How To Cut Ribs
Our Smithfield baby back ribs are so tender, they will practically melt under the knife. They are so easy to cut and so delicious!
How Long To Smoke Pork Spare Ribs
With your smoker running strong at 250 degrees F, you can anticipate that your spare ribs will take 4.5-5.5 hours to fully cook. Make sure you have a handy meat thermometer nearby to check your temperature throughout the cook.
I like to test my ribs for tenderness by using the bend test. Using tongs at the end, lift the last 3 ribs and give them a slight bend. You want to see your ribs start to split and shred a little bit. Another doneness indicator is looking at the exposed bones on your ribs. You will start to see the meat pull back from the bones when your ribs are almost done. Finally, you can test for temperature. I like my ribs to be sitting between 200-205 degrees F.
Maintaining Consistent Heat In A Gas Grill
If you cant operate your gas grill accurately, you cant cook your pork ribs up to the par. So, if you are new to smoking, learn to control the temperature of your gas grill before starting to cook.
For baby back ribs, a grill temperature of 225-250°F is optimum to prevent the drying of meat. Also, owing to the long cooking time of ribs, it is best to set an indirect heating zone in the grill. You can do this by not lighting all the burners.
You May Like: How To Grill Skinless Salmon On A Gas Grill
How Do You Slow Cook Ribs On A Weber Grill
Prepare the grill for direct and indirect cooking over low heat . Combine the rub ingredients, including 1 tablespoon black pepper and 2 1/2 teaspoons salt. Season the ribs evenly with the rub. Grill the ribs over direct low heat, with the lid closed, until nicely marked, 10 to 12 minutes, turning once.
What Are Pork Spare Ribs
Pork spare ribs are the full rack of ribs on the lower/belly side of a pig. Fattier than baby back ribs, spare ribs are the preference for BBQ restaurants because they have plenty of intramuscular fat to stay nice and juicy through the smoking process. St. Louis style ribs are a trimmed down version of full spare ribs.
Full spares can occasionally be difficult to find in grocery stores, but if your local shop carries them you are likely to find a really great per pound price on them. I often stock up on spare ribs when my store gets a big order in because they are so affordable. For more information on the various cuts of ribs, check out my full guide to smoked ribs.
Recommended Reading: How To Clean Charbroil Grill Grates
What Are Baby Back Ribs
Also known as loin back ribs, baby back ribs are from around the loin area rather than the belly, and are more tender than spare ribs. Theyre curved and short with plenty of lean meat on the bones.
Baby back ribs are pork, and are also called pork back ribs. When you eat bone-in pork rib loin chops, the baby back ribs are a part of that cut.
What To Serve With Ribs
We love these ribs. Here are some of our favorite dishes to serve alongside them:
You can never go wrong with potatoes! I love our Creamy Potato Salad, but when Im looking for something a little bit lighter, I turn to this Mayo-free Herby Potato Salad. These Crispy Roasted Potatoes or even mashed potatoes are also excellent options. Here are our recipes for Mashed Potatoes or Mashed Sweet Potatoes.
Pasta salad is a favorite around here. For a veggie-packed salad, try our Easy Pasta Salad or for a creamier salad, I love this Easy Creamy Macaroni Salad.
Anytime Im serving heartier meat dishes, I love serving them with a big salad. Throw your favorite salad greens into a big bowl and serve alongside one of these homemade dressings: Honey Mustard, Creamy Blue Cheese, or try my favorite Homemade Ranch.
Don’t Miss: What Temp To Grill Thick Pork Chops
Bbq Ribs In The Oven Then Grill Recipe
May 19, 2020
If you want succulent, fall-off-the-bone BBQ ribs then the only way to go is to bake them in the oven first, and then finish them off on the grill. Slathering them with a sticky, homemade BBQ sauce of course.
This 2-step process will assure the most fantastic sticky ribs that fall off the bone and will be talked about for weeks afterward! They are that good!
Our #1 Secret For Tender Ribs
The best, most fool-proof way to make sure that your ribs are fall off the bone tender is to bake them, covered, at a low temperature in your oven. We bake our ribs in a 275° F oven for two to three hours. It is this simple method that guarantees tender ribs!
We learned how to make oven-baked ribs from Steamy Kitchen and have never looked back! So we suggest you prep the ribs, pick out a favorite movie, open a beer, and relax until done.
These baked ribs are so easy all you need is time. We bake the ribs before adding any sauce, and then when baked, we brush on our favorite barbecue sauce.
You can use the barbecue sauce suggested in the recipe below or use your favorite homemade or store-bought sauce.
We use a similar sauce when making these barbecue chicken wings. You can also season the ribs with your favorite BBQ rub. We keep our ribs simple in the video and only use salt and pepper, but you can always add more flavor with a spice rub.
