BBQ cookoff champ
This is the "phoolproof" recipe that won the Founders Day BBQ Cookoff in Dripping Springs two years in a row. Low, slow, and generous with the rub.
Pull the membrane off the back of the ribs. Coat lightly with mustard so the rub sticks.
Cover both sides generously with P.I.G. rub and let them sit 30 minutes while the smoker comes to 250°F.
Smoke meat-side up for about 3 hours, spritzing with cider vinegar every 45 minutes.
Wrap in foil (add honey and butter if you like) and cook another hour until the meat pulls back from the bone.
Unwrap, dust with a little more rub, and firm up for 20–30 minutes. Rest, slice, and serve.
Heat the oven to 275°F. Pull the membrane from the back of the ribs and pat the racks dry.
Coat the ribs lightly with mustard, then cover both sides generously with P.I.G. rub. Let them rest for 30 minutes.
Place each rack meat-side up on a sheet of foil. Add a small splash of apple cider vinegar, seal the foil tightly, and set the packets on a rimmed sheet pan.
Bake for 2½–3 hours, until the meat has pulled back from the bones and bends easily. Open the foil carefully—there will be hot steam.
Unwrap, dust with a little more rub, and return to a 425°F oven for 15–20 minutes to set the crust. Rest for 10 minutes, then slice and serve.
Keith's note
The rub is doing the work, so don't drown it in sauce. If you're entering a cookoff, that final dusting of dry rub before resting is the secret.