Best Grilled BBQ Ribs
Made with a spicy-sweet dry rub and tangy sauce, these BBQ spare ribs are succulent and flavorful.
Ingredients
For the Ribs
- 3-4 pounds spare ribs
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar firmly packed
- ¼ cup smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
For the BBQ Sauce
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup light brown sugar firmly packed
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Alabama White Sauce for serving (see link in Notes) optional
Instructions
- If using a gas grill, heat one burner or preheat to 200°F. If using a charcoal grill, stack the charcoal on one side.
- To make the ribs, in a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, paprika, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, ground mustard, and cayenne. Pat the ribs dry and remove the membrane. Rub both sides of the ribs with the dry rub mixture. Wrap the ribs in aluminum foil.
- Place the wrapped ribs bone side up, meaty-side down on the cool side of the grill. Cook for 1½ hours, then rotate the ribs 180 degrees and cook for another 1 to 1½ hours. After 2 hours of cooking, check every 30 minutes to see if the meat is pulling away from the bone. Remove the ribs from the grill.
- Meanwhile, to make the BBQ sauce, in a medium saucepan, combine all the sauce ingredients and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture begins to thicken, about 7 minutes.
- Heat the grill to 450°F by turning on all the burners of a gas grill or adding more coals to a charcoal grill and spreading them out evenly. Oil the grill grates. Unwrap the ribs and use a mop or brush to cover the ribs in the BBQ sauce, then place the ribs on the grill. Grill the ribs for 2 minutes without moving them, then flip them and grill for another 2 minutes, or until the sauce caramelizes. Remove the ribs from the grill onto a sheet pan and allow them to rest for about 10 minutes. Serve with extra BBQ sauce or Alabama white sauce.
Notes
Get the recipe for Alabama White Sauce in Love Language of the South, along with many other summer favorites.
Nutrition
Calories: 462kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 20gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 2327mgPotassium: 535mgFiber: 2gSugar: 26gVitamin A: 2206IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 63mgIron: 3mg
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