For the ribs, it's never really the same twice. We use what ever we have on hand, usually end up making something with the best rib friendly seasonings we have on hand. I try really hard to stay away from "seasoning salts" because they really are like 99% salt and it's way too easy to get the pork too salty. I've used a mix of things like old bay seasoning with some additional paprika, maybe a little dry mustard and a bit of garlic and black pepper.

But this batch was easy as we had a bottle of "famous dave's rib rub". So we just shook a light coating of that on both sides and started slow cooking/smoking. I slowly ramped up through the smoking temps into around 220 F and held there. These ribs got about 4 hours that way bone side down before I flipped them and placed them in foil with an apple cider bath in each pack. They simmered in the apple cider for 2 hours before I opened the foil packs, poke a hole in each pack so the cider drains down into the coals. Then I brushed a coat of sweet baby rays bbq sauce on the back sides, then carefully flipped each rack leaving them in there foil packs, then brushed on a coat of sauce on the meat side. I let them go like that for another 45 minutes to an hour to glaze the sauce a bit.


Something clever here.