No.50 The 100 Most Popular Recipes Ever · October 2026

Barbecue ribs

Name: Barbecue ribs
Yield: 4 to 6
Ingredients: 2 racks baby back ribs (about 2 1/2 lb each); For the rub: 1/2 cup (100 g) dark brown sugar; 1/4 cup (55 g) white sugar; 1/4 cup paprika; 2 tbsp garlic powder; 2 tsp black pepper, 2 tsp ground ginger, 2 tsp onion powder, 2 tsp dried rosemary powder; 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt per rack, applied separately; 1 cup (240 ml) barbecue sauce, for glazing

Made famous by Meathead Goldwyn

Photo: Pannet, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

From AmazingRibs.com and Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling, 2016. AmazingRibs is No. 52 on the Hot 100.

Ribs are the most ordered barbecue in America; Meathead's Last Meal ribs, with his Memphis Dust rub, are among the most followed rib recipes online.

4 to 6Makes

6 hours (30 minutes hands-on)Time

Written in our own words and tested in a home kitchen. Get the original in Meathead.

A sweet and savory rub, low indirect heat and a light glaze at the end. Done is when the rack bends and cracks, not when the meat falls off the bone.

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Ingredients

2 racks baby back ribs (about 2 1/2 lb each)
For the rub: 1/2 cup (100 g) dark brown sugar
1/4 cup (55 g) white sugar
1/4 cup paprika
2 tbsp garlic powder
2 tsp black pepper, 2 tsp ground ginger, 2 tsp onion powder, 2 tsp dried rosemary powder
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt per rack, applied separately
1 cup (240 ml) barbecue sauce, for glazing

Steps

Pull the thin membrane off the bone side of each rack: lift a corner with a butter knife and peel it off with a paper towel.
Sprinkle each rack with salt on both sides. Refrigerate 2 to 24 hours if you have time.
Mix the rub. Sprinkle generously on both sides and pat gently.
Set the smoker or a grill for two-zone indirect cooking at 225F (110C) with a little wood for smoke.
Cook the ribs bone side down, lid closed, 4 to 5 hours. Don't flip or mop. Add smoke wood only for the first hour or two.
Test: lift the rack from one end with tongs. It's ready when it bends to nearly 90 degrees and the meat starts to crack on top, and a toothpick slides between the bones easily (about 195 to 203F).
Brush a thin coat of sauce on the meat side and move it over direct heat (or raise the heat) for a few minutes, just until the sauce bubbles and sets. Don't let it burn.
Rest 5 minutes, slice between the bones and serve.

Chef's tips

Sauce burns fast; apply it only at the end.
No smoker? Bake at 225F on a rack for the same time, then glaze under the broiler.

This is Chef Amazing's write-up of the dish, tested for a home kitchen. The original is in Meathead by Meathead Goldwyn: get the book.

← No. 49Texas brisket

→ No. 51Cinnamon rolls

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