No matter how closely I watch my ribs they always seem to burn after I put the barbecue sauce on. What am I doing wrong?

Most barbecue sauces contain a lot of sugar, and if you apply them too early, that sugar will burn before the meat is actually cooked. I almost always cook my ribs without sauce, serving the sauce on the side. If you do want to glaze the ribs with sauce, do so during the last three to five minutes of cooking.