Mastering The Art Of Bbq Ribs With Indirect Heat

Cooking ribs on the grill is a great way to get that classic barbecue flavour. But how long do they need to be cooked for?

The answer depends on the type of ribs you're cooking, the temperature of your grill, and your desired level of doneness. Generally, ribs should be cooked over indirect heat for around two hours, and then finished over direct heat or flames for a few minutes to create a delicious char.

For baby back ribs, a lower temperature of around 250-300°F is ideal, and they will take approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours to cook. Spare ribs, on the other hand, are larger and may take up to 3 hours to cook.

To check if your ribs are done, look out for exposed rib bone ends, and use a meat thermometer to ensure an internal temperature of 190°F or above. Remember, it's important not to overcook your ribs, as this will result in dry and tough meat.

So, fire up that grill, and get ready to enjoy some mouthwatering, fall-off-the-bone ribs!

How to prep ribs for the grill

Choosing the Right Ribs

When shopping for ribs, look for an even layer of meat across the bones. The meat should be a light pink pale colour with even marbling. Avoid slabs with exposed ribs, known as "shiners", as these may fall apart during cooking. Ideally, a slab of ribs should weigh around 2-2 ½ pounds and contain 12 to 13 ribs.

Preparing the Ribs for the Grill

Before grilling, remove the membrane on the underside of the ribs. This will make the ribs more tender and give them more flavour. It will also allow your rub to penetrate the meat. Use a knife to pull up the corner of the membrane, then use your fingers or a paper towel to pull off the rest.

Next, pat the ribs dry with a paper towel and place them on a cutting board meat-side up. Trim off any excess fat, meat, or loose rib bones with a sharp knife.

Applying the Rub

With the ribs meat-side down, apply a generous amount of your chosen rub across the bones and all edges of the rack. Turn the rack over and repeat on the other side, ensuring all surfaces are covered. You can also use a little vegetable oil or mustard to help the rub stick to the ribs.

Pre-Cooking the Ribs (Optional)

While traditional barbecue ribs can be cooked entirely on the grill, you may wish to pre-cook your ribs to make them extra tender and flavourful. This can be done by boiling, braising, or baking the ribs until tender, then finishing them off on the grill.

Grilling the Ribs

Preheat your grill to a medium-high heat and prepare for indirect grilling. For a gas grill, turn off the centre burners and reduce the others to medium-low. For a charcoal grill, bank the coals to the sides, leaving the centre open, and set up a drip pan.

Oil the grill grates and place the ribs bone-side down on the cooler part of the grill. Cover and cook for around 2 hours, rotating the ribs once, until the meat is tender and pulls away from the bones.

Finishing the Ribs

Increase the grill temperature and brush the tops of the ribs with barbecue sauce. Cover and cook for around 5 minutes, then turn the ribs over and baste the other side with sauce. Repeat this process until the sauce is sticky and the ribs are charred, around 10-20 minutes in total.

Finally, transfer the ribs to a cutting board, brush with any remaining sauce, and cut into pieces. Your ribs are now ready to serve!

The best grill temperature for ribs

Cooking ribs on the grill is an art, and there are a few key things to keep in mind to ensure they turn out perfectly. Firstly, it's important to use indirect heat when grilling ribs, placing them away from direct flames to prevent burning or drying out. Secondly, ribs are best cooked "low and slow", giving the collagen inside the meat time to melt and create that perfect, tender texture.

Ideal Grill Temperature

The ideal grill temperature for cooking ribs is around 225°F to 250°F. This temperature range allows for the slow rendering of fat and collagen, resulting in juicy, tender meat.

Some sources recommend heating your grill to 300°F, but this is on the higher end and may require more careful monitoring to prevent overcooking.

If you're using a charcoal grill, combine charcoal with hickory wood to reach the desired temperature. For gas grills, adjust the burners to maintain a consistent temperature.

Cooking Time

The cooking time for ribs will depend on the thickness of the meat and the temperature of your grill. As a general rule, plan for 2 to 3 hours of cooking time at 225°F to 250°F. If your grill temperature is higher, around 300°F, the ribs may cook faster, taking around 1 to 2 hours.

For thicker slabs of ribs or when cooking multiple slabs, you'll need to add more time, possibly up to 4 to 5 hours.

Checking for Doneness

The best way to check if your ribs are done is by using a meat thermometer. Insert it between the bones to check the internal temperature, which should reach around 190°F to 205°F.

Other signs of doneness include:

• Exposed rib bone ends, indicating that the meat has cooked and shrunk.
• The ribs crack when picked up with tongs and held about 1/3 of the way up.
• The meat easily pulls away from the bone.

