Any suggestions for cooking ribs on the grill???

[92hatchattack]

Hey guys, i live in an apartment, so buying myself a smoker is out of the question for me. I like to go to the park on the weekends though, were they have little charcoal pits setup all over the place.

SO, since i cant smoke my ribs i was wondering if you guys could give a few suggestions on how i can make them decent just on the grill. Right now when i cook some all i do really is cook them on low to medium heat with no sauce untill they are just about done, throw on some Bulls Eye and crisp up the sause... thats it.

Can anyone give me some help to make my Ribs better?

 

[wittdog]

Sounds like you pretty much got it figured out...couple of suggestions...add some wood chips to the fire, think about using a mop in a spray bottle...it will help prevent flareups and add another layer of flavor

 

[92hatchattack]

Whats a mop? Im not an advanced BBQer. Are there any better sauce recomendations? What about using rubs?? I hear they can burn?

Is there anyway to get more tender ribs off the grill, or is that just something thats hard to do without a smoker?

Thanks for your reply!


---Joe

 

[Captain Morgan]

foiling will tender em up.

 

[Gary in VA]

just DON'T b....., I mean DON'T b.... b.... b..... b......

Oh heck... I can't even say it.

ok... deep breath....

ok...

here goes...

DO NOT BOIL THEM FIRST!

ok.. there I said it.... It's just the worst B word out there.

anyway... here is what I would do...

take your time...

remove the membrane
put on a rub.
use small amount of charcoal.
maybe a few wood chips.
try covering the grill and ribs as best you can with a large foil pan to keep a little smoke in for a little while... say...maybe 30-40 minutes.
when ribs start to bend good and meat will separate a little where the bend is, wrap in foil with a little apple juice, maybe some sauce
stoke fire & add more coals, keep the pan lid over also
keep in foil til tender, maybe another 45 min to hour and then open em up and look at them, if not tender, put back on in foil.
after they seem tender.. restoke fire add coals
put ribs back on grill and sauce em good for another 15 min or so.

Note... I have never tried this method on a park grill... just how I would do it if it were me. The foil pan will help with the "smoker/oven effect" Times are guesses only! Just watch your fire, don't let it get too hot or things will burn.

that's my 0.02

Gary

 

[Pigs On The Wing BBQ]

Whats a mop? Im not an advanced BBQer. Are there any better sauce recomendations? What about using rubs?? I hear they can burn?

Is there anyway to get more tender ribs off the grill, or is that just something thats hard to do without a smoker?

Thanks for your reply!


---Joe

Dgog has a great mop recipe.


DP Mopping Sauce

1 Cup of Dr. Pepper
1 Cup of Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Cup of Vegetable Oil

Stir ingredients together and apply to liberally to whatever you are cooking. This mop adds great flavor and keeps meat from drying out.
_________________
D-dog's BBQ Rubs

 

[john pen]

How long does it take you to grill the ribs ?

 

[007bond-jb]

What they said & watch REAL CLOSE for flair ups. Cook em to the side of the fire NOT directly over it

 

[CarolinaQue]

I would actually say to leave the membrane on. It will help retain some moisture while grilling the ribs and the direct heat from grilling will melt it away over time and you won't even know it's there when they're done. I grill baby backs exclusively and that's how I always do mine.

It's mostly about heat control. Don't build to big a fire, and a good rub won't burn unless there is a lot of sugar in ti. Also watch for paprika. It burns at a bit lower temp than other spices.

As far as other sauce, Sweet baby Rays is great on ribs. Sticky Fingers makes a pretty good sauce, so is John Boy and Billy's Grillin' sauce.

Tim

 

[Pigs On The Wing BBQ]

I would actually say to leave the membrane on. It will help retain some moisture while grilling the ribs and the direct heat from grilling will melt it away over time and you won't even know it's there when they're done. I grill baby backs exclusively and that's how I always do mine.

It's mostly about heat control. Don't build to big a fire, and a good rub won't burn unless there is a lot of sugar in ti. Also watch for paprika. It burns at a bit lower temp than other spices.

As far as other sauce, Sweet baby Rays is great on ribs. Sticky Fingers makes a pretty good sauce, so is John Boy and Billy's Grillin' sauce.

