Smoked Baby Back Ribs with Spicy Creole Barbecue Sauce

Sprinkle ribs generously with Creole Seasoning. Cover and refrigerate at least 12 hours or overnight.

Mound charcoal briquettes in barbecue and burn until light gray. Using tongs, carefully divide hot briquettes into 2 piles, 1 pile at each side of barbecue. Place empty disposable broiler pan between piles; fill pan with water. Sprinkle each pile with generous 1/2 cup hickory chips. Position grill at least 6 inches above briquettes. Position vents on barbecue so that chips smoke and briquettes burn but do not flame and temperature registers 350 degrees F.

Place ribs on rack over broiler pan. Cook until meat is very tender and pulls back from ends of bones, adding briquettes and wood chips to each pile, and water to broiler pan as needed, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Brush both sides of ribs with 1 cup Spicy Creole Barbecue Sauce and cook 15 minutes longer.

Transfer ribs to platter. Serve ribs, passing remaining sauce separately.

CHEF'S NOTES: It's very easy to turn your grill into a smoker. Preheat grill and let coals become hot. Add wood and turn heat to low. Add a small pan of water to coals. This helps ribs to stay moist. Adjust temperature when needed. If you don't have a temperature gauge on your smoker or grill, use a fryer thermometer. Also add wood when needed. If flare ups occur, place a small sheet pan over coals to catch fat drippings. I like to soak the wood so it will smolder, not just burn. My favorite woods are apple, pecan and hickory.

Take the time and completely cook your ribs until tender. It takes a while, so plan in advance.