Grilled Ribs (Printable View)
Smoky, tender pork ribs rubbed with brown sugar and spices, slow-grilled and finished with a sticky barbecue glaze.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 2 racks (approximately 4.4 lbs) pork baby back ribs
→ Spice Rub
02 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar
03 - 1 tablespoon paprika
04 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
07 - 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
08 - 1 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
→ Glaze & Basting
10 - 3/4 cup barbecue sauce
11 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
# How To Make It:
01 - Remove the membrane from the underside of each rack of ribs to enhance tenderness.
02 - In a small bowl, thoroughly mix all spice rub ingredients until uniform.
03 - Generously coat both sides of each rack with the spice rub. Allow to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes to develop flavor.
04 - Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium indirect heat, approximately 285–320°F.
05 - Tightly wrap each rack in aluminum foil, adding a splash of apple cider vinegar inside each foil packet to retain moisture.
06 - Position the foil-wrapped ribs on the grill, cover, and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes, turning occasionally for even cooking.
07 - Carefully unwrap the ribs and brush both sides generously with barbecue sauce.
08 - Return ribs without foil to the grill over direct medium heat. Grill for 10–15 minutes, turning and basting with additional barbecue sauce, until the exterior is caramelized and slightly charred.
09 - Allow the ribs to rest for 5 minutes before slicing between the bones for serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The spice rub seeps right in, making each bite boldly layered and secretly juicy.
- You get messy hands and smiling faces without a single fussy kitchen gadget in sight.
02 -
- I learned (the messy way) that forgetting to remove the membrane leaves the ribs a bit chewy.
- Swapping in smoked paprika for some of the regular gives a deeper, fireside flavor even on a gas grill.
03 -
- Make sure ribs are fully at room temperature before grilling for even cooking.
- Letting the ribs rest, even briefly, keeps them juicy instead of dry.