Is there anything that says BBQ more than a well cooked rack of ribs? It's one of my favorite things to BBQ and when you get it just right, it's hard to beat. But many people shy away from cooking BBQ ribs because they don't know how. Here are 11 tips that you need to know in order to cook mouth-watering, absolutely-delicious, come-back-for-more BBQ ribs!
1. Remove the membrane
The membrane is a shiny white coating on the back of the ribs. While some cooks and restaurants don't remove the membrane, I've found that doing so allows all the flavors you'll add to season the meat better. So take a couple of minutes and remove the membrane! Take the handle of a dinner spoon and work it under the membrane near one of the bones. When it separates from the meat a little, work your finger under the membrane and pull up. Then use a paper towel (because the membrane is slippery) to pull it off the rest of the way.
2. Use mustard
3. Rub the ribs
You'll want to season the ribs with a rib rub. There are many out there, both commercial and homemade. I have some rubs for ribs on Outdoor Cooking Magic if you don't have one you want to use. This is one of my favorites:
Rib Rub Recipe
1/2 cup onion powder 1/2 cup garlic powder 1/4 cup paprika 1/4 cup kosher salt 1/4 dark brown sugar 2 Tbsp chili powder 1 Tbsp cumin 1 Tbsp black pepper 1 Tbsp saltMix the ingredients together and use on ribs, brisket, pork chops.
After you apply the mustard, sprinkle the rub on and work it into the meat. Wrap in plastic wrap and put in the fridge overnight. This will allow the rub to mix with the meat a bit. Before you put the ribs on the grill, sprinkle a little bit more rub on. This will help create the crusty rib covering that will give your BBQ ribs great flavor.
4. Cook low and slow
Ribs are best done at lower temps. Don't cook them at the high temperature you would use for a steak. They'll be much better flavored and much more tender if you keep the temperatures low. It will take longer, like about 6 hours, but the wait will be worth it. And the incredible smell that you'll have while the ribs cook slowly will entice everyone to come over and see what you are doing!
5. Cook on indirect heat
In order to cook the ribs slowly, you'll need to cook them using indirect heat. That means that you don't have them right over the coals or over the flame of a gas/propane grill. Either push the coals to the side, or put the ribs over part of the grill where you don't have a flame. Even better, use a grill that has a side firebox which contains the coals. This side firebox typically looks like a very small grill and is attached to the side of your grill where you'll be cooking your ribs. There is also an intake which can be opened or closed to control air coming into the firebox.
6. Use some wood
BBQ Ribs taste marvelous when they've also been exposed to smoke while they are slow cooking. So no matter which indirect method you use, add some wood chips to the coals or put them in a foil packet with some holes poked in that is placed over the gas flame in a gas grill. I like to use a mixture of hickory, apple, and cherry chips. But many swear by oak and some even use peach. Get a bag or two of some different types of wood chips and see which one you like.
7. Start cooking the BBQ ribs by smoking for 3 hours
During the first part of your BBQ, keep the ribs at 225 for about 3 hours. Add some more briquettes and wood chips every hour to keep the heat and smoke coming (sometimes I'll add the wood chips a little more often). This is when the ribs absorb the flavor of the smoke. You should see them start to pull away from the bone a bit. If they haven't, you can cook them for 1 more hour for a total of 4. Sometimes this is because the thermometer that you are using (like the one built into your grill) isn't particularly accurate, nor does it tell you what the temperature is down where the ribs are. Do yourself a favor and get a real BBQ thermometer. It will help you with all of your outdoor cooking.
8. It's time to foil!
After you've cooked the ribs in that wonderful smelling smoke, you need to get ready to foil the ribs. Take a large piece of foil, and place your ribs on it. Spray the ribs generously with apple juice. Seal the foil around the ribs and put back on the grill. You'll do this for two hours. The apple juice provides yet another flavor to the set of flavors you are adding to the ribs and provides some moisture to help the ribs get tender.
When the two hours is up, check your ribs and you should find that they are very tender now. Almost fall-off-the-bone tender. Some people don't like ribs quite that much done, so adjust the timing to suit what you like.
9. The finishing touch
Finally, remove the ribs from the foil and return to the grill. This will help dry the ribs a bit, after being cooked in the juice, but will also give you the chance to add a bit more smoke if you like by putting some more chips on the coals. After 45 minutes, brush on your favorite sauce and allow that to caramelize a bit. That adds the last delicious flavor to your ribs.
10. How to tell if the BBQ ribs Are Done
Pick up one end of the ribs with your tongs. If the meat starts to tear as it bends in the middle, they are done!
11. Serve with grilled side dishes
While these ribs will be stupendous, they'll be even better if you can serve with with some delicious side dishes. Baked beans and Grilled Corn on the Cob are naturals and go great with ribs.
I'd love to hear what tips you have. Please share them in the comments below.
P.S. If you would like to take cooking ribs to a whole new level, see Competition BBQ Secrets. This is written by a professional BBQ competitor who has to be at the top of his game every time he cooks, since he is cooking against some of the best outdoor cooks around. You'll learn exactly how he does that.
3 comments
I had heard also that it can be a good idea to boil them in beer (or water/broth) first, because boiling increases the flavor and reduces the fat. Then, pat dry, do your rub, andslow cook on the grill or in the smoker. I’ve never made them this way, but I wondered what the experts thought of this method?
Cynthia, I’ve heard of this also, but I think most people who BBQ ribs are adamant that boiling them in water will greatly reduce the flavor of the ribs. That’s my experience as well. All you end up doing is flavoring the water. Don’t know about broth or beer. I’ve never tried those. Any others have thoughts on this?
The principal event of any BBQ is absolutely meat. This doesn’t mean even so that you could have to limit yourself to grilling meat when summer rolls around. Plus, some of your guests may perhaps be vegetarian or don’t eat red meat.