You May Like: Cleaning Cast Iron Grill Pan
How To Smoke Spare Ribs
You can smoke spare ribs on whatever type of indirect smoke you have in your backyard. This is one of the most simple and straightforward methods for smoked spare ribs because sometimes, simple really is the best. Heres how to do it:
How To Cook Ribs On A Charcoal Grill
Smoke the perfect barbecue pork ribs on your charcoal grill with our step-by-step recipe and guide. Cooked over indirect heat and applewood, this smoked rack of spare ribs will rival anything youve had before.
Any good BBQ chef knows his way around a good rack of ribs, but some fall short by thinking they dont have the right equipment. While ribs are traditionally cooked in a smoker or Kamado grill, they can actually easily be made on a charcoal grill as well.
Charcoal grills are often underrated for their flexibility, and unlike their gas brothers, they can actually be turned into brilliant smokers without compromising on that classic smoky BBQ taste.
Todays guide will walk through the steps on how to cook ribs on a charcoal grill.
Need a recipe? Check out our Texas Style Baby Back Ribs
Also Check: What Temp To Grill Pork
How Do You Finish Ribs In The Oven
If you plan to finish cooking your ribs in the oven, preheat it to 250ºF during the last 30 minutes of smoking. Cover the ribs and cook for 2 hours. After 2 hours of smoking, the ribs will have taken on as much smoke as theyll need but they wont be tender yet. Wrap each rack of ribs completely in heavy-duty foil.
Gather Your Ingredients To Prepare These Tender Grilled Spare Ribs
To make this recipe for tender grilled spare ribs, you’ll need just four ingredients, and the first one you can probably guess is none other than spare ribs 2 pounds of pork spare ribs, to be exact. For the smoky barbecue flavor these ribs promise, you’ll start with a dry rub, which you can purchase pre-prepared .
To help the dry rub adhere to the meat, you’ll need 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil. For the last few moments of cooking these tender grilled spare ribs, you’ll need 1 ½ cups of barbecue sauce. A great choice is the one pictured above by Bull’s-Eye, but you can pick up whatever you’d like.
Recommended Reading: Pork Chop Temperature Chart
The Best Pork Ribs On A Gas Grill
My favorite meat ever will always be pork. Always. From ham, pork chops, pulled pork to delicious pork ribs like this recipe I am sharing today. I grew up near pig farms so it’s always been a familiar and comforting food to me. However, I had no idea, until recently that one-third of all the pork raised in the U.S. comes from Iowa! I have a good pork farming friend in Iowa. She has taught me a lot about how her modern family farm works.
Prebake In A Low Oven
Place the racks of ribs on two baking sheets, being sure that there is a lip on the pan to collect the juices as the meat cooks. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for at least 3 hours.
Check for tenderness
The meat will be very tender when you have cooked enough and the meat will easily pull from the bone.
Set aside and get the grill ready
Remove the ribs from the oven and set aside while you prepare the grill.
Don’t Miss: Clean Stainless Steel Grills
How To Smoke Ribs On A Pellet Grill: Variations Of The 3
Some people do not want their smoked ribs to fall apart or for the meat to fall off the bones.
If you think you are one of them, the 3-2-1 method is not best for you. This cooking process might be too long, and you might feel that it overcooks your meat.
The good thing is that you can achieve the desired results simply by tweaking some of the steps outlined above. You can shorten the second step from two hours to 45 minutes and step three from one hour to 30 minutes.
You could also reduce the first step to two hours and maintain the rest. As you gain more experience smoking ribs, you might even learn to do it by feeling and looking instead of by time.
Go Easy On The Seasonings
When it comes to seasoning ribs, you want to be very conservative good ribs have a great flavor all on their own and don’t need a lot of enhancement. It is also important to avoid adding barbecue sauce to ribs early in the process. Most barbecue sauces, whether store-bought or homemade, contain some kind of sugar . This can cause your barbecue ribs to burn, even when cooked indirectly.
Try using a good rub before you grill, and if you like, a barbecue sauce after the grilling is done. If you are adding a sauce, try using a mop. A mop is a thin barbecue sauce that you brush on during grilling to help maintain moisture and to add flavor. Sometimes you will hear it referred to as a baste.
You can also fill a spray bottle with a thin barbecue sauce, thin meaning it is practically water. Try a mixture of paprika, water, and a few other seasonings. By spraying the ribs with this mixture during grilling you will add moisture, reduce burning, and add flavor to your barbecue ribs.
