Have you ever wished you could make Grilled Baby Back Ribs? Keep reading and learn the secrets to making tender, juicy and perfectly seasoned ribs every time.
When I started dating my wife I was on a non-red meat diet. She loved baby back ribs and it was one of those foods I had never gotten into.
I had never worked at a restaurant that served ribs, so I never needed to learn how to cook them. That meant unless we went out to dinner, Lisa was stuck eating precooked packaged varieties of ribs that were sold at the grocery store.
I’m almost ashamed to admit that…sigh.
But I have learned the secret of Grilled Baby Back Ribs and how amazingly easy they are to prepare. And I’m going to share what I’ve learned with you so can get the best pork ribs every time you grill, using your gas grill or charcoal.
What do I need to make Grilled Baby Back Ribs?
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Grilled Baby Back Ribs. In Chef Speak this is called the Mise en Place which translates into Everything in its Place.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
If you’re not in the mood to grill my easy-to-make Oven-Baked Baby Back Ribs are delicious!
These are the ingredients used to make my dry rub rib recipe:
- baby back ribs
- barbecue sauce
- brown sugar
- sea salt
- black pepper
- chili powder
- smoked paprika
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- dry mustard
- oregano
Remove the membrane from the back of the rack of ribs
The ribs I purchased already had the membrane removed from the back of the racks so I didn’t have to do this before coating them with my dry rub seasoning mixture. It’s important to remove this part of the ribs before putting the ribs on the grill.
- Use a cutting board with a damp paper towel under the cutting board for stability..
- Slide a dinner knife under the membrane and over a bone at one end of the rack.
- Lift and loosen the membrane until it tears.
- Grab the edge of the membrane with a paper towel and pull it off.
- The membrane may come off in one whole piece, or you may need to remove it in smaller pieces.
Do I need to make a dry rub for my Grilled Baby Back Ribs?
That’s a tricky question because you don’t have to make a dry rub, but you have to season the ribs. So the short is yes you do.
What is a Dry Rub?
A dry rub is a mixture of spices, salt, sugar, herbs, zest and just about any other aromatics you’d like to flavor meat and poultry with.
It can be as simple as you like or layered with complex flavors for a perfect bite every time.
Remember, this is your dinner, make it like you want it to taste.
After preparing the dry rub, the next step is placing a generous coating of the rub on the ribs and actually rubbing it in a bit. Coat both sides of the ribs with the dry rub.
Believe it or not you’re almost ready to put the ribs on the grill!
Cut 8 sections of foil approximately 15 inches by 18 inches. (or if you’re using the 12-inch roll of foil, make the sections 12 inches by 15 inches). Place the ribs on the foil, bone side down.
Wrap each section in one piece of foil, tucking the end pieces in to make a package.
Repeat this process with another piece of foil for each half rack. Place the rack in the opposite direction so the seams aren’t running the same way.
*I like to cut the racks in half before cooking because it makes it easier to serve the individual pre-cut portions. And the smaller racks are easier to flip during the final grilling process when you sauce and brown the ribs.
How do I cook the ribs and how high should the grill temperature be?
Place the double-wrapped ribs on the preheated grill (350 degrees F). You’re going to use indirect heat to cook the ribs for 2.5 hours.
This means the heat will come from the grill elements on each side of the ribs, not directly under it. This makes your grill more like an oven, allowing you to slow roast the ribs until that perfect stage of tenderness where they almost fall apart on their own.
*Chef Dennis Tip
If you have trouble regulating the temperature of the grill, you may have to adjust your cooking time. A 400-degree grill will only take 2 hours, and a 300-degree grill will take an extra 30 minutes to cook. So keep an eye on the grill temperature!
I absolutely love my Meater Plus | Smart Meat Thermometer It takes all the guesswork out of cooking meats in the oven, on the grill, or in a smoker.
*Chef Dennis Tip
Rotate the foil packages halfway through the process, switching the ribs in the front with the ribs in the back. Don’t open the grill often to check on things, trust in the process.
After carefully unwrapping the ribs, coat them with your favorite barbecue sauce and place them back over direct heat on clean and oil-coated grill racks to finish the grilling process.
If there is any juice in the foil packets, add it to your barbecue sauce before coating the ribs.
*Chef Dennis Tip
The ribs will be fall-apart tender at this point so make sure to either oil the grill or use grill pan spray before placing the sauced ribs on the grill to brown and get those lovely grill marks.
Can I cook the Baby Back Ribs in the Oven?
Yes, you can. The process is exactly the same for the grill or for the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and plan on the ribs taking about 2.5 hours. Check the internal temperature it should be from 180-190 degrees for fall off the bone ribs.
Place a sheet pan under the foil packets to catch any juice that may find its way out of the packet.
Finish the ribs under the broiler after saucing. You won’t get the pretty grill marks under the broiler but the barbecue sauce will still caramelize adding extra flavor to the ribs.
You can also finish the ribs on your grill if you want to make everyone think you made Grilled Baby Back Ribs.
Any way you cook up these ribs, they’re going to be fall-apart tender, moist and oh so delicious. Making ribs at home will not only save you money but impress your friends and family will your grilling prowess!
And after tasting them, I’m sure you’ll agree this is the best baby back rib recipe you’ve ever used.
Recipe FAQ’s:
Wrapping seasoned ribs in foil will limit the amount of direct heat and smoke on the surface of the meat, yielding a better color and flavor on the finished product.
