Want great BBQ Ribs but only have a Gas Grill? This is the best method for making the most of the equipment you have.
Not using a Gas Grill? See below for more informative recipe guides.
Barbecue is the process of cooking meats at low temperatures for long periods of time in a smoky environment. Gas grills are not known for their ability to produce much smoke flavor, but making delicious ribs that have barbecue flavor is possible. Follow these instructions for the best barbecue methods as these steps will produce tender, flavorful ribs that might not win any competitions, but will certainly satisfy your appetite.
For the purposes of this article, I am using a single rack of pork spare ribs. If you want to use baby back ribs, reduce the cooking time by 5 minutes per step. For spare ribs, the total cooking time should take about one and a half to two hours. Use a grill large enough to indirectly cook the entire rack. Small, two-burner gas grills typically don’t have enough space. If the heat source is on one side only, make sure to rotate the ribs every thirty minutes for even cooking.
What you’ll need:
- A rack of pork spare ribs (or St. Louis cut)
- BBQ rib rub
- 2/3 cup BBQ sauce for ribs
- 1/2 cup (120 mL) apple juice
- Aluminum foil
- Fuel for your gas grill
- Wood chips for smoke
- A sharp knife
- A cutting board
Optional: Check out the A-Maze-N 12 inch Pellet Tube to make smoke on a gas grill.
How to Make BBQ Ribs on a Gas Grill
1. Preparing the Ribs
The ideal rack of ribs is rectangular in shape and even in width and thickness. When buying ribs, look for this shape. When preparing ribs for cooking make sure to trim away excess pockets of fat. There is already plenty of fat mixed into the meat to keep the ribs moist. Excess layers of fat will produce a greasy rib. Also, trim away any loose dangling pieces of meat.
Next, turn the ribs over, the meat side down, and remove the membrane that covers the bones. If cooked, the membrane will be tough and creates a flavor barrier. The best method for removing the membrane is to use a blunt knife. Lift away the membrane on one end of the rack and grab it with a paper towel. The membrane is slippery, but the paper towel will give you a better grip. Now, gently pull the membrane away. It might take a few attempts to get all of it, but with a little practice, it will get easier.
2. Applying the BBQ Rub
Now it is time to season the ribs. There are many great rubs out there, but I find that making my own is not only less expensive but allows me to choose the flavors I like. I currently have several great rib rub recipes you can use.
The secret to applying a rub is to start with a dry rack of ribs, meaning that any excess moisture has been mopped away with a paper towel. Sprinkle the dry rub over the ribs (there really isn’t any rubbing required). What sticks to the ribs is the right amount of rub. Get the seasonings evenly distributed over the entire rack focusing the majority of it on the meat side.
3. Making Smoke
Creating smoke on a gas grill isn’t easy, particularly at low cooking temperatures like the ones used for this method. However, It is possible. Start by removing the cooking grates that won’t be holding the ribs. This will provide access to the burners. Next, take dry wood chips or chunks (chips produce smoke quickly, but don’t last long, while chunks are harder to get burning, but produce a longer smoke).
Place the wood onto square sheets of aluminum foil and wrap them loosely into balls. About half a cup of chips per smoke bomb is ideal. Using a sharp knife, poke the wrapping on all sides. This will allow the smoke to escape.
Place the smoke bombs over the lit burners on high. Once smoke is produced, reduce the heat and place the ribs on the opposing side.
4. Placing the Ribs on a Gas Grill
The ribs will cook indirectly throughout the whole process. No part of the rack should hang over one of the lit burners. Space the rack as evenly as possible. If your grill is large enough, have a burner going on either side of the rack. With some grills, the rack will fit over a single burner space. If you have a very large gas grill with four burners, place the rack between the two end burners.
The grill should run at an internal temperature of 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). At this point, the smoke bombs should be producing smoke. Once the ribs are in place, close the lid and let the ribs cook for 30 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time (unless there is an obvious flare-up inside).
5. Wrapping the Ribs
After thirty minutes of cook time, the ribs should be warmed through and have a wet appearance on the surface. They should appear browned on all sides. If they are not, continue cooking for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. If the cooking appears uneven rotate the ribs.
Once the ribs are sufficiently browned then it is time to wrap them. This step steams the ribs and keeps them tender.
To do this, place the rack of ribs on a large piece of aluminum foil, large enough to wrap the entire rack. Lift up the edges of the foil and pour one-half cup of warmed apple juice onto the ribs. Fold the foil together tightly. Create an airtight seal to hold in the moisture.
Return ribs to the grill, close the lid, and turn up the heat on the indirect burners so that the temperature reaches roughly 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Keep the lid closed and continue cooking for 30 minutes.
