The Holy Grail of ribs, smoked grilled baby back ribs, can be yours and it’s not that hard. Do them low and slow like the smokers do but on your gas grill. The trick is in the grill set up. Once you get this down, it’s easy peasy
So lets talk about your grill. You must know your grill. If you can get or have the instructions for your grill from the manufacturer, follow those instructions. You are going to experiment a little with your grill set up. You need to know how to get a steady low grill surface temperature in an area reserved for indirect heat. Also be sure you have enough gas. I have natural gas so I’m good.
For me, I have four main burners that run front to back. If I only turn one burner on high, the grill surface temperature in the indirect (not over the burner that is turned on) is right at 225. With the two outside burners at medium, I have a steady 250. Turning on the smoker side burner kicks the temperature up about 50 degrees while on.
So how do I know these things? I played with it. Buy a $10 grill surface thermometer from Home Depot, Lowe’s or Amazon and experiment. If you have 2 or 3 burners, start with one burner on high and see what you get in the indirect area. Some grills will have vents and you can experiment with them too. If you have a one burner, you’re going to set large pan on top of your grates and cover it with a rack of some type. Do not put significant weight on top of your burners directly with the rack and meat. Ever….
A thin aluminum cake pan under the grill racks.
So now you have played with your grill enough to know it… doesn’t it feel good already? Next you need a drip pan. Things you cook indirectly usually are full of fat and can make a mess of your grill. Usually you will just place a thin disposable aluminum pan under the grates on the indirect side. If there is no room between the grill grates and the burners for a thin aluminum pan then you will put the pan on top of the grates in the indirect area with a rack or grate on top of that.
Look closely and you will a notch in the pan to keep the weight of the rack off the burners.
I needed to notch the pan a little to get it to fit. Do NOT allow the pan to support the grill rack and put pressure on the burners. This would be dangerous. Usually you should add water to the drip pan for added moisture in the grill. Again, if you can get the instructions for your grill from the manufacturer, follow those instructions. Let’s be careful and safe here.
Smokin’
Next smoke. You want smoke, right? If you’re lucky, your grill has built in smoke box like I do. If not, you have a couple of choices. If you are going to do this more then once or twice, pick up a cast iron smoker box (again Home Depot, Lowe’s or Amazon) for about $15. Here is a link to one similar to one I used for 20 years (it should last that long). Cast Iron Smoker Box from Amazon. If you just want to try it once, you can make a pouch of heavy duty aluminum foil with some holes and place it on a burner on high until it starts to smoke and then turn it back down. Here is a YouTube video.
A note about wood chips. I have become unconvinced about soaking wood chips. I haven’t noticed any significant difference and have stopped soaking. I’m not along in giving up on the time honored tradition.
Rating:
An easy 5. My wife wants it over and over and gave a 5 also. “The best looking ribs…ever.”
WHAT NO RIBS FOR DOGS?
Notes: This post is for one slab of baby backs. You could do two slabs side by side if you have enough space or use a rib rack. I used a smaller slab of ribs and the time was right at 3 hours. If you have a large slab of ribs or do a rib rack to cook more slabs at once, you will need to add some time. I’ll say up to 4 hours or more here (a guess based on research only). If you use a larger rib like a St. Louis or similar, they will also take longer. DO NOT GO BY TIME ONLY HERE.
So what is the “end point”? When are they done? This is the biggest issue. Too long and they are dry and over cooked. Too short and they are tough. I’m combining three things. First temperature, I want the instant read temperature in 180 plus range.
Note the exposed bones saying we are done…
Second, I want to see some bone. This means the end of the rib bones are sticking out some.
See the done ribs crack under their own weight.
Lastly, when I pick up the ribs with tongs holding them about 1/3 of the way up, they crack some.
Set up the grill for indirect cooking with a drip pan under the indirect are with 1/2 to 1 inch of water. Stabilize temperature about 250. Clean and oil grill of course.
Prep the ribs. Remove the inner lining and check for bone chips. There seems to always be some.
Rub with about 1/2 cup of dry rub of your choice. I have included a 8:3:1:1 rub in the recipe but use what you want. The rub will work fine if applied just before grilling or the day before. If applying early then wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Place over the drip pan and start your smoke. I did about 30 minutes. Then keep your hands off for about 3 hours total from the start of cooking. Add some time to that if cooking more than one slab. It may be 4 hours or more. See notes.
The ribs are done when: First temperature, I want the instant read temperature in 180 plus range. Second, I want to see some bone. This means the end of the rib bones are sticking out some. Lastly, when I pick up the ribs with tongs holding them about 1/3 of the way up, they crack some.
Allow to rest for 10 minutes before digging in.
How to Grill Baby Back Ribs on a Gas Grill
The Holy Grail of ribs, smoked grilled baby back ribs, can be yours and it's not that hard. Do them low and slow like the smokers do but on your gas grill. The trick is in the grill set up. Once you get this down, it's easy peasy
Ingredients
1 rack baby back ribs or more
1/2 cup rub of your choice
Excellent Rub if you don't have one
Enough for 2 slabs. Cut in half to have less left over if you want but I save it for next time.
Instructions
Set up the grill for indirect cooking with a drip pan under the indirect are with 1/2 to 1 inch of water. Stabilize temperature about 250. Clean and oil grill of course.
Prep the ribs. Remove the inner lining and check for bone chips. There seems to always be some bone chips.
Rub with about 1/2 cup of dry rub of your choice. I have included a 8:3:1:1 rub in the recipe but use what you want. The rub will work fine if applied just before grilling or the day before. If applying early then wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Place over the drip pan and start your smoke. I did about 30 minutes. Then keep your hands off for about 3 hours from the start of cooking. Add some time to that if cooking more than one slab. It may be 4 hours or more.
The ribs are done when: First temperature, I want the instant read temperature in 180 plus range. Second, I want to see some bone. This means the end of the rib bones are sticking out some. Lastly, when I pick up the ribs with tongs holding them about 1/3 of the way up, they crack some.
Allow to rest for 10 minutes before digging in.
Notes
This post is for one slab of baby backs. You could do two side by side if you have enough space or use a rib rack. I used a smaller rack of ribs and the time was right at 3 hours. If you have a large slab of ribs or do a rib rack to cook more slabs at once, you will need to add some time. I'll say up to 4 hours or more here (a guess based on research only). If you use a larger rib like a St. Louis or similar, they will also take longer. DO NOT GO BY TIME ONLY HERE.
2.5
http://www.101cookingfortwo.com/baby-back-ribs-gas-grill/
From DrDan at 101 Cooking For Two
Potato bonus
Scrub and coat medium large russet potatoes with oil. Toss them on the grill with ribs in the indirect heat area. They will be great.
Updated
May 11 2014
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