coat both sides of the rack with the rub, pressing it into the meat. Let sit at room temperature 20–30 minutes or refrigerate uncovered for up to 4 hours for deeper flavor (if refrigerating, bring back to room temperature before cooking).

While ribs are resting, combine apple cider, apple cider vinegar, water and Worcestershire sauce in a heatproof liquid measuring cup or small bowl. This will be used to baste and keep the ribs moist during cooking.

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil (optional) and place a wire rack set inside the pan. If you prefer a foil packet method, tear a large sheet of heavy foil and form a shallow tray to hold the ribs and a few tablespoons of braising liquid.

Oven method — low and slow

Place the rubbed ribs bone-side down on the wire rack. Tent the ribs loosely with foil (do not seal tightly) and place in the preheated 275°F oven. Bake for 2 to 2¼ hours. Every 30–40 minutes, open the tent and baste lightly with some of the mop/braise liquid to keep the surface moist.

Optional Braise packet

Alternatively, place ribs in the foil tray and add 3–4 tablespoons of the mop liquid into the tray (not over-saturating the rub). Seal the packet loosely and bake 2 to 2¼ hours; this yields very moist ribs but a less crusty bark.

Smoker method (if available)

Preheat smoker to 225–250°F (110–120°C). Place ribs bone-side down on the smoker grates. Smoke for 3–4 hours, spritzing or mopping every 45–60 minutes with the mop liquid. Remove when ribs reach an internal temperature of 195–203°F (90–95°C) and the meat pulls back from the bones about ¼–½ inch.

Apply sauce and caramelize

When ribs are tender (after low-and-slow cooking) increase oven temperature to 400°F (200°C) or preheat a grill to medium-high. Uncover the ribs and brush a thin, even layer of barbecue sauce mixed with honey/maple over the meat side. Return to oven or place on the hot grill for 8–12 minutes, turning once and applying a second thin coat of sauce, until the sauce is tacky and caramelized but not burned.

If using a broiler, place the ribs under the broiler 4–6 inches from the element for 3–5 minutes while watching carefully to avoid burning; rotate as needed for even caramelization.

For a final sear and extra smoky char, brush the grates with oil or brush the ribs lightly with oil and sear bone-side down on a hot grill for 1–2 minutes per side just to get color (do this after saucing if you want caramelized edges).

Transfer ribs to a cutting board and let rest 5–8 minutes. Slice between bones into individual ribs or into portions. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges if desired.