Serves 4 • Prep Time: 10 minutes • Cook Time: 2 hours 25 minutes

Serving up a few racks of ribs is a summer backyard barbecue rite of passage. The trick to this recipe is using two cooking methods: baking in the oven, then a spin on the grill with wood chips for a smoky finish.

Leftover Perk: One or two ribs might not seem worth saving, but they have just enough meat and flavor to give basic baked beans a boost. Shred the meat from the ribs and add it to your favorite recipe.

2 racks baby back ribs, about 3 pounds each
2–3 tablespoons mustard
All-Purpose BBQ rub (recipe below)
2 cups wood chips, soaked in water 30 minutes
2 cups BBQ sauce
2 tablespoons honey

1. Preheat the oven to 250F. cut the membrane from the back of each rib rack and trim off any excess fat. Brush mustard on both sides of racks and sprinkle BBQ rub on both sides. Gently pat the rub into mustard. Place rib racks, side by side, on a large piece of aluminum foil; loosely wrap ribs. Set on a rimmed baking sheet. unwrap 1 corner and pour in 1⁄4 cup water, then reseal the package. Bake ribs in the oven 1 hour.

2. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for smoking over low heat; the grill temperature should be 200F to 250F. If using charcoal, pile the lit coals on either side of the grill bed, leaving a strip in the center without heat. Place a drip pan in the center strip and fill the pan with water. Add 1 cup of the wood chips to the fire just before grilling. If using a gas grill, fill the smoker box with 1 cup of the wood chips, then preheat the grill. Turn off 1 or more burners to create a cooler zone. Brush and oil the grill grate.

3. Unwrap baked ribs and discard the foil. Place ribs over the indirect-heat area of the grill, cover the grill, and smoke 1 hour, adding the remaining wood chips to the smoker box after about 30 minutes.

4. If using a charcoal grill, ready some coals to raise the temperature of the fire to medium, then uncover the grill and add the hot coals. If using a gas grill, uncover the grill and raise the heat to medium. Move the ribs, meat side down, to the direct-heat area of the grill and brush with BBQ sauce. Cook 5 minutes, then turn ribs and brush the bone side with sauce. Cook 20 minutes more, turning and basting with the sauce every 5 minutes. On the last turn, drizzle honey on the meaty side of ribs.

5. Transfer rib racks to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes. Cut racks into individual ribs, pile them on a platter, and serve immediately with the remaining sauce.

All-Purpose BBQ Rub
Makes about 2⁄3 cup
A quick rub of this homemade spice blend onto steak, chicken or pork results in big flavor with minimal fuss.

1⁄4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon firmly packed light brown sugar
1⁄4 cup paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a small container with a tight-fitting lid, stir together sugars, paprika, chili powder, cayenne, smoked paprika, salt and several grinds of black pepper. Cover and shake vigorously to mix. Use right away, or store in a cool, dark place up to a month.