Tips for Success

• Monitor your grill temperature closely to ensure it remains within the desired range.
• Use a combination of charcoal and hickory wood for charcoal grills.
• Keep the grill covered and avoid opening it frequently to maintain a consistent temperature.
• For gas grills, clean and oil the grill grates before placing the ribs.
• Remove the membrane on the back of the ribs before grilling to improve tenderness and allow the rub to penetrate the meat.
• Apply a dry rub generously to the ribs and massage it into the meat.
• Wrap the ribs in foil to help maintain moisture and even cooking.
• Finish the ribs by brushing with barbecue sauce and grilling for a few minutes on each side to create a sticky, caramelized coating.

How to tell when ribs are done

Checking for "Doneness"

There are several ways to check if your ribs are done cooking. It's important to note that the ribs are considered done when they are ready to eat, not just safe to eat. Safe to eat ribs will be chewy and tough, so you want to avoid this.

The most popular ways to check for doneness include:

• The toothpick test: Insert a toothpick into the meaty sections of the rack. If it slides in without resistance, the ribs are done.
• The bend test: Pick up the slab with tongs and give it a slight bend. If the meat cracks on the surface, they are done.
• The twist test: Take hold of an exposed bone tip and gently twist. If the ribs are ready, the bone will start to come away from the meat.
• Checking the internal temperature: Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. You are aiming for between 195-203°F.

Visual Cues

You can also use some visual cues to determine if your ribs are done. The meat should be tender and easily pierced with a fork, but not falling off the bone. You may also see about a quarter of an inch of the bones start to peek out from the meat.

Common Mistakes

It's important to note that ribs that fall off the bone are generally overcooked and have a mushy texture. You are looking for meat that comes away from the bone with a slight tug, similar to the texture of a prime steak.

Factors Affecting Cooking Time

The cooking time for ribs can vary depending on several factors, including the thickness of the ribs, the temperature of the grill, and external factors such as humidity and airflow. It's important to monitor the ribs and use the above methods to determine when they are done, rather than relying solely on cooking time.

How to wrap ribs in foil

Wrapping ribs in foil is a technique known as the "Texas crutch". It is an effective way to finish a long cook without drying out the meat. Wrapping the ribs also helps to capture the meat's juices and fat, allowing them to be reabsorbed during the final stages of the cooking process.

To wrap ribs in foil, follow these steps:

• Place the ribs on a large sheet tray with the curves of the bones facing down.
• Add any desired liquids, such as apple juice, chicken stock, or vinegar, to the tray.
• Wrap the tray tightly with aluminum foil.
• Place the wrapped ribs on the cooler side of the grill, away from direct flames, and cook using indirect heat.
• After a few hours, depending on the thickness of the ribs and your desired doneness, carefully remove the ribs from the foil and place them directly on the grill to finish cooking.
• Baste the ribs with your favourite BBQ sauce and continue cooking until the sauce is sticky and caramelized.

How to smoke ribs on a gas grill

Preparation

Firstly, you'll need to prepare your grill for two-zone cooking. This requires at least two burners, but three is preferable. Turn on the burner that is furthest from you and place a foil packet of wood chips or a smoke tube onto the grill grates. You want to create a hot zone on one side and a cooler zone on the other. This will ensure that your ribs don't burn and allows them to cook low and slow so that more smoke can flavour the meat.

Choosing your ribs

The two main styles of pork ribs are baby back ribs and spare ribs. Baby back ribs are smaller and cook faster, so you can reduce the cooking time by up to an hour. Spare ribs are larger and meatier, and you may need to modify the cooking time depending on their size.

Preparing the ribs

Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs. This allows more of the rub to penetrate the meat and gives you a little more flavour. You can also trim off any excess fat and square up the ribs if they are too long to fit on the grill.

Applying the rub

Apply a dry rub to the ribs. You can use a store-bought rub or make your own. If the ribs seem dry, you can rub a little mustard or oil onto them first to help the rub stick. Make sure you get an even coating on both sides of the ribs.

Cooking the ribs

Once your grill is heated and the wood is smoking, place the ribs uncovered on the cooler side of the grill, away from the lit burners. Smoke the ribs for 2-3 hours. You can also wrap them in foil for the last hour or two of cooking to help them cook faster and become more tender.

Finishing the ribs

After removing the ribs from the grill, unwrap them and place them back on the grill, meat side up. Apply a coat of BBQ sauce and let them cook for another 20-40 minutes. The sauce will turn into a sticky glaze. Finally, remove the ribs from the grill, let them rest for a few minutes, then slice and serve.

Frequently asked questions