Description

These Smoky Honey Garlic BBQ Ribs are a Labor Day centerpiece that delivers restaurant-quality, sticky, caramelized results using a standard charcoal grill. The recipe features a rich dry rub and a sweet-savory glaze, cooked low-and-slow for fall-off-the-bone tenderness.

Ingredients

Scale

2–3 racks Pork Baby Back Ribs
½ cup Brown Sugar
2 tablespoons Smoked Paprika
1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
1 tablespoon Onion Powder
1 tablespoon Kosher Salt
1 tablespoon Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
½ cup Honey
6 cloves Garlic, minced
¼ cup Soy Sauce
2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon Chili Powder
2 tablespoons Butter, cold
Wood Chips (Hickory or Applewood), soaked
Apple Juice or Water (for spritzing)

Instructions

Remove ribs from fridge and let sit for 20 minutes. Peel off the silver skin membrane from the bone side and pat ribs dry with paper towels.
Mix brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Generously coat both sides of the ribs with the rub, pressing it in, and let sit while prepping the grill.
Set up the charcoal grill for indirect heat using the ‘snake method’ or a large mound of charcoal on one side. Place a drip pan with water on the empty side. Light charcoal until covered in gray ash, then add soaked wood chips to the coals.
Place ribs bone-side down on the cool side of the grill. Close the lid and maintain a temperature between 275°F and 300°F. Cook for 1.5 hours, spritzing with apple juice or water halfway through.
Remove ribs and lay them on heavy-duty foil. Add a knob of butter and a splash of apple juice. Wrap tightly and return to the grill bone-side down for 45 minutes.
While ribs wrap, make the glaze: Simmer honey, minced garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and chili powder in a saucepan for 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in cold butter.
Unwrap ribs and place back on the grill meat-side up. Brush with glaze, cook for 5 minutes, brush again, and cook for another 5 minutes until sticky and caramelized.
Remove ribs from grill and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing between the bones and serving with extra glaze.

Notes

Ensure grill temperature stays between 275°F-300°F to prevent burning the honey. Use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness (190-200°F internal temperature). Resting the ribs is crucial to retain juices. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Category: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: Approx. 1 rib from a
Calories: 450
Sugar: 18
Fat: 28
Carbohydrates: 22
Protein: 28

Keywords: BBQ ribs, honey garlic ribs, labor day recipes, grilled pork, smoky ribs, baby back ribs, barbecue glaze, summer grilling