How To Grill Pork Ribs to Absolute Perfection

I'll show you how to grill pork ribs my way, then make available valuable information from a serious group of competitive, award-winning cooks who really know their stuff.

You see, there are lots of recipes for ribs out there, but cooking ribs is as much science as art (and vice versa!). Having a recipe us not the same as having a detailed method, including how long to cook at what temperature, etc.

People get real particular about how ribs should be done, so I want to give you a choices. Some people like the meat to fall off the bone, while others like it to retain a bit of texture. Either way, you'll find answers as to how to grill pork ribs to your standards here.

This is my method for grilling ribs with texture. In a subsequent post, I will show you how to cook ribs in such a way that the meat falls off the bones.

First, you need to differentiate between baby back and spare ribs. Baby back ribs are leaner and meatier. Spare ribs have more fat. Baby back ribs are smaller and take less time to cook. Spare ribs cook longer and some like the added flavor provided by the fat.

This is a preference thing. Try them both and decide for yourself which you like better. Just remember it takes about 1.5 hours to cook baby back and about an hour longer for spare ribs.

Now you need to choose a rub. A rub consists of spices, seasonings and herbs designed to add flavor and texture to your ribs. The rub is one of the chief secrets involved in learning how to grill pork ribs, but don't worry. There are rub recipes all over the internet, in your local store, etc. The guys I'll tell you about in a minute have definite ideas about rubs- it's a whole subject unto itself, and one you may want to spend some time on. It will be worth it!

Of course you will also need a barbecue sauce on hand for glazing. It's always fun to try different brands, but most folks eventually settle on a favorite.

To achieve a mild, smoky flavor, soak hickory or mesquite wood chips in water for about an hour before you cook.

Preparation of the meat must begin the night before. Trim excess meat, if any, from each rack. Turn each rack over and remove the membrane from the bottom. You should be able to pull the entire membrane off in one piece, but it takes practice.

Now put the rub on. They call it "rub" because that's what you do. You literally rub it into the meat with your hands. Cover both sides. "Rubbing" thoroughly is one of the secrets of how to grill pork ribs.

Wrap each rack in foil and place them in the refrigerator overnight. This gives the rub time to moisturize and tenderize the meat.

When you're ready to grill, turn on one side only if you use a gas grill, or push your charcoal to one side if that's what you're cooking with.

Drain the water and put your wet wood chips directly on the charcoal, or put them over your gas fire in a tin pan on the grill.

Take your ribs out of the refrigerator and mount them on their sides on a metal device called a rib rack. You can find these at the store or on the internet. Your ribs should be on the side of the grill away from the fire and you should rotate them every fifteen or twenty minutes.

After the prescribed amount of cooking time (1.5 to 2.5 hours as per above), spread the charcoal to both sides or light the other burner on your gas grill. Remove the ribs from the metal rack and lay them directly on the grill. Brush barbecue sauce on them and turn every three minutes.

You'll know when they are done because you won't be able to resist sampling!

Remember- I promised to introduce you to the guys who can truly show you all the juicy details! You'll save a lot of time and money by getting step by step instructions, rather than learning the hard way through endless experiments. Just click here for the most amazing pictures of cooked meat you've ever seen!

Can't you just taste it?