While grilling gives a distinct flavor to the ribs, baking is also a good option for cooking ribs.
Baking gives you more control over how quickly the ribs are cooked. Ovens have controlled temperature which helps you determine the correct temperature so your ribs are overcooked or undercooked.
Cook the foil-wrapped ribs over indirect heat. That means no coals or flame directly under them. Cook over indirect heat until the internal temperature of the ribs reads 180 – 190 degrees.
More Recipes You’ll Love!
Dry Rub Grilled Baby Back Ribs
Equipment
- Barbecue Grill
Ingredients
- 2 racks baby back ribs **1½ – 2½ pounds per rack
- 1 cup barbecue sauce your favorite brand
Dry Rub
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp sea salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- 1 tsp oregano
Instructions
Dry Rub
- Mix all the seasonings together in a small bow. Use a fork to beak up any lumps.
Baby Back Ribs
- Coat both sides of the racks with the dry rub. Rub the seasonings into the meat.
- Wrap each section in one piece of foil, tucking the end pieces in to make a package.
- Repeat this process with another piece of foil for each half rack. Place the rack in the opposite direction so the seams aren't running the same way.
- Place the dry-rubbed ribs in the refrigerator for two hours to allow the dry rub to penetrate into the meat.
- Preheat your grill to 350 degrees F. Set up the grill for indirect heat, leaving one area unlit.
- Place the ribs on the unlit section of the grill. This will allow the ribs to cook slowly using indirect heat. Close the grill and leave the ribs alone for 1 hour. At this point rotate the foil packages switching the ribs in the front with the ribs in the back of the grill. Close the grill and allow the ribs to finish cooking until an internal temperature of 180-190 degrees is reached.
- Carefully unwrap the ribs. Coat them with your favorite barbecue sauce and place them back over direct heat on clean and oil-coated grill racks to finish the grilling process. Flip the ribs once to finish caramelizing the barbecue sauce on both sides. This will only take a few minutes.*If there is any juice in the foil packets, add it to your barbecue sauce before coating the ribs.
- Serve the ribs with your favorite sides and enjoy!
Notes
- At one end of the rack, slide a dinner knife under the membrane and over a bone.
- Lift and loosen the membrane until it tears.
- Grab the edge of the membrane with a paper towel and pull it off.
- The membrane may come off in one whole piece, or you may need to remove it in smaller pieces.
Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer
Oh my heavens they look amazing. So tender and juicy. I’m loving the flavors in your rub too! Adding these to the menu this weekend! Thank you so much for sharing!
Shelley
So, you hooked me from the very first sentence here, Dennis … I’ve never made grilled baby back ribs – as you said, they just seem difficult and too much trouble. Now I see it’s not much trouble at all! Lucky for me (and for Lisa LOL!). And thanks for mentioning that this can all happen in the oven, too – here in Ohio, there are definitely times of year when grilling just doesn’t seem like much fun! Another wonderful post – I always learn so much from you!
Jen Talley
We always use Reynolds tin foil to cook ribs! Thanks for the great recipe!
Amanda Marie Boyle
I was planning on making ribs this weekend – can’t wait to try this rub recipe!
Sara Hilzendeger
My son prefers dry rubs to sauced ribs or meats. I can’t wait to whip this one up! Also I love the idea of pouring the juice from the foil into the sauce. Why have I never done this?! Genius!
Linda
I guess it’s safe to say that love starts with red meat and this baby back ribs can’t be any better. Now I can’t wait to give this a shot!
Michele Peterson
Thanks for the handy tip about removing the membrane. I don’t make ribs often and didn’t know about this. I’m also a Reynolds Wrap fan – its always easy to roll out of the box – never tears or gets stuck.
Farrah Less
Now I am craving for steak summer will not complete without the BBQ party. I always looking forward to it not only the food but the good conversation with family and friends hopefully this pandemic is gone.
jerry godinho
love ribs, love your blog, love your recipes and love your writing style and pics. Keep up the amazing job. I am trying it this weekend.
Agnes
I baked baby back ribs yesterday and made simple black pepper, salt, and oyster sauce marinade. It turned out good, will try your recipe!
Rose ann sales
New way to cook my baby back ribs! Thankful that you share this recipe.
Kita Bryant
Dry rub is the only way to do it! I would love to have some of those ribs!
Lizzie Lau
I had a similar experience in my cooking career. I took a job on a liveaboard dive boat as a cook and I hadn’t eaten meat since I was 12 years old. I had zero experience cooking meat. The first week on the job I had to cook roast beef for 22 people, and had no idea how long it would take to defrost. We finally ate it on the last night!
Jenn @ EngineerMommy
These ribs sound absolutely amazing and easy to make. My husband would love this dish!
Diana @ Nanny to Mommy
These sound so amazingly delicious! Thank you for sharing the step by steps.
Heather
Dennis these look absolutely delicious!! We love ribs and can’t wait to make this for the weekend.
Bolupe
Oh, these ribs look divine. Like your wife, I have had to rely on pre-cooked packaged ribs from the shops. Not anymore, I will be using your recipe for grilled baby back ribs.
Beth
We’ve never tried making dry rub ribs before. I’ll have to share this recipe with my husband, he loves to cook!
Lynndee
Those ribs look so good. We actually had ribs yesterday but they weren’t grilled. Can’t wait to try this.
Gervin Khan
This is definitely a very enticing recipe and tempting too. I loved the finished product it looks so delicious. I will make this at home without a doubt.