Honeydew Glazed Baby Back Ribs

Name: Smoked Baby Back Ribs with Honeydew Glaze
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 6 h
Total time: 6 h 45 min
Yield: 10-12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 racks baby back ribs; 1 1/2 cups Chile Slinger Fatalii Mustard; 1 1/2 cups Yoder Smokers Pork Rub; 2 1/4 cups pineapple juice; 1 honeydew melon; About 2 cups water; 1 tbsp lemon juice; Jacobsen Pure Italian Fine Sea Salt, to taste

Nov 03, 2026 • Tom Jackson

Baby back ribs meet the fresh sweetness of honeydew reduction, and it's easier than it sounds. The reduction is super simple and adds a beautiful fruity glaze to smoky baby back ribs. I make it while the ribs smoke by blending a honeydew melon with a little water and simmering it down for about two and a half hours until it's reduced to a cup and a half, then finishing it with lemon juice and a touch of Jacobsen Salt Co. Italian Sea Salt.

For the ribs, I preheat my Yoder Smokers YS640s to 275°F, remove the membrane, slather three racks with Chile Slinger Fatalii Mustard, and season them with Yoder Smokers Pork Rub. Once the rub looks wet, they go on the second shelf for about four hours, until a dark reddish brown bark forms.

Then I wrap the ribs in foil with pineapple juice and cook them until they're tender. I open the package, brush the honeydew reduction over the meat, and give them ten more minutes in the grill. This recipe makes enough for a crowd.

What You'll Love

A fruity glaze that's easy to make. The honeydew reduction is just melon, a little water, lemon juice, and salt, simmered down while the ribs smoke.
Make-ahead glaze. The honeydew reduction keeps in the refrigerator for up to one week, so you can make it before the cook day.
Dark, reddish brown bark. About four hours at 275°F on the second shelf builds a deep bark from the mustard slather and Yoder Pork Rub.
Pineapple steam for tender ribs. Wrapping the ribs in foil with pineapple juice finishes them until the bones move freely from the meat.
A glossy finish with no extra pan. Brushing the honeydew reduction and the pineapple and pork juices over the top for the last 10 minutes gives the ribs a sticky, fruity glaze.
Feeds a crowd. Three racks make 10 to 12 servings, so it's easy to cook for a big group at once.

Smoked Baby Back Ribs with Honeydew Glaze

Tom Jackson

Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users

Cuisine

American

Servings

10-12

Prep Time

45 minutes

Cook Time

6 hours

Calories

440

Smoked baby back ribs with a dark bark, steamed in pineapple juice and finished with a fruity honeydew melon reduction glaze.

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Ingredients

For the Ribs:

3 racks baby back ribs
1 1/2 cups Chile Slinger Fatalii Mustard
1 1/2 cups Yoder Smokers Pork Rub
2 1/4 cups pineapple juice

For the Honeydew Reduction (yields 1 1/2 cups, enough for 3 racks of ribs):

1 honeydew melon
About 2 cups water
1 tbsp lemon juice
Jacobsen Pure Italian Fine Sea Salt, to taste

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Directions

Preheat the Grill
I preheat my Yoder Smokers YS640s pellet grill to 275°F, set up for smoking.
Prep the Ribs
I remove the thin membrane from the bone side of the ribs, using a paper towel to grip it. Then I make sure there are no bones exposed on the ends of the racks. If there are, I remove them with a boning knife.
Slather and Season
I slather the ribs with Chile Slinger Fatalii Mustard and season them with Yoder Smokers Pork Rub. Then I let the rub set up until it looks wet on the surface, which takes about 10 minutes.
Smoke the Ribs
I place the ribs on the second shelf of the grill and smoke them until a dark reddish brown bark has formed, about 4 hours.
Make the Honeydew Reduction
While the ribs are smoking, I make the honeydew reduction. I slice off the rind of the honeydew, scoop out the seeds, and dice the flesh. I put it in a blender with about two cups of water and blend until it's smooth.
I pour the liquid into a Dutch oven, bring it to a simmer, and then lower the heat. I gently simmer the mixture and let it reduce for about two and a half hours, stirring occasionally to keep it from sticking. The more the liquid reduces, the lower the heat needs to be and the more often it needs to be stirred.
When it has reduced to about one and a half cups, I add the lemon juice and season lightly with salt, to taste. I store it in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Wrap the Ribs
When the ribs have formed the bark I want, I take them off the grill and place them meat side down on two sheets of heavy-duty foil. I turn up the edges of the foil and pour in the pineapple juice. Then I wrap the ribs tightly in the foil.
I return the packages to the grill and cook the ribs until they're flexible when I pick up the package. When I open the package, the bones should be exposed and should move freely from the meat when I twist them.
Glaze the Ribs
I carefully turn the ribs over in the foil package so they're meat side up. I brush the honeydew reduction over the meat, about 1/4 cup. Then I tilt the foil package forward and brush the pineapple and pork juices from the bottom over the top of the honeydew.
I leave the package open in the grill for another 10 minutes.
Rest and Slice
I take the ribs off the grill and let them rest for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.

Image of Smoked Baby Back Ribs with Honeydew Glaze

Recipe Note

Recipe FAQ

Do I need a Yoder YS640s to make this?

No. Any pellet grill or smoker that holds a steady 275°F set up for smoking will work. I put the ribs on the second shelf of my YS640s, so if your grill has a different layout, keep the ribs away from direct heat.

How do I know when the ribs are done?

I go by feel, not the clock. The ribs are ready when the package is flexible when you pick it up, and when you open it, the bones are exposed and move freely from the meat when you twist them.

Can I make the honeydew reduction ahead of time?

Yes. The reduction keeps in the refrigerator for up to one week, so you can make it before cook day. If you make it the same day, it fits right into the smoking time, since it simmers for about two and a half hours.

Why do you remove the membrane and trim the ends of the racks?

The thin membrane on the bone side stays tough and keeps the rub and smoke from reaching the meat, so I pull it off using a paper towel for grip. I also check that no bones are exposed on the ends of the racks and trim any I find with a boning knife.

Can I make this recipe indoors?

I'd rate this a 3 out of 5 for indoor cooking. You can cook the ribs at 275°F in the oven, wrap them with the pineapple juice, and make the honeydew reduction on the stove exactly the same way. You'll lose the smoke and the deep bark that make these ribs special, so I recommend the grill.

Recipe Highlights & Insights

The honeydew reduction is simple and surprising. Blending the melon with a little water and simmering it down concentrates the sweetness into a glaze. A little lemon juice and salt at the end keep it bright instead of syrupy.

Watch the pot as the liquid reduces. The more the liquid cooks down, the lower the heat needs to be and the more often you need to stir. That keeps the sugars from sticking and scorching in the Dutch oven.

The wrap does the tenderizing. After about four hours of smoke has built the bark, wrapping the ribs tightly with pineapple juice finishes them until they're flexible and the bones move freely. The pineapple juice also collects at the bottom of the package for brushing on at the end.

The last 10 minutes set the glaze. Brushing on the honeydew reduction and then the pineapple and pork juices from the bottom of the package layers fruity sweetness over the savory rub. Leaving the package open in the grill lets that glaze tighten up before you rest the ribs.