Tender Pork Ribs On The Grill

Ingredients For Oven Ribs

How To make Tender and Juicy BBQ Ribs – for beginners

RIBS Baby Back are the best choice, they cook to tender perfection. Although the cost is more, it really makes a difference and in my opinion, it is worth the extra money.

SEASONINGS These can be simply seasoned with salt & pepper or use the dry rub below. The homemade rib rub below is easy and inexpensive . Start with the mixture below and change it to your liking. Try cumin, cayenne pepper, or dry mustard.

BBQ SAUCE Use a favorite BBQ sauce, try making your own barbecue sauce, or opt-out completely! My husband loves salt & pepper ribs while I love barbecue sauce mixed with chili sauce for zesty and delicious sticky ribs.

The membrane does not have to be removed from the ribs, but I prefer the texture. On the back of a rack of ribs, there is a very thin layer of the membrane . If you dont see it, it is sometimes it has already been removed at the store.

Quick Overview: How To Cook Ribs In The Oven

Of all the pork recipes on Inspired Taste, these ribs are our most popular . The full ribs recipe is below, but heres a quick overview of the method we follow in our kitchen:

Remove the membrane .

Generously season both sides with salt and pepper. This is also a great opportunity for adding more flavor with your favorite spice rub.

Cover the ribs with aluminum foil.

Bake the ribs at a low temperature for 2 ½ to 4 hours or until they are tender.

Slather the baked ribs with barbecue sauce, and then broil the ribs for a few minutes until the sauce is caramelized.

Five Steps To Tender Flavor

Prepping the ribs. On the underside of the rack, there is a thin, translucent membrane called silverskin. Silverskin is a connective tissue that can be tough and chewy once cooked. Its easy to remove and makes a difference in how easy the meat pulls off the bone when you bite into it. In this video, you can see how to remove the silverskin from pork ribs.

Proper seasoning and time for it to do its work. Its important to use a dry rub that contains salt or be sure to include salt in your process. Salt is the only thing that penetrates the meat and boosts overall flavor, the rest of the seasonings sit on top and flavor the crust. Allowing time for the rub to be on the meat is also important, so give it at least 4 hours, but overnight is even better.

Get some smoke flavor going with real wood chips by using a stainless steel smoker packet or box on a gas grill. Ive used the smoker packet on charcoal too, but it is most helpful on gas since there is less smoke flavor produced with gas.

Finish the ribs low and slow in the oven to give the fat and collagen time to break down and melt into the meat.

Dont overcook the ribs. Use an instant-read thermometer to know when theyre done. You want to hit the sweet spot of 190 to 203°F internal temperature.

TIP: Take care to insert the thermometer in the exact center of the thicker part of the meat without hitting the bone.

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Season the ribs with dry rub and wrap the ribs in foil before leaving the house.

Toss it right on the grill – use indirect heat and cover with a large aluminum bowl. The bowl will mimic the oven and keep the temperature consistent.

After 2 hours, remove from foil, slather with sauce and finish on the hot side of the grill. Remember the ribs are cooked at this point, you just need to sear on the sauce!

How Long Do You Cook Country Style Pork Ribs In The Oven At 375

Melt in your mouth tender barbecue pork ribs!

45 minDirections

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F .

Place pork chops in a baking pan. Spread 1 teaspoon of butter over each chop, then spread 1 teaspoon of mayonnaise over butter.

Bake 35 minutes in preheated oven, or until the internal temperature of the chops has reached 145 degrees F .

Set oven to 425°F.

Line a baking sheet with foil, then arrange the ribs in a single layer.

Season with season salt and pepper.

Bake for about 25 minutes turn the ribs over and bake for another 15 minutes or until browned.

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How To Know When Ribs Are Done

People talk a lot about fall off the bone tender ribs, but if the meat is falling off the bone, its actually overcooked. The goal is to have tender ribs that give way when you bite into them but still have a meaty chew.

Use an instant-read thermometer and also sink a fork into the thickest part of the meat to test how easy it is to pull the meat away from the bone . I always use a thermometer when grilling!

There is a sweet spot of 190 to 203°F when the fats and collagen melts around the meat creating a juicy, more tender result. This is well beyond the 145°F temp the USDA declares ribs to be done. If you stop cooking ribs at that temp, youll still have tough ribs. According to Amazing Ribs, there are at least six ways to test ribs for doneness.

How Long Do You Grill Ribs At 300 Degrees

Season liberally with the secret sweet rub and prepare your grill for indirect grilling. The target temperature on your grill is 300 degrees F. Use fruit woods like apple, peach, cherry, or hardwoods like hickory or oak. Place the ribs on the grill, close the lid and cook for 2 1/2 hours at 300 degrees.