Tim

Call me more crazy than a pet raccoon, but I just wonder what would happen if ya took a rack of rids off, loose tent, for about 20 min. and food saver them and in the cooler? Think ya might end up with JELLO ribs? (No sauce. Dry rub all the way) Would the food saver draw the moisture to the out side with the other juice from the rib and produce a tender but not over sauced rack ? I'm going to try it! If it works, its my method! Never had luck indirect, or direct on a kettle. I just don't think there is enough space from coals to grate. We will see. As most know I'm a sauce on the side, no water pan, no foil direct lump kind of guy!

Pigs

 

[dollarbill]

Just a suggestion for easier but cook em in the oven at home then throw em on the grill later.

Wouldnt that work? Never done em in the oven im not sure if it would dry em out....i know someone here has tried it though!

or those 2 little words:

crock pot!

 

[CarolinaQue]

I would actually say to leave the membrane on. It will help retain some moisture while grilling the ribs and the direct heat from grilling will melt it away over time and you won't even know it's there when they're done. I grill baby backs exclusively and that's how I always do mine.

It's mostly about heat control. Don't build to big a fire, and a good rub won't burn unless there is a lot of sugar in ti. Also watch for paprika. It burns at a bit lower temp than other spices.

As far as other sauce, Sweet baby Rays is great on ribs. Sticky Fingers makes a pretty good sauce, so is John Boy and Billy's Grillin' sauce.

Tim

Call me more crazy than a pet raccoon, but I just wonder what would happen if ya took a rack of rids off, loose tent, for about 20 min. and food saver them and in the cooler? Think ya might end up with JELLO ribs? (No sauce. Dry rub all the way) Would the food saver draw the moisture to the out side with the other juice from the rib and produce a tender but not over sauced rack ? I'm going to try it! If it works, its my method! Never had luck indirect, or direct on a kettle. I just don't think there is enough space from coals to grate. We will see. As most know I'm a sauce on the side, no water pan, no foil direct lump kind of guy!

Pigs

I'm just tryin' to figure out what the hell you're talkin' 'bout quotin' what I'm talkin' 'bout??? :? (my confused face)

 

[Gary in VA]

Just a suggestion for easier but cook em in the oven at home then throw em on the grill later.

Wouldnt that work? Never done em in the oven im not sure if it would dry em out....i know someone here has tried it though!

or those 2 little words:

crock pot!

ALRIGHT.. YOU'RE OUTTA HERE!!!.... this is the BBQ Central, NOT the OVEN-CROCK POT Central...

Greg... Get the Rope!

 

[john pen]

How long does it take you to grill the ribs ?

Hello..?? Bueller ?




The doing them in the oven and finishing them on the grill thing is a recipe I got out of a "Secret Resteraunt Recipes Cookbook" before I was a smoker head. Wrap them in foil with a little bbq sauce and cook them at 300 for 3 hours. Take them out, sauce em and throw em on a grill for a few. They come falling of the bone tender. That one was from Tony Romas. My youngest daughter actually prefers them to smoked ribs...go figure..

By the by..there's also a recipe for KFC bisquits that's really good.

 

[92hatchattack]

When i cook em in the park it usually takes around 45 minutes or so i think. Cooking in the oven is probaly not gonna work for me, as i go to the park alot on fridays after work ... Id burn too much daylight waiting for them to cook inside when i could be outside drinking beer.

So are ribs a multiple flip item? I know when i cook like steak or burgers i try and stick to the one flip rule. With ribs do you flip alot and keep adding the mop as you flip?

 

[CarolinaQue]

Depends on how hot your fire is. I only turn mine once before the sauce phase. About 30 to 40 minutes on bone side, then 20 or so on the meat side, then sauce a couple of times a side flipping every 2 to 3 minutes. You know when ribs are done by running a pair of tongs length wise about half way to the middle of the rack meat side down. Pick up the rack and if it bends 90* toward the ground, they're done.

Tim

 

[dollarbill]

and dont forget...put them to the left or right of the fire... not directly over the flames! If you got a camera get some pics!

 

[Smitty881]

Grillin Ribs @ Dreamland

One of the formerly great rib joints in the world is Dreamland BBQ in Tuscaloosa (Jerusalem Heights, actually), Alabama where the pit was tended by Big John Bishop. Big John could flat cook some ribs and would sell no rib before it was ready and the ribs were ready when Big John said they were ready. Alas, Big John is no longer with us.

Dreamland now cooks their ribs over high heat for about an hour - not the same, but thats the recipe.

Pat

 

[Kloset BBQR]

I've cooked them directly over the flames (babybacks only) but it helps if you have a grill with an adjustable grate. Takes about an hour from start to finish.