Prize-Winning Baby Back Ribs

Recipe View Gather all the necessary ingredients.

Recipe View Preheat a gas grill for high heat, or arrange charcoal briquettes on one side of the barbeque. Lightly oil the grate. (5 minutes)

Recipe View In a small jar, combine cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Close the lid tightly and shake well to mix. (2 minutes)

Recipe View Trim the membrane sheath from the back of each rack. Run a small, sharp knife between the membrane and each rib, and snip off the membrane as much as possible. (10 minutes)

Recipe View Sprinkle the spice rub generously onto both sides of the ribs. To prevent the ribs from becoming too dark and spicy, avoid thoroughly rubbing the spices into the meat. Store any unused spice mix in an airtight jar for future use. (5 minutes)

Recipe View Place aluminum foil on the lower rack to capture drippings and prevent flare-ups. Lay ribs on the top rack of the grill, away from the coals if using briquettes. Reduce gas heat to low and close the lid. Cook the ribs, undisturbed as possible, until the meat pulls away easily from the bone, approximately 1 hour. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). (60 minutes)

Recipe View Brush the ribs with your favorite barbecue sauce and grill for an additional 5 minutes, allowing the sauce to caramelize. (5 minutes)

Recipe View Serve the ribs as a whole rack, or cut between each rib bone and pile them individually on a platter. (5 minutes)