How to Grill Ribs

• by Lia B.

Introduction

• Does your mouth water at the smell of rich smoky ribs cooking over an outdoor open flame? Does the taste of barbeque warm your heart and put a smile on your meat-loving face? Pick your protein of choice, whether it's beef, pork or lamb, and let this guide help you grill the perfect set of ribs.

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Step 1: Types of Ribs

• There are a variety of ribs that are ideal for grilling.

1. Beef ribs are meaty and long and come in slabs of six or seven ribs.^{1 2}
2. Beef short ribs are the tips of the fattest part of the rib and are located above the the area of the cow known as the plate.
3. Pork spareribs are cut from the underbelly of the pig and are fatty and flavorful.¹
4. Pork baby back ribs are a popular cut that comes from the loin and are tender and meatier than spareribs.^{3 2}
5. Rack of lamb consists of eight ribs that are leaner than beef or pork but have a more robust flavor and typically will set you back a bit more financially.^{4 2}

Step 2: Preparing the Ribs

• There are a couple of methods for flavoring ribs prior to barbecuing on the grill. Before you add seasoning, be sure to remove the silvery membrane that runs along the bone-side of the ribs. The membrane is like a fibrous skin that will block the flavor of spices and marinades from penetrating the meat. If you aren't comfortable trimming it yourself, ask your butcher to remove the membrane for you.^{5 6}

Dry Rubs

• Dry rubs use a combination of herbs and spices to impart an added level of flavor to your ribs. You can make your own rub with ingredients as basic as salt, black pepper, sugar, paprika and garlic powder or buy a commercial mixture.^{7 1}

1. Place the ribs on a large platter or tray.
2. Coat the the ribs with the rub, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for at least two hours.⁸

Marinades

• The marinade is a liquid seasoning that flavors and tenderizes the ribs. Higher amounts of salt in the liquid turn it into a brine which is also effective in tenderizing. Keep your marinades thin and sugar-free since thick sauces and sugar will not penetrate the pores of the meat.⁹

1. Place ribs in a large food-safe plastic bag made by Ziploc or Glad or in a deep glass or ceramic bowl.⁶
2. Pour enough liquid to cover the ribs.⁹
3. Seal the bag or cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight or for at least a couple of hours.

Step 3: Prepping the Grill

• The grill you use is as important as the ribs. A gas grill heats up faster and is easier to clean while a charcoal grill imparts more of a smoky flavor. But the basic steps below will ensure that you will be successful with either grill.¹⁰

1. Equip your grill with an oven thermometer. You will want to place it close to the area where you will be placing the ribs.^{11 12}
2. Clean the grate of your grill with a wire brush or a rolled up ball of aluminum foil. A grill clean of past food debris will minimize your ribs sticking.^{13 14}
3. Take a brush or a folded piece of paper towel held by tongs and dip in vegetable oil and rub over the grate of the grill.^{13 14}

The Gas Grill

1. Place a disposable aluminum pan filled with water on top of the grill grate. The water will act as a temperature control and help retain moisture inside the grill.^{15 16}
2. To create a smoke flavor, place wood chips or chunks in the middle of a sheet of aluminum foil and from a small pouch. Cut a few slits on the top of the pouch and place it close to the burners. Make extra pouches so you can continue to replace them as they burn up.
3. Turn on the center burner in your grill, close the cover and heat it to a temperature between 200°F and 225°F.

The Charcoal Grill

1. Place a disposable aluminum pan with boiling water to one side of the bottom of the grill.
2. Heat your charcoal quickly and without the smell and danger of lighter fluid by using a grill chimney or piling your briquettes into a pyramid around a thick wad of newspaper.^{17 18}
3. Once your coals are white hot, place them to the side of the grill opposite of the pan of boiling water.
4. Add wood chips directly on top of the hot coals.
5. Close the lid, place your thermometer onto the vent hole on the lid of the grill and heat your grill to a temperature between 200°F and 225°F.¹⁸

Step 4: Grilling

• Once your grill has reached the optimum temperature, place your ribs on the grate area opposite of the coals or the burner and close the lid. The key to great ribs is the method of cooking called low and slow. Ribs cooked over low indirect heat for a long period of time softens the meat and makes it separate from the bone.¹⁹

1. Check on your ribs after 45 minutes to ensure the temperature stays the same.
2. Keep track of your water pans inside the grill. Add more water if it evaporates or the temperature of your grill gets too hot.¹⁵
3. For added moisture and flavor, baste the ribs several times during cooking with a light sauce called a mop.^{16 8}
4. In the charcoal grill, add more coals as needed.
5. Add wood chips to keep up a consistent smoke to penetrate the meat.
6. Resist the temptation to open the lid more often than is necessary. Each time you remove the top, you allow heat and smoke to escape and disrupt the cooking process.¹⁵

• After three hours of cooking, you will want to test to see if the ribs are done. Cook your ribs longer if they don't do the following:

1. The meat should be pinkish towards the surface, but white or tan close to the bone.
2. The meat should easily break free from itself and the bone.
3. A toothpick or fork should slide smoothly into the meat.
4. A meat thermometer should read 180°F when inserted into the thickest part of the slab.²⁰

• Depending on how many slabs you are cooking and the thickness of the meat, the ribs can take anywhere from 3 to 5 hours to grill. Practice and a little trial and error will help you determine when the ribs are done.

Quick Tip

• There is a shortcut to cooking ribs that cuts about an hour or so off your cooking time. Braising the ribs for 30 minutes to an hour can help make the meat juicy and tender. But be careful, if the water gets too hot and cooks the ribs for too long, the ribs can become tough and dry and lose a lot of flavor.^{8 16 19 21}

Saucing the Ribs

• When your ribs are done it's time to put on the barbecue sauce.

1. Warm the sauce in a small pot or in a microwave.
2. Take the ribs off the grill and remove the water pans.
3. Place the ribs back on the grill and brush on a coat of sauce.
4. Flip the ribs, sauce side down and brush the second side with sauce.
5. Cook the ribs for five minutes on each side.
6. If you want the sauce to be caramelized and charred, place the ribs over direct heat.¹⁹

• Cut the ribs, serve with extra sauce on the side, grab some extra napkins and get down and dirty!

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References for How to Grill Ribs

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Whole Foods Market: Types of Ribs
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} The Cook's Thesaurus: Meats
3. ↑ AmazingRibs.com: Rib Cuts
4. ↑ About.com: Rack of Lamb  
5. ↑ AmazingRibs.com: Trimming
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} KraftFoods.com: Grilling Secrets
7. ↑ About.com: Rub Recipes
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2} HowToDoThings.com: How to Grill
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} AmazingRibs.com: Marinades
10. ↑ AllRecipes.com: Grilling 101
11. ↑ BarbecueN.com: Thermometers
12. ↑ AmazingRibs.com: Thermometers
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1} >BarbecueBible.com: Grill Techniques
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1} FoodNetwork.com: Tips of the Trade
15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1 15.2} AmazingRibs.com: Gas Grill Setup
16. ↑ ^{16.0 16.1 16.2} About.com: Barbecue Ribs
17. ↑ MSNBC.com: Martha Stewart’s smokin’ grilled ribs
18. ↑ ^{18.0 18.1} AmazingRibs.com: Charcoal Grill Setup
19. ↑ ^{19.0 19.1 19.2} AmazingRibs.com: Rib Science
20. ↑ AmazingRibs.com: Are They Ready
21. ↑ OChef.com: Should Spare Ribs be Cooked before Grilling?

How to Grill Ribs Videos

• Video: BBQ Rib Basics (Time: 3:33)

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