Classic Smoked Baby Back Ribs (3-2-1 Method)

Method

1. Flip each rack bone-side up and use a butter knife to lift a corner of the thin, papery membrane on the back of the ribs, then grip it with a paper towel and pull it off in one piece; this lets smoke and seasoning penetrate the meat instead of bouncing off a tough skin.
2. Pat the ribs dry, rub both sides lightly with mustard as a binder (you will not taste it), then mix the brown sugar, paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne in a bowl and pat the rub evenly over every surface.
3. Set up your smoker (or a grill set up for indirect heat, coals banked to one side with a drip pan on the other) to run steady at 225F, and add 2-3 chunks of apple or cherry wood to the coals once they are glowing for a light smoke flavor.
4. Place the ribs bone-side down on the grate away from direct heat, close the lid, and smoke undisturbed for 3 hours, keeping the temperature between 225F and 250F; resist opening the lid, since every peek adds 15-20 minutes of lost heat.
5. After 3 hours, lay out a large sheet of heavy-duty foil, place the rack meat-side down on it, pour the apple juice around it, and dot with the butter and a drizzle of honey, then wrap tightly into a sealed packet (this is the '2' in 3-2-1).
6. Return the foil-wrapped ribs to the smoker for 2 hours at the same 225-250F; the ribs are steaming inside the packet now, which is what makes them fall-apart tender.
7. Carefully unwrap the ribs (steam will escape, so open away from your face) and check for the bend test: pick up one end of the rack with tongs and it should droop and crack slightly at the surface; the bones should also have pulled back about 1/4 inch from the meat.
8. Place the unwrapped ribs back on the grate, brush generously with barbecue sauce, and cook uncovered for a final 1 hour (the '1') to let the sauce tack up into a sticky glaze, brushing on a second coat halfway through.
9. Check for doneness with an instant-read thermometer inserted between the bones into the thickest meat; you are looking for 195-203F internal temperature, where connective tissue has fully broken down into gelatin.
10. Rest the ribs on a cutting board for 10 minutes before slicing between the bones into individual ribs; resting lets the juices redistribute so they do not run out onto the board.