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Candied Ribs

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Jessica Pinney Avatar

Author

Jessica Pinney

Published

Jun. 27, 2025

Updated

Jun. 27, 2025

Smoky, spicy, sweet, savory, and sticky – this recipe delivers everything you expect from a great rack of ribs and more!

A cooked rack of ribs covered in a bright red candy coating and topped sliced jalapenos on a cutting board.

Once you try this rib recipe, you’ll be hooked! BBQ restaurants will never satisfy you again, as their ribs can never compare to your own perfectly seasoned & cooked, fall-off-the bone racks!

What makes these candied ribs so memorable, is the savory dry rub combined with the fruity, spicy glaze.

Close up of a cooked rack of baby back ribs that's covered in a bright red stick coating. The sauce is pooling around the bones of the ribs on top of the cutting board.

They’re cooked low and slow in the smoker, to breakdown all the collagen and connective tissue, so that every bite of the meat is tender and juicy.

The end result is a deep smoky flavor, a hint of heat, and a sweet candy coating that’s finger licking good! Serve it with a cold glass of beer or lemonade and you’ve got the perfect summer meal.

Ingredients

A stick of butter, a bottle of apple cider vinegar, bbq seasoning, bbq sauce, "rib candy", brown sugar, and a raw rack of ribs all on a black background.
  • Ribs – This recipe uses baby back ribs. I recommend Niman Ranch brand if your store carries them.
  • Seasoning – I use a homemade BBQ seasoning mix. You can substitute your favorite store-bought.
  • Apple cider vinegar – It’s important to spritz the ribs part way through cooking. You can substitute, beer, apple juice, or tallow.
  • BBQ sauce – Use your favorite store-bought or homemade sauce.
  • Butter – I recommend using unsalted butter.
  • Rib candy – Apple cherry habanero rib candy is my favorite. You can substitute pepper jelly or hot honey.
  • Brown sugar – Use dark brown sugar to help make the candy glaze.

This post contains affiliate links (when you buy we make a little money at no cost to you). See our disclosure for more information.

Tips

  1. Don’t skip removing the membrane. Removing it helps the rub penetrate better and gives your ribs a more desirable mouthfeel.
  2. I recommend using apple or cherry wood chunks in your smoker. For a stronger smoky flavor, use half fruit wood half hickory or oak.
  3. Just like a good steak, ribs need a few minutes to rest before slicing. It helps keep all those tasty juices right where they belong.
Overhead view of two racks of ribs that are covered in a red sticky coating and sliced jalapenos.

I highly recommend serving mac & cheese with these, as the creaminess pairs quite will with the sweet and spicy ribs.

I almost always make a pan of smoked baked beans, as they are a guest favorite at my barbecues.

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Candied Ribs

Smoked, tender, fall-off-the-bone ribs covered in a sweet and spicy candy coating.
Print
Overhead view of two racks of ribs that are covered in a red sticky coating and sliced jalapenos.
Prep Time: 30 minutes mins
Cook Time: 3 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
Total Time: 4 hours hrs
Servings: –+

Ingredients

  • 2 racks baby back ribs
  • 2/3 cup BBQ seasoning
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, for spritzing
  • 2/3 stick unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup rib candy
  • 1 cup bbq sauce
  • 1 jalapeno (optional), sliced

Instructions

  • Get your smoker going and maintain a temperature of 275 F. Prep the ribs while it gets to temp.
  • Remove ribs from fridge. Remove the thin later of membrane from the underside of the ribs by grabbing it with a paper towel and pulling slowly to remove it from the entire rack.
  • Season the underside of the ribs liberally with bbq seasoning, rub it in, then allow it to sit for 15 minutes. Flip the ribs over and season the other side. Rub the seasoning in and allow to sit another 15-20 minutes.
  • When your smoker is ready, place racks of rib inside, meat side up. Close lid and cook for about 90 minutes, then spritz each rack with the apple cider vinegar.
  • Continue cooking the ribs until the meat has a deep mahogany color. This usually happens around 2 hours into the cook, though it can take up to 30-40 minutes longer. When it does, it is time to glaze and wrap.
  • For each rack of ribs, lay out 2 overlapping pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil that are large enough to wrap the rack in. Place 5 pats of butter and the sliced jalapeno, then distribute the brown sugar, rib candy, and bbq sauce across the top.
  • Place the ribs on top, meat side down, and wrap the foil so that the ribs are completely sealed. Place meat side down in the smoker and cook another 90 minutes, until the meat is 205 F at the thickest part.
  • Remove ribs from foil and place on a cutting board. Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing or serving.
Author: Jessica Pinney
Did you make this recipe?Please tag @cookingwithjanica on Instagram! We’d love to see!
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