How to Grill Ribs on a Gas Grill
The convenience of a gas grill can still produce tender, smoky ribs, if you treat them properly. Like other tough cuts of meat, ribs require a long, slow cooking to get the most flavor from them, which can prove difficult to achieve with a gas grill. Marinading or applying a dry rub to your ribs the day before cooking allows your seasonings to get into the meat, flavoring every bite after you cook them. For marinade, rub, and sauce recipes for your ribs, see the resource section. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Gas grill
- Marinade or dry rub (optional) (see resource 1)
- Rack of beef or pork (baby back) ribs
- Baking pan large enough to fit ribs
- 2 cups wood smoke chips
- 1 quart capacity bowl
- Water
- Heavy duty aluminum foil
- Tongs
- Basting brush
- Sauce for serving (optional) (see resource 2)
Instructions
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1
Place the ribs onto the baking pan and cover both sides with the dry rub or marinade.
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2
Cover the baking pan with aluminum foil. Let the ribs sit overnight in the refrigerator (see reference 2).
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3
Place 2 cups of wood smoke chips into a 1 quart bowl. Pour enough water to cover the wood chips and let soak for 2 hours before grilling (see reference 2).
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4
Remove the ribs from the refrigerator and let them sit in the baking pan for 1 hour to come to room temperature.
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5
Drain the soaked wood chips and place into the center of a 10-inch square of heavy duty aluminum foil. Fold the sides of the aluminum foil up and over the wood chips, but leave a gap for the wood smoke to escape and flavor your ribs on the grill.
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6
Set the wood chips into the rear of your grill below the grilling rack, but on the opposite side from where you will place the ribs (see reference 2). Alternatively, place the packet of wood chips on top of the grill grates next to the ribs (see reference 1).
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Preheat the grill to 300 to 310 degrees Fahrenheit, and use only one burner--either the one at the back of the grill or the one farther from the gas, depending on the arrangement of your burners.
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8
Lay the ribs onto the grates, over indirect heat, with the fat side down (see reference 2).
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9
Flip the ribs with the tongs after every hour, and brush marinade or sauce over them each time you turn them. Avoid opening the grill too often to prevent the smoke from escaping (see reference 2).
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10
Close the lid of the grill. Allow the ribs to slowly cook for 2-1/2 to 3 hours or until the meat begins to pull away from the bones (see reference 1).
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11
Remove the ribs from the grill and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
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