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How To Charcoal Grill Ribs

Now that our grill is ready, its time to get this rib cook-off going! Place the racks on the grate of the grill, ensuring that theyre placed on the half of the grate without charcoal underneath it, next to the water pan. Place them with the rib side of the rack facing down.

Aim to cook for 3-4 hours for baby back ribs, or 4-5 hours for spare ribs.

After one hour check on the ribs, making sure that the charcoals are burning nicely and keeping the grill hot. Also check that theres enough water in the pan to maintain a healthy supply of steam.

Add a few more wood chunks to the coals and turn the ribs over to help give you a more even cook.

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Can Pork Ribs Be Cooked In An Oven

How to Make Tender Pork Ribs

Yes, they absolutely can. You will of course miss out on the amazing flavors imparted by hours of cooking on the grill. Those subtle charcoal and smoke flavors are a thing of beauty to be sure.

That said, not everyone has a grill or smoker. That doesnt mean you shouldnt make ribs. And determining if the ribs are done when using an oven is done the same way as when ribs are cooking outdoors.

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Pork Spare Rib Nutrition

Connecticut’s Department of Consumer Protection defines spare ribs as the cut of meat at the bottom portion of the pig’s mid-section from the fat back side of the belly, including portions of the rib cartilages and possibly a part of the split breast bone.

Loin back or baby back ribs are cut from the top of the rib cage and are meatier, bigger and require a longer cooking time. Each full slab of spare ribs contains 12 bones, according to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Cooked pork spare ribs are high in calories and fat. According to the USDA, 100 grams or a 3.5-ounce serving, delivers 397 calories â that’s about 20 percent of the daily value . In comparison, pork back ribs provide 292 calories or 15 percent of the DV for the same amount.

Most of the calories in pork ribs come from fat. Pork spare ribs are meatier than back ribs and contain 30.3 grams of fat plus a hefty amount of cholesterol â 121 milligrams or 40 percent of the DV. The U.S. National Library of Medicine states that if you are trying to lower your cholesterol, you should limit your intake to 200 milligrams a day.

Any carbs or sugar you get from pork ribs will come from the sauce and other ingredients you add to the mix. The meat is carb-free. Spare ribs are a good source of protein, offering 40 percent of the daily recommended value for this nutrient in each 3.5-ounce serving.

Adjust The Recipe For A Slow Cooker:

Cook ribs on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 3-4 this will vary based on the cooker itself. My own slow cooker runs hotter than any Ive ever had before. If you know your appliance, youll have a better idea of the timing. And ultimately, you want to check the doneness with an instant-read thermometer for best results.
You will also adjust the liquid to using only 1 CUP of beer when using a slow cooker to finish the ribs.

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How To Make Baby Back Ribs In The Oven

Grilling not an option? Its super easy to make tender ribs in the oven too. Depending on the size of your oven you may need to cut them into smaller racks. Bake them in the oven at 275° wrapped in foil for 2 hours. Then remove the foil and cook for an additional 1 to 1.5 hours until the ribs temp is 200° or you can easily pull the meat off the bone

The first time I made these in the oven someone had given me some apple wood chips, so I now add a small pan of soaked wood chips to impart some nice flavors when I make them in the oven.

How To Tell If They Are Done

This is the biggest issue. Too long, and they are dry and overcooked. Too short, and they are tough. I’m combining three things.

1) Temperature, I want the instant-read temperature at 190° plus range. More like 200°-205° is better. It is hard to get an accurate temperature due to the thin meat and the bones interfering.

2) I want to see some bone. This means the ends of the rib bones are sticking out some.

3) When I pick up the ribs with tongs holding them about of the way up, they crack some.

If you use a larger rib like a St. Louis or similar, they will also take longer. DO NOT GO BY TIME ONLY HERE.

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What Are Baby Back Ribs

Back ribs are cut from the top/back part of the rib, where it meets the spine. They are called baby back since they are shorter than the other rib cuts. They will usually be 10-12 ribs that are 4-5 inches give or take a little and usually weighs 1 ½ to 2 pounds.

Since they are meatier and in higher demand, they will cost more but well worth the price.

The 4 Main Types Of Ribs And How To Prepare Them

There are quite a few different ribs out there, especially when it comes to styles and how people prepare them.

However, Im going to tell you about the 4 types of ribs youre most likely to come across at your local butcher or in a supermarket.

