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Fall off the bone barbecue ribs cooked on the grill then smothered in saucy tangy BBQ Sauce! Try these with our list of the best sides for ribs!
Mmmmmm BBQ ribs! Finger-lickin’ good, and so perfect for summer! I know some people like to cook BBQ ribs in the oven, but I love cooking them on the grill so today I thought I’d share with you my recipe for Grilled BBQ Ribs made right on the grill. Grilling ribs is easier than you might think, you just need to make sure to follow the steps correctly for the best result. If you don’t, you might be left with dried out ribs, and who likes that? Grilled BBQ Ribs are just perfect for summer!
How to Grill Ribs
- Trim the ribs – trim excess fat off of the ribs.
- Remove the membrane – the membrane is going to be on the side with all of the bones. You’ll need a knife – starting at one end, kinda wiggle the knife under the membrane. Once you get it going, you’ll be able to grab onto it and pull it off. It’s going to be slippery though so you might want to use a paper towel to help you get a better grip. Removing the membrane isn’t a requirement but does help provide a better end result.
- Rinse the ribs– just a quick rinse under cold water is all that’s needed. Pat them dry with paper towels.
- Season the ribs – To really take your ribs to the next level, you’ll want to season them with a dry rub. I have a recipe for my signature blend of spices that I use for my dry rub. Season both sides liberally with the dry rub. This is your only opportunity to season the meat. A dry rub adds a lot of flavor, so don’t skip this step!
- Grill the ribs – full instructions below.
Dry Rub for Ribs, Chicken and More
Use Indirect heat to grill ribs
The key to really terrific grilled ribs is to cook them indirectly which simply means you will NOT be placing these ribs over the flame. To be able to do this you need a large enough grill where you can light only one section of the grill. If you have a Big Green Egg Like I do (you can see a picture in this post if you have no idea what I’m talking about), you’ll be using the plate setter for indirect heat. You will want to heat your grill to about 275-300F.
Best BBQ Sauce for Ribs
The best BBQ sauce for ribs is entirely subjective and totally up to your and your personal preferences. Use whatever your favorite BBQ sauce is! Whether you make your own (here’s our homemade BBQ Sauce) or buy one from the store, make sure you like it before you slather it all over the ribs! Feel free to share your favorite BBQ sauce in the comments below!
How long does it take to grill ribs?
Wondering how long it takes to grill ribs? Using the method described below in the printable recipe, it will take between two hours and fifteen minutes to up to three hours to grill ribs. Cooking low and slow ensures that you end up with tender, fall-off-the-bone-ribs.
Best Sides for Ribs
Looking for the best sides for ribs? I’ve got you covered! Here’s our recommendation of side dishes that will go best with these ribs.
- Coleslaw – this KFC Coleslaw copycat recipe is our favorite!
- Potato Salad – try our Loaded Baked Potato Salad and thank me later! :)
- Cornbread – cornbread or homemade rolls pair perfectly with ribs!
- Baked Beans – try making your baked beans in the Instant Pot with this recipe for Instant Pot Baked Beans.
- Macaroni and Cheese – creamy Mac and cheese is always a delicious option! Try our Easy Instant Pot Mac and Cheese!
- Mashed Potatoes – in place of potato salad, try making The Best Mashed Potatoes
- Crispy Potato Wedges
- Corn on the cob! Make it in the microwave, on the grill, or in the slow cooker!
These truly are some of the very best sides for ribs! With so many options to choose from, the only problem you’ll have is deciding which ones to make.
We hope you enjoy this recipe for Grilled BBQ Ribs and the list of the best sides to go along with them. If you make these ribs or any of my other recipes, please leave a comment and let me know what you think. I love hearing from you!
Grilled BBQ Ribs
Ingredients
- 3 slabs pork baby back ribs
- 1 cup dry rub This is my Dry Rub Recipe. Use more if you wish.
- your favorite BBQ sauce
- 1 cup honey
- 3 cups apple juice
Instructions
- Prepare your grill for indirect heat by only lighting half of it OR if you are using a Big Green Egg, use the plate setter. You will want to heat the grill to 275-300 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Prep the ribs: Trim any excess fat or loose pieces of meat from the ribs. Flip the ribs over so that the bone side is up. Use a knife to get under the membrane, then use your hands to pull the membrane up. The membrane is going to be slippery. Use a paper towel to help you grip the membrane if needed.
- Rinse the ribs under cold water and pat dry.
- Season the ribs with the Dry Rub. You will use about 1/4 of the rub on the bone side of the ribs and 3/4 of the rub on the meaty side.
- When the grill has reached a steady temperature and is no warmer than 300 degrees Fahrenheit, place the ribs on the grill, making sure they are NOT above the flames. You are cooking these over indirect heat.
- You can also use your favorite smoking chips if you wish, to add flavor. Just make sure to soak them in water according to package directions. I usually soak mine for about 30 minutes.
- Cook the ribs for about 90 minutes, making sure that the ribs don’t start to burn.
- Remove the ribs from the grill and slather them with 1 cup of honey.
- Place the ribs in a foil pan that will fit on the grill, again, over indirect heat. Pour in 3 cups apple juice, or enough so that there’s about 1 inch of apple juice in the bottom of the pan. Cover the pan with foil and place it on the grill away from the direct heat.
- Continue cooking the ribs for another 45 to 90 minutes, or until the ribs are tender and just starting to fall off the bone.
- Remove the ribs from the pan and place them directly on the grill. Brush the ribs with your favorite sauce and cook for about 10 minutes on medium-low heat, until the BBQ sauce starts to caramelize.
Recipe adapted from
Big Green Egg Championship Ribs
