Grilling Ribs - Direct Heat

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Kloset BBQR

Executive Chef
Joined
Mar 2, 2005
Messages
3,150
Location
Hudson, OH
Has anyone ever tried grilling ribs over direct heat? If so what type of ribs work best, spares or baby backs? How were your results and how did they compare to smoked ribs. I love ribs of all kinds but have always preferred a crispy outer texture and the carmelization you get from direct heat.

I will be getting a new grill this spring, it has a meat rack that you can crank up and down from 2 - 20 inches off the coals and thought that I'd give it a try. I read in one of Steve Raichlens books that the Rendevous in Memphis uses the direct grilling method for their ribs (dry).

Thanks in advance for any tips or suggestions.

Kloset
 
You can use a grill with a pan under the ribs to deflect the heat till the end.

But you can also do them direct. It is easy to get overdone outsides and underdone insides this way, if that makes sense. Works much better with baby backs than spares.
 
Thanks for the input guys. I cooked some baby backs over the weekend on my Weber using the indirect method and a couple of packs of soaked hickory chips wrapped in aluminum foil placed directly on coals. I cooked for about 3 1/2 hours and finished the ribs directly over the coals
and got some nice carmelization of the sauce (Jack Daniels).

Ribs tasted great just a little more pull from the bone than I would of liked. Will try adding an extra 30 minutes next time. Temps held steady between 225 and 250 despite outside temps of about 30 degrees.

When my new grill arrives I will try cooking direct and experiment with the rack heights and report back.

Experimenting is so much fun especially when you get to eat the results!
 
In the 3-2-1 method for those of use bullet smokers, we put spares on indirect heat for 3 hours, 2 hours in foil, and 1 hours back in the smoke.
Results in smokey tender ribs with the sauce set well on the last hour.

The times are less on bb's. You would probably find a good method that way on any grill if you work at it enough.
 
Hey Kloset,
You getting a Hasty Bake? That's what that discription sounds like. People swear by those things. Haven't ever used one myself though. Talked to a guy using one at the Hog Happenin in Shelby, but he was WAY drunk and I wasn't getting much useable info.
 
Chris,

I am getting a Klose (thus the similarity in my handle). I've got a Klose smoker too. Great pit and am hoping the grill is just as good.

I'll post some pictures when I get it (sometime in April). Got about a foot of snow on the ground now. Can't wait til spring.

Kloset
 
Kloset BBQR said:
Chris,

I am getting a Klose (thus the similarity in my handle). I've got a Klose smoker too. Great pit and am hoping the grill is just as good.

I'll post some pictures when I get it (sometime in April). Got about a foot of snow on the ground now. Can't wait til spring.

Kloset

well now, no need to wait to show us the Klose you have now..you gonna sell the old one? I've gat a hundred bucks burning a hole in my pocket, so let me know!
 
Captain,

I'm keepin the smoker. The other ones just for grilling. My goal is to use the
grill and the smoker together. Be kind of nice to have something quick to eat while your waitng on those butts and briskets to give it up.

Kloset
 
If your going grill ribs direct the best results are had if youcan get the ribs 18 to 21" inches above the coals.

I have a Klose 24 X 48 grill with hood for a few years now, it is a great grill as long as you don't need to move it, it weights about 450 pounds.

Jim
 
Jim,

Glad to hear you like the grill. Mine will be a 24x48 also. I will be cooking mainly for family and friends. Are you satisfied with the size of the grill or do you wish you would have gone bigger? I don't really imagine cooking for more than 20 people, 10-12 would probably be the norm.

I also ordered the fish fryer table and a stainless steel work table and the hood with dual smokestacks. Joyce mentioned when calculating the shipping costs that it would weigh in close to 700 lbs.

I also ordered the big wheels to make it a little easier in pushing it around.

Any suggestions from you would be most welcome.

Thanks in advance!

Kloset
 

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