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Our Grilled Baby Back Ribs with Sweet and Spicy Rub will change your grilling game forever! This is the juiciest, most delicious pork rib recipe, that’s fall-off-the-bone tender with barbecue sauce and a homemade dry rub.
Jump to:
- What are baby back ribs?
- What do I need to make baby back ribs on the grill?
- Can I use pork spare ribs?
- How to Cook Baby Back Ribs on the Grill
- Best Dry Rub for Ribs
- Baby Back Ribs Grill Temperature
- Internal Temp for Baby Back Ribs
- How to Cut Ribs
- Can I cook baby back ribs in the oven?
- Best Way to Reheat Ribs
- Side Dishes for Ribs
- 📌 Pin it for later!
- 📋 Recipe
- 💬 Reviews
I believe grilling with family and friends is one of life’s simple pleasures – I love easy recipes on the grill when entertaining! BBQ baby back ribs is one of my absolute favorite grilling recipes.
My family makes this recipe at least once a month – and I am talking year-round. After all, that’s one of the perks of living in Florida: It’s always grilling season!
And let me tell you, that’s my favorite part about living in Florida. It’s easy to feel like a superstar behind the grill. There is nothing like the feeling of grilling up a dish that has everyone saying WOW!
My secret to getting everyone excited about what I’m cooking starts with the ingredients – which means picking the perfect fresh pork ribs! Smithfield® Fresh Pork Ribs are my choice.
Pork ribs on the grill smell so incredible your neighbors will come knocking at your door hoping for a dinner invitation. Pick them up at your local Walmart and GRILL ON!
What are baby back ribs?
Also known as loin back ribs, baby back ribs are from around the loin area rather than the belly, and are more tender than spare ribs. They’re curved and short with plenty of lean meat on the bones.
Baby back ribs are pork, and are also called pork back ribs. When you eat bone-in pork rib loin chops, the baby back ribs are a part of that cut.
What do I need to make baby back ribs on the grill?
- Smithfield baby back ribs*
- Rib dry rub (your choice; or, use our dry rub for ribs)
- Barbecue sauce (use your favorite)
- Garlic powder
*I use Smithfield® ribs exclusively! Smithfield Extra Meaty Fresh Pork Back Ribs is my #1 choice for grilling ribs.
Each package is hand-selected and hand-trimmed so you know you’re getting the most meat on each bone, and the flavor is irresistible. They’re meaty, cook to fall-off-the-bone perfection, and are tender on the grill or in the oven.
There’s a reason Smithfield is the #1 rib brand in the U.S. You should eat what you love – so I always choose Smithfield products! Their ribs, pulled pork, and pork chops are always my family’s favorite to grill up quick weekday meals or smoked dinners over the weekend.
Smithfield Ribs are easy to find at your local Walmart or through the online Walmart Store. This way, you know you’re getting a deal for the best ribs!
Can I use pork spare ribs?
Yes! However, if you use pork spare ribs in this recipe, you will need to add an additional 2 hours of cooking time. Baby back ribs are smaller than spare ribs, and take less time to cook.
How to Cook Baby Back Ribs on the Grill
Follow these tips for cooking ribs on the grill, and you will have perfect, fall-off-the-bone ribs every time.
- There are many different thoughts on this, but I have made this recipe thousands of times and have never removed the membrane from the ribs. You simply do not need to do this when grilling BBQ baby back ribs.
- Rub both sides of the ribs very well with the rib dry rub. It’s called a rub for a reason – so rub rub rub and pat pat pat it down!
- You’re going to be cooking baby back ribs on the gas grill for an hour on low, so make sure you have propane in your tank.
- Only baste with BBQ sauce in the last 15 to 20 minutes of grilling, or the sugar in the sauce will burn.
- Let your grilled baby back ribs rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting them. If you skip this step, the ribs will lose their juiciness and become dry.
Best Dry Rub for Ribs
- Packed brown sugar
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Creole seasoning
- Black pepper
- Paprika
- Salt; preferably Himalayan sea salt
- Cumin
- Chili powder
- Mustard powder
When you dry rub baby back ribs, our Rib Rub Recipe is the rub to use. It’s part of what makes this the best baby back ribs recