"Take Some, Leave Some" Smoked Baby Back Jerk Ribs

Tender smoked baby back jerk ribs with that Caribbean island flavor from dry jerk rub seasoning.

Though I'm still partial to spareribs, over the years I've grown to appreciate baby backs. The great thing about baby backs is the flexibility they provide as far as different flavor profiles you can create. With plenty of Caribbean spices on hand, jerk baby back ribs were a no-brainer. Just don't be greedy, take a few for yourself, but  leave some for others.

Jerk Babybacks Ingredients

Ribs and jerk spice are the only ingredients needed! Use this homemade jerk seasoning mix or your favorite store-bought.

How To Make Jerk Ribs (Step by Step)

Step 1: Rub the ribs generously with dry jerk spice rub and marinate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight

Step 2: Smoke the ribs between 225-250 degrees for 2-3 hours

Serving Suggestions

Enjoy your ribs with some starchy fries and a briny slaw to break up the fatty ribs. Pair the ribs with one of these dishes:

Collard Greens Slaw

Duck Fat Fries

Purple Potato Fries

Crispy Okra Fries

Smoked Ribs Frequently Asked Questions?

Which Are Better - Baby Backs vs. Spareribs?

Baby backs and spareribs are two different cuts. Spareribs are meaty and cut from the belly so there is also more fat. Fat equals flavor, so you already know why spareribs are preferred in Texas. Back ribs are the upper ribs cut from where the ribs meet the spine, hence are leaner.

Baby backs are also heavily marketed, which has increased demand and thus price. Despite the differences in cuts, I cook them pretty much the same. The only difference is cooking time, where the larger, fatty and tougher spareribs take longer to cook.

Should You Remove the Membrane From the Ribs?

Whether baby back or sparerib, each rack holds a shiny thin membrane that covers the bones. People are split on whether to remove it or not. Most restaurants leave the membrane on primarily for efficiency as the taste difference isn't noticeable enough to most to take the extra step.

I actually prefer to remove the membrane, but don't always do it. Though not a big flavor variable it does make the ribs somewhat chewy. It's not particularly difficult to remove the membrane.

To remove, simply take the flat end of a spoon and insert it between the bone and membrane in the middle of the rack of ribs, use your fingers to separate the membrane slightly, then grasp the membrane with a paper towel and pull the rest of the membrane from the rib bones.

Do you marinate baby back ribs?

Once the membrane has been removed, I layer on a heavy dose of dry rub seasoning. For this recipe, I use a jerk seasoning rub. I'm not one to marinade ribs, as I find smoke and dry rub are all the flavor needed. 

Should my ribs be fall off the bone?

One of my pet peeves is hearing someone brag about fall off the bone ribs. It's another marketing ploy and annoying and misinformed as hell. In my not humble opinion, properly cooked ribs do not fall off the damn bone.

The only ribs that do are either boiled, steamed, or overcooked. The sure sign is mushy ribs. If you can eat ribs without teeth, your ribs are mushy AF! Properly cooked ribs will pull easily from the bone but you need teeth. There should be some tug, resilience, or chew.

For similar recipes you might like, try these:

African Spiced Spareribs

Lamb Ribs with Fennel Rub

Smoked Trout

Dry Rubbed Ribs

Smoked Rack of Lamb

Sous Vide Smoked Brisket

Smoked Whole Cauliflower

Smoked Butternut Squash 

Smoked Cabbage Wedges

Smoked Pork Chops

Grilled Beef Suya Skewers

Smoked Carrots

Grilled BLT

Smoked Pork Belly Burnt Ends

Smoked Jerk Oxtails

Smoked Jerk Chicken

Smoked Whole Cauliflower

Making these baby back jerk ribs

If you make these jerk ribs, please come back and leave me a comment below with your feedback. Definitely take a photo of the dish and be sure to tag #foodfidelity so that I can see them.

You can also keep up with my food exploits as well as original recipes! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. If you like any of the music you find on the site, visit me at Spotify to find curated monthly playlists.