Pit Boss: Smoked Baby Back Ribs

This is the first ribs I've made on my smoker.  I was going to do them the way I do in the oven, low and slow (though wrapped in foil and 200°F for the oven).  Today was 225°F for 5 to 7 hours.  I wouldn't use a probe because the bones make it difficult for accuracy.  I perused a lot of pellet grill recipes and decided to spritz especially since I wasn't using a rub so didn't need to worry about it coming off.  I had mostly hickory pellets in the hopper this time round mixed with "competition blend" and charcoal pellets...

I rinsed the ribs since they were cryovaced, patted them dry with paper towels then pulled the membrane off the back of the ribs.  It is really easy to pull the membrane off if you use a butter knife to separate it and paper towel to hold that slippery sucker while you yank it off!  

I liberally seasoned both sides with garlic granules, kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper.  

I put them on the smoker and spritzed with a mixture of apple juice (3/4) and apple cider vinegar (1/4) every 30 minutes (as close to that as I remembered, lol) starting at the 2 hour mark.  Below is the spritz after 4 hours:

I started glazing with Jack Daniels BBQ sauce at 5 hours until they were done, flipping between basting.  

So a half hour on each side to caramelize and for me it took 2 flips, one baste on each side.  How I knew they were done was picking them up with tongs and doing the "bend" test.  If the rack bends and almost breaks apart, they are done.

I let them rest while I made some refried beans to serve along side.  When I do my oven ribs, at the end I open the foil and drain off the fat and then broil the ribs with BBQ sauce.  The meat falls off the bone and that is the way we like them.  Now, most people who smoke ribs will tell you they are overcooked if the meat falls off the bone, it should pull away but never fall off and they consider the ribs mushy if they do.  Well, I did the smokers proud today, these were so tender and juicy and pulled away from the bone while biting but did not fall off!  So freakin' good!

Dang, I did smoked tri-tip and green beans and thought that was the best dinner I've done so far on the smoker, but today beat it!  However, smoked green beans are just heavenly.  Anyway, no wrapping the meat necessary for me on these ribs...