You know what Dad really wants to be doing on Father’s Day? If he’s like us, he wants to be chilling by the smoker, cooking up the best ribs in the neighborhood. To help you show dad how much you appreciate his amazing grill skills, we enlisted Smoke Freaks, the BBQ Pro Shop Factory Team, to curate this list of all-star products. Each one is a smash hit for baby back ribs and spare ribs. Be sure to see the bonus recipe at the end for a competition-style rib recipe developed by Smoke Freaks, perfect for your smokin’ dad’s Father’s Day rib cook.
Heath Riles Garlic Jalapeno
This powdery concoction wakes up the tongue with a dash of salt, savory garlic and spicy jalapeno flavor. We think it’s one of the most versatile seasonings around. It’s great on popcorn. It’s a special treat on eggs, it’s incredible when mixed into sour cream as a dip. But where it really shines is on pork, and we’re sure dad will agree when he tries applying a light base layer of Garlic Jalapeno rub to a rack of ribs before applying his other secret seasonings and ingredients.
See our Flavor Guide for more details and usage tips.
Lambert’s Sweet Rub O' Mine
Lambert's Sweet Rub O' Mine is a world-champion caliber rub perfected by Mark Lambert, 6-time World Champion BBQ Pitmaster. This is his go to dry rub for pork shoulder, and it’s awesome on ribs, too, thanks to an abundance of turbinado sugar and its well-balanced flavor profile.
See our Flavor Guide for more details and usage tips.
Three Little Pigs Touch of Cherry Rub
This masterpiece from 9-time BBQ world champion Chris Marks adds a sweet and fruity flavor that’s perfect for ribs. The savories and everything else take a backseat role, making this a great choice in a layering strategy when you want to add a “touch” (or more) of sweetness.Dad will love the signature flavor note this seasoning imparts, not to mention the wonderful mahogany color.
See our Flavor Guide for more details and usage tips.
Texas Pepper Jelly Apple Cherry Habanero Rib Candy
Flavor-filled glazes are the real secret to infusing BBQ ribs with a taste sensation that’ll put dad’s famous ribs all the way over the top. Available in 6 fruity flavors, each style of Rib Candy features a habanero undertone that maintains all that great floral and smoky complexity while keeping the heat levels “family friendly.”Oh, and if dad likes ice cream, treat him to a real surprise by drizzling a little Rib Candy over a bowl of vanilla. Yep -- this stuff is that versatile!
Rib King Gift Set - $49.95 We’ve assembled all the special ingredients dad needs to recreate this championship rib recipe from Smoke Freaks, the BBQ Pro Shop Factory Team, ship it directly to dad with Two Day Shipping Included.
Smoke Freaks Sweet-Kickin’ Cherry Ribs
Ingredients
- St. Louis-style spare ribs or baby backs (not included in kit)
- Heath Riles Garlic Jalapeno Rub
- Lambert's Sweet Rub O' Mine
- Three Little Pigs Touch of Cherry Rub
- Texas Pepper Jelly Apple Cherry Habanero Rib Candy
- 2 TBS Apple Juice (not included in kit)
Process
We typically cook ribs on our Hunsaker drum smoker with lump charcoal + peach and pecan smokewood, but this recipe can be adapted for any style of cooker, including Weber kettles, Big Green Eggs, gas grills, electric smokers and pellet grills.
Cooking times will vary based on equipment, but dad already knows that.
- Prepare smoker or indirect-heat grill to run at 275-300F.
- While the pit is settling in, trim ribs, peel membrane, rinse and dry.
- Apply a light coat of Garlic Jalapeno Rub to both sides of the ribs.
- Apply a medium coat of Lambert's Sweet Rub O' Mine to both sides of the ribs.
- Apply a light coat of Touch of Cherry Rub on the top (meat) side of the ribs.
- Let seasoned ribs rest on counter for up to 30 mins before cooking.
- Lay ribs on the cooker grate bone-side down and smoke for 70-90 minutes or until the seasoning is set and the racks have developed a mahogany color.
- Remove ribs from cooker and lay each rack meat-side-up on top of a double-layer piece of foil, big enough to wrap up the entire rack in an envelope.
- Apply another light layer of Touch of Cherry rub to the meat side.
- Flip the rack over (bone side up) and shake on a little more Touch of Cherry.
- Add two pads of butter (about 1 TBS each) on the bone side.
- Fold up 3 sides of the foil, starting with the long ends and leaving one of the narrow ends open.
- Add 1/3 Cup Rib Candy (we love the Apple-Cherry-Habanero) mixed with 2 TBS apple juice to the open end, then finish folding the foil to make a tight envelope, seam side up.
- Reduce pit temp to 275F and return wrapped ribs to the cooker for another 60 minutes. (Foil seam up, meat side down.)
- After 60 mins, check ribs for doneness every 5 minutes until cooked to your perfect tenderness.
- Remove ribs from smoker, open foil packs slightly to let steam escape.
- Rest ribs 20 minutes before serving.