Recommended Reading: Best Grill Temp For Pork Chops
Should I Wrap Ribs In Foil When Grilling
Wrapping the meat in foil will limit the amount of smoke on the surface of the meat thus yielding a better color and flavor on the final product. It also adds moisture and speeds up cooking time. Wrapping should be done about half way through the cooking process or when internal meat temp is 150-160 degrees.
Barbecue Sauce For Pork Ribs
The barbecue sauce in this recipe is used for both glazing and serving. It is literally a plonk and simmer job. Low maintenance and effortless, and really tastes of pure flavour compared to store bought .
It will look like were making a LOT, with the recipe calling for 1 1/2 cups of ketchup. But trust me when I say you want to have more rather than too little. Theres nothing worse than being stingy when glazing the ribs you want to slather generously with abundance without worrying about saving some for serving!
Read Also: How To Grill Salmon Burgers From Whole Foods
What Do I Need To Make Baby Back Ribs On The Grill
- Smithfield baby back ribs*
- Rib dry rub
- Barbecue sauce
- Garlic powder
*I use Smithfield® ribs exclusively! Smithfield Extra Meaty Fresh Pork Back Ribs is my #1 choice for grilling ribs.
Each package is hand-selected and hand-trimmed so you know youre getting the most meat on each bone, and the flavor is irresistible. Theyre meaty, cook to fall-off-the-bone perfection, and are tender on the grill or in the oven.
Theres a reason Smithfield is the #1 rib brand in the U.S. You should eat what you love so I always choose Smithfield products! Their ribs, pulled pork, and pork chops are always my familys favorite to grill up quick weekday meals or smoked dinners over the weekend.
Smithfield Ribs are easy to find at your local Walmart or through the online Walmart Store. This way, you know youre getting a deal for the best ribs!
How To Smoke Ribs On A Pellet Grill: The 3
The most popular procedure for smoking ribs on a pellet grill is the 3-2-1 method. Its name comes from the number of hours you cook the meat using three different techniques.
The first step is to smoke the ribs for three hours. After this, you wrap it in foil and continue cooking it for two hours. Finally, you unwrap it, sauce it, then cook for another hour.
If you use this method, you will get smoked ribs that are so tender that the meat falls off the bone. Many people prefer this, but you can tweak the procedure if you want to bite the meat off the bone.
We will discuss more of this later on.
You May Like: The Acorn Smoker
How Long To Cook Ribs On The Grill
Ive found that the sweet spot for cooking ribs on the grill is about one hour. Yes, many barbecue restaurants will cook for hours and hours. This is more of a slow-cooking method and theyve got pitmasters to watch those grills like a hawk for hours at a time.
I personally dont have time for that. So if you want to cook pork ribs on the grill at home, I recommend grilling them for 45 minutes with just the dry rub, then dousing them with bbq sauce, flipping them over, and grilling for an additional 15 minutes.
If youre cooking grilled beef ribs, you may need a little more time simply because beef ribs are typically bigger than pork ribs. Adjust your initial cooking time by adding about 15 minutes. If the ribs have an internal temperature of between 200 and 203 degrees F, theyre done and you can move onto the saucing step!
Treat The Meat To A Spice Rub
Taste of Home
Trust us: You want to add the spice rub. Like making the marinade, its simple to prep, just tossing some ingredients together in a bowl. Here, we use the remaining ½ cup sugar, plus salt and seasonings.
Take the ribs out of the fridge. Drain and discard the marinade from the 13×9. Pat the ribs dry . Rub the spice mixture over all sides of the ribs, patting with your fingertips to encourage it to adhere.
Test Kitchen Tip: When it comes to ribs, some people only use a marinade. Some people only use spice rub. We like to do both! Marinading adds layers of flavor that penetrate deep into the meat, while the spice rub adds flavor to the surface of the meat. When the grill sears the ribs, the spicy, crackling exterior of the meat makes a delicious contrast to the tender, succulent meat inside.
Read Also: How To Clean Traeger Exterior
How To Cook Ribs On A Pellet Grill
Pellet grills are mostly recognized for using an electrically operated thermostat to regulate the temperature and burn wood. By adding wood as required, these grills create a convenient method for cooking or grilling meat and chicken. They add an authentic smokey flavor to your food.
Perhaps the most appealing grill feature of a pellet grill is its ability to maintain a low, consistent temperature for long periods without any modifications. When it comes to cooking beef or even grilled chicken without scorching or drying it out, thats the accuracy youd want. While a pellet smoker is suitable for various foods, the fuel efficiency of this excellent cooker makes it ideal for cooking smoked ribs.
Cooking smoked ribs on a pellet grill can be intimidating, but youll want to try these mistake-proof and straightforward methods to get the perfectly cooked ribs. Worry not as GrillFeatures Wrote an article on the Top 10 best Pellet Grills of all the time to help you enjoy the scrumptious taste!
