How to Smoke Ribs on a Charcoal Grill With Wood Chips
If you enjoy eating barbecued ribs, then making your own ribs on a charcoal grill will be a rewarding experience. Create tender ribs by grilling and smoking the meat for several hours. The mixture of burning coals and smoldering wood chips adds a smoked flavor. Add your favorite barbecue sauce to the ribs to add a personal touch to the flavor of the ribs. After you place the ribs on the charcoal grill, you can sit back, relax and watch the ribs cook. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Knife
- Wood chips
- Water
- 1 tbsp. ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp. salt
- 1 tbsp. cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp. garlic powder
- Grill brush
- Basting brush
- Portable oven thermometer
- Barbecue sauce
Instructions
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1
Cut away excess fat from the ribs. If you are cooking a rack of ribs, remove the membrane with a knife. Place the knife directly under the membrane to loosen it, and it will peel off.
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2
Soak wood chips in water for two hours. Make sure that the water completely covers the chips. You will need two cups of wood chips for every hour that you smoke the ribs.
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3
Prepare a dry rub for the ribs. Mix ground black pepper, salt, cayenne pepper and garlic powder in a bowl.
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4
Rub the dry seasoning on the ribs. Use your hands to ensure that it completely covers the ribs.
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5
Prepare the charcoal grill. Clean the grates with a grill brush. Light the charcoal and allow the coals to burn down for at least 30 minutes before adding the wood chips.
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6
Open the bottom vents of the grill to allow for proper ventilation. Add the wood chips to the charcoal. Let the chips burn for 15 minutes with the grill's lid closed.
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7
Place the ribs on the grill over indirect heat, place an oven thermometer alongside, and close the lid. Smoke the ribs for two to four hours, turning every half hour. Add charcoal if the temperature drops below 225 degrees.
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8
Brush barbecue sauce over the ribs during the last hour of cooking time.
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9
Remove the ribs from the grill when they are tender and no longer pink in the middle.
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Tips & Warnings
Soak the wood chips in whiskey, lemon juice or beer to enhance their flavor.
Do not allow the ribs to sit at room temperature longer than two hours, to prevent food poisoning.
Always wash your hands before and after handling raw meat.