If you look at a pig and its anatomy, youll notice pigs have 14 rib bones attached to the spine of the pig.

Today, we will cover the four most popular cuts:

Spare ribs

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How To Cook Pork Ribs On A Charcoal Grill

Smoking with charcoal is tricky. The main difficulty is maintaining a low temperature. Most charcoal grills are designed to give you a hot fire for cooking burgers and steaks, not for hours and hours of cooking.

You also have to set up your charcoal grill for indirect heat that means the charcoals stay on one side of the grill, and the ribs stay on the other.

Measuring and arranging the charcoal briquettes is key. If you add the same amount of charcoal you would for cooking burgers, the grill will be way too hot. Also, if you light all of the charcoal at once, it may not stay hot long enough to smoke your ribs. One recent innovation to help solve this problem is the snake method, where you arrange the briquettes in a line that slowly ignites as you smoke.

You wont be able to regulate the temperature at the touch of a button. If the fire dies out, youll need to open the charcoal grill and add more briquettes. In a worst-case scenario, youll need to take the ribs out and relight completely. In both cases, the meat will cool down, drastically increasing your cook time.

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How To Choose The Best Ribs

How to grill One Hour Spare Ribs | Recipe

The first step to perfectly cooked ribs in the oven is buying the best ribs possible. Not all ribs are created equal and knowing what to look for when youre at the butcher is key. Heres what to look for:

Meaty Ribs

When shopping for ribs, pay attention to their meat coverage. Avoid choosing ribs with thin patches of meat or completely exposed rib bones without any meat coverage. Ribs should be plump with an even thickness of meat from rib to rib. This ensures the ribs cook evenly in the oven.

Fat

Regardless of the type of ribs you buy, you want to see some fat. However, avoid ribs with large concentrations of fat in one area of the rack. Look for racks with fat that is evenly spaced and well-marbled throughout.

Color and Texture

Ribs that are fresh and not previously frozen are always the best route to go. If youre unsure if the ribs youre considering were frozen, check for any discoloration or rough, dry edges. This can indicate freezer burn from prolonged storage in the freezer.

Size

If youre buying multiple racks to serve a family, look for racks that are similar in size. This ensures each slab will cook evenly and limit the chance for smaller racks of ribs to dry out before the larger racks come to temperature.

Shape

You Can Distinguish Spare Ribs By:

Bones – Compared to the baby back ribs, spares are a lot flatter and straighter.

– When separating the ribs, spare ribs are cut away from the baby backs near the marrow of the bone. So, spare ribs will have visible marrow at one end.

Cartilage -On the opposite end of the rib, you will see some cartilage and gristle. This is where the ribs taper as they reach the chest of the pig.

Flavor -Many people attest that spare ribs are a lot richer and flavorful compared to others. Of course, this all depends on your taste.

When the going gets tough, the tough eat ribs. – Nora Roberts, Author

How To Tell When Pork Chops Are Done

Pork is done when an internal thermometer reads 145° F. Depending on how thick the chops are, you might need to subtract or add a few minutes from the suggested cook times in our recipe below.

If you look closely, the pork chop in the back of the pan is thicker than the one in the front.

When we were cooking them, we removed the thinner chop first since it reached 145° F a few minutes before the thicker chop.

So if your chops arent all the same thickness or size, its best to check the temperature of each chop and remove them as they finish cooking.

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Baby Back Ribs In The Oven

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees.

Remove the membrane on the ribs.

Season all sides of your ribs with your rub on top a piece of foil.

Place the ribs on the foil on a cookie sheet. Make sure they have enough room and arent crowded. Dont try to cram multiple slabs on one. If youre using Baby Back Ribs, place the bone side up. If youre using Country Style Ribs you should place them on their side.

Tent your ribs with the foil and make sure the tented part doesnt touch the ribs.

Place the ribs on the center rack of your oven and bake for 2 ½ to 3 hours. Total time will depend on the size of your ribs.

Remove the ribs from the oven, open the tin foil and flip them so the bone side is now down and the meaty side is up. Slather them with barbecue sauce on both sides.

Cook, uncovered for another 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and rest 10 minutes. Dont skip this step! It helps to keep the meat moist, tender and improves the texture.

Cover with additional barbecue sauce and serve!

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How To Start A Charcoal Grill

Remove the grates and open any vents
Pile in the charcoals and arrange across the barrel
Carefully squirt lighter fluid all over the unlit charcoal and let it sit for 10 minutes or so

Light the charcoals with a match and when the flame dies down put the grill grates back on
Adjust the vents to reach a temperature of 250°F

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