Here's another great recipe from Rich in Boston - Dry rub, marinade, and bbq sauce

Dry Rub...make a bunch of it at a time and pack it into a cleaned mayo jar or something so you always have it for smoked pork ribs, loins, butts, fresh picnics, you name it.  It is also pretty good for chicken if packed underneath the skin on the breast and rubbed all over. I have to say that I usually just add some of this and that until it tastes good.

There really is no set amount for the various ingredients as it is only a rub for smoking and a good deal will cook off in the smoker. I would start with this Dry Rub mix and then add more of what you think it needs.

 1 1/4 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1/8 cup dry sugar-sweetened lemonade mix (like Country Time or something)

1/4 cup salt (maybe more or less to taste - this is not supposed to be real salty)

1/4 cup chili powder (try Seattle's Market Spice mix!)

2 Tbs paprika

2 Tbs black pepper

1 Tbs onion powder

2 tsp MSG or other meat prep powder

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp dried oregano leaves

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground up celery seeds or 2 tsp celery salt

2 ground up bay leaves (only add these if you like the Bay leaf flavor)

Put it all in a large bowl and mash at it for a while to get it well mixed... add more of what you think it needs. Because of the high amount of sugar in the mix, it is only good for smoking (not Grilling as the heat will burn the sugar).

Rib Marinade

1 cup soy sauce 

2 cups orange juice

1/4 cup vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

3 cloves minced garlic

Some black pepper

Can also add a little fresh or ground ginger

Take racks of Baby Back ribs and peel the membrane off the back of the rack that runs across the bones if it hasn't already been stripped off (usually it hasn't and I use a pair of pliers for this).

Place ribs in a large shallow non-reactive dish like a large glass casserole dish or something that the ribs will lay flat in, and pour marinade over ribs. Cover and refrigerate in marinade 12-24 hours turning once 1/2 way through.

When ready to BBQ, remove ribs from marinade, pat dry and discard the marinade. Give them a liberal, thick dose of the dry rub on top, underneath, sides and everywhere else and massage it into the meat. Don't be scared to douse them good.. rub is cheap, Baby Back racks are not. MASSAGE THE MEAT. You want to work the rub into the meat especially between the bones as the Massage also helps break up more fat and sinew and suck and softens the ribs. They should be well covered and dark brown all over with the with the rub and another load on top before they go into the smoker can never hurt.

SMOKE Get your smoker to about 170 degrees and smoke for 3 1/2 - 4 hours.  Don't use more than two loads of chips or they will get too smoky.  Hotter cooking will not hurt them so long as you are a good deal below that 212 degree level (where all the moisture boils out of the meat) but they will cook faster, be a bit less tender and not have as much smoky taste. LOW AND SLOW IS THE WAY TO GO when it comes to BBQ.  I've put pork butts in my smoker in the afternoon and not pulled them out until noon the next day.

Rib Sauce (to be slathered on hot when the ribs first come out of the smoker and extra sauce should be served on the side for dipping and such). Personally, I prefer to serve all the sauce on the side so people can taste the mastery created by timely marinade, appropriate rub and the magic of smoke and low heat over time. And then, when they think it can't get any better, they can give it a kick in the tail with a dip in that finishing sauce rib-by-rib as they see fit. Man that is BBQ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1 TBS oil

1 chopped onion

2 cups tomato sauce

1 cup red wine vinegar

1 Tbs Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp sweet paprika

1 Tbs salt

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup dark molasses

  2 TBS Worcestershire sauce

2 Tbs orange marmalade or 1/4 cup orange juice

few dashes Tabasco

Sauté onions until translucent and lightly browned. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil and then simmer uncovered for 45 minutes.

That's the best I got when it comes to BB Back smoked ribs. Let me know when you are gonna give them a try as I would love to hear what you think. Personally, I think these will not only rival any rib you'd taste at a rib burn-off or BBQ competition but surpass them as you have TIME ON YOUR SIDE.

Editor's note:  Rich is absolutely right!  I use these recipes for all kinds of pork, and even beef ribs - best we've ever tried!

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