6. Unwrapping the Ribs on a Gas Grill
At this point, the ribs are almost cooked with the pork ribs internal temp of 165ºF (75ºC). While this is a safe temperature for serving, it isn’t high enough for them to be completely tender and as close to perfect as possible.
Carefully open the foil and examine the ribs. You can test the temperature, but that isn’t very conclusive with ribs since the bones will heat at a different rate than the meat. The ribs should appear cooked and the rack should be relatively loose. Bending the rack of ribs by picking up one end with a pair of tongs should show this. The ribs should bend but not come apart. If the ribs do not appear cooked, close up the foil and continue cooking for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.
If the ribs appear cooked, remove them from the foil and place them back on the grill. Examine the rack to determine if they need to be rotated for even cooking. Close the lid and adjust the grill burners to hold a cooking temperature of 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
7. Saucing the Ribs
Once the ribs on a gas grill have dried on the surface and are cooked through to the desired temperature of 185 to 190 degrees F) it is time to apply the sauce. If you don’t want sauce on your ribs, remove them now and move to the last step.
Apply only warmed barbecue sauce. It should be heated to at least 150 degrees F. A cold sauce will cool the ribs and stall the cooking process. Apply the barbecue sauce in three thin layers. Repeat the process every five minutes to allow the sauce to cook into the ribs and thicken. After the last application, close the grill lid and wait five more minutes before removing it.
8. Cutting the Ribs
Once the ribs are finished, remove them from the gas grill and turn the grill off. Place the ribs on a large cutting board. Using a pair of tongs, hold the ribs on their edge, the bone side towards you, and gently slide a sharp knife between each bone. You should be able to see the bones in the rack making the carving process easier. Do not slide the knife along the edge of the bone, but aim to stay equally between the two adjacent bones. Once cut, serve immediately. I typically just eat them straight off the cutting board.
BBQ Ribs on a Gas Grill
Ingredients
- 1 rack pork ribs St. Louis cut
- 1/2 cup BBQ rub
- 2/3 cup barbecue sauce
- 1/2 cup apple juice
Instructions
- Prepare ribs by trimming away any loose pieces of fat or meat. Then remove the membrane from the back (bone side) of the rack.
- Apply the BBQ rub evenly over the entire surface of the rack of ribs. Set aside.
- Preheat the gas grill to a cooking temperature between 250°F and 300°F. Configure your grill for indirect cooking with enough space for the ribs to cook without direct heat.
- Prepare smoke packets (see above).
- Place the ribs on the grill, close the lid and let them cook for 30 to 45 minutes. After this time the ribs should appear damp on the surface and lightly browned.
- Remove the ribs from the grill and place them on a large piece of aluminum foil. Fold up the side and add the apple juice. Wrap the rack of ribs tightly, keeping the apple juice inside the packet.
- Return to the grill and increase the temperature to about 375°F. Continue cooking for 30 minutes.
- Open the foil to expose the ribs. The internal temperature of the meat should be about 165°F. If so, remove the ribs from the foil and replace them on the grill. Reduce the grill temperature to about 250°F. Continued cooking for about 30 minutes.
- Once the surface of the meat is dry and the ribs and loose and pliable, you can start adding the barbecue sauce (if desired). With the grill still hot, apply three coats of the sauce letting each layer cook into the meat for five minutes.
- Once done, remove the ribs from the grill. Slice into individual bones and serve.
Nutrition
Other Methods for Making BBQ Ribs
- How to Smoke Barbecue Ribs
- Pellet Grill Baby Back Ribs
- Apple Cider Brined Pork Ribs
- Char Siu Ribs
- How to Make BBQ Ribs on a Charcoal Grill
- Pellet Grill Spare Ribs
- How to Make Ribs in the Oven
4 responses to “How to Make BBQ Ribs on a Gas Grill”
This is a little different than we have been doing them. It takes a lot less time. I’m using the recicpe on pork ribs, bone in. I learned somehting about cooking the wood chips. Thanks for that. Now that we have started smoking more, we’ll add a smoker to the weber. There’s nothing like good bbq.
This is our go to recipe for the last 2 summers and it is AMAZING!!! Thank you so much for posting this tutorial with pics! Is such a great recipe!
How do I smoke ribs on a Cuisinart 360 cooking center?
George,
Good question. I haven’t tried it myself, but I think I will give it a shot. My suggestion would be to use one burner. Place the ribs on the unheated side and wood chips on the other. Adjust the heat until the wood smolders but doesn’t burn. Rotate the ribs periodically. The Cuisinart can smoke, so this should be possible.