Baby Back Ribs with Coca-Cola BBQ Sauce

This may be my favorite baby back ribs recipe to date. There are so many recipes for rubs and sauces and I like to try as many as I can. The rub for this recipe is simple, but that is all that is needed.

The real winner is the sauce. I’m not much of a sauce person, but this one is great. I used Dr. Pepper for the cola and it was a big hit.

I used a smoker because I had several other things to smoke at the same time, but I did finish them on the grill to get a little char. I started the smoke with cherry wood because it imparts such a beautiful mahogany color, then finished with apple wood. I kept the temperature at a pretty steady 225°F.

I also like using a basting liquid since ribs can easily dry out. I normally just use apple juice and vinegar, but adding the butter is a great idea. It added flavor, but did a great job keeping the ribs from drying out.

I am a big fan of removing the membrane from the ribs as well as using yellow mustard to help the seasoning stay put.

This recipe is a keeper!