Ultra-tender, smoky baby back ribs are braised with butter, brown sugar, and apple juice, then deboned and piled onto soft buns with tangy pickles, sweet onions, and a generous splash of classic BBQ sauce. It’s the nostalgic McRib flavor elevated with real wood smoke and rich, saucy decadence.
Preheat a smoker to 225°F with your preferred hardwood. Remove the membrane from the bone side of the ribs and pat dry.
Season ribs generously on all sides with rib rub.
Place ribs bone-side down on the smoker, close the lid, and smoke for 3 hours.
Prepare two large sheets of heavy-duty foil. Place each rack meat-side down in the center of a foil sheet. Sprinkle each with 1/4 cup brown sugar, top with 1/4 cup sliced pats of butter, and pour 1/2 cup apple juice into the foil packet.
Seal the foil tightly and return the ribs to the smoker, meat-side down. Continue cooking for 2 1/2 hours.
Carefully open the foil to check doneness: the meat should have pulled back about 1/2 inch from the bones and the bones should loosen easily when tugged. Remove from the smoker and rest the ribs in the foil for 10–15 minutes.
Open the foil and gently pull out the rib bones with tongs or your fingers, checking for any stray bone fragments.
Transfer the boneless racks to a cutting board. For 8 servings, cut each rack into 4 equal slabs: slice in half lengthwise, then crosswise.
Assemble sandwiches: place a rib slab on the bottom bun, top with sliced sweet onions and dill pickle slices, and douse with BBQ sauce. Cap with the top bun and serve immediately.