Cowboy Candy Party Ribs

Here's a close up of the rib covered in lip-smacking Cowboy Candy.

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Cowboy Candy Party Ribs are smoked ribs layered with the bold, sweet heat of my new Cowboy Candy Rub. Smoke them until that bark is perfect, then finish in a cowboy candy-BBQ sauce crutch for a tender, flavor-packed bite.

Prep Time30

Cook Time3

Total Time3 30

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Author: Derek Wolf

Ingredients

Ribs:

2 Racks of Ribs
1 cup Cowboy Candy Rub
¼ cup Yellow Mustard

Crutch:

6 tbsp Unsalted Butter
1 cup HNY FYR BBQ Sauce
1 cup Cowboy Candy recipe below

Cowboy Candy:

1 lb Jalapeños thinly sliced
1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
3 cups Granulated Sugar
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/2 tsp Celery Seed
1.5 tsp Granulated Garlic
1 tsp Cayenne Powder

Instructions

Cowboy Candy:

Add a cast iron skillet to medium heat.
Place all the ingredients (outside the jalapeños) to the skillet and bring to a small boil.
Add the jalapeños to the rolling boil for 2-3 minutes, then pull off and set aside. Boil the sugar sauce for 5-6 more minutes, then pull off and add everything to a mason jar.
Place in the fridge to cool for at least 2-3 hours but ideally 3-4 days.

Party Ribs:

Begin by removing the membrane on the back of the pork ribs. Cut the ribs into singles then slather in yellow mustard. Season generously with my Cowboy Candy Rub and set to the side.
Preheat your smoke for 250F cooking indirectly. Add wood chips or wood chunks if you desire.
Add the ribs to cook indirectly until 165F internal (about 1.5 hours). Once then hit temperature, add to a foil bin with all the ingredients for the crutch. Cover in foil and place back on the smoker for one more hour.
After your hour, uncover the ribs and let cook for another 30 minutes to caramelize. Once good, pull off and let cool for 10 minutes.
Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Will slicing ribs before smoking dry them out?

Nope. Not when it’s done right.

Because we’re slicing the ribs while they’re still raw, they develop a flavorful bark all the way around each rib as they smoke. That crust locks in the juices and builds incredible texture. What would dry them out? Slicing them after partially smoking — at that point, the outer bark has already started forming, and cutting into it mid-cook breaks that seal. So keep this in mind: slice them raw, get the bark going early, and let the smoke work its magic from every angle.

This method gives you everything you love about traditional smoked ribs — the flavor, the tenderness, the smoke — but served up party-style. That’s the real difference. Same smoked cooking process, different presentation — and way more fun to eat.

Nutrition