How to Grill Ribs on Charcoal or Gas Grill
This Easy Grilled Baby Back Ribs recipe will show you the best way to season and grill the ribs using a homemade BBQ seasoning and rub. You can prepare these tender, fall off the bone ribs using a gas grill or charcoal.
Servings 6 servings
Calories 250kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 rack baby back ribs Mine weighed 3 pounds.
- 1 tablespoon liquid smoke
- 1 cup BBQ Sauce
Homemade BBQ Rub (Feel free to use your favorite store-bought rub)
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar or sweetener
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika Regular paprika is fine.
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pat the ribs dry. Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs. The best way to remove it is to use a small knife and a paper towel. The paper towel will help because it's really slippery. I have removed the membrane without it, plenty of times. Do what works best for you.
- Drizzle liquid smoke onto both sides of the ribs.
- Sprinkle the BBQ rub throughout onto both sides of the ribs. Use your hands to press it down into the meat so that it penetrates the meat.
- If you plan to serve the ribs with only a dry rub and no BBQ sauce, I recommend prepping the ribs overnight (or 10-12 hours) for amazing flavor.If you plan to serve them with BBQ sauce, 2 hours in advance is optimal, but still not required. When you prep the meat it allows the spices to penetrate and enhances the flavor.Store the ribs covered and in the refrigerator.
- Preheat your grill to 250 degrees. For a gas grill I light one of the burners and adjust the heat on it to medium. Close the grill and allow it to reach a temperature between 250 and 300 degrees.
- Place the ribs on the grill, meat side up, on the area of the grill that isn't lit with a burner. For example, I light the burner to the far left and I place the ribs in the middle and toward the right. Ribs are slow cooked using indirect heat. You don't want to place them on the area of the grill with the most heat.
- Grill the ribs for 90 minutes to two hours. You can test if the ribs are finished cooking by using a meat thermometer. Pork ribs should cook to a minimum temperature of 145 degrees.
- Drizzle and brush bbq sauce onto both sides of the ribs. Allow them to cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Remove the ribs from the grill. Cool before serving.
Video
Notes
- You can use any cut of ribs in this recipe.
- A lot of recipes call for mustard. Mustard is used to rub down the ribs prior to applying the dry rub to help it stick. I don't have a problem with getting the rub to stick. Feel free to use mustard if you wish.
- You can use any BBQ Rub or seasoning you like. Ensure the ribs are fully coated.
- Liquid Smoke is optional. Omit it if you wish.
- I don’t find a liquid marinade necessary for ribs because they are slow-cooked and have a nice amount of fat on them to keep the meat tender and juicy. Feel free to use a liquid marinade if you wish.
- Cook time will vary based on the grill you use, temperature, and the size of your ribs. Check in on them and always use a meat thermometer to ensure doneness.
Nutrition
Serving: 4oz | Calories: 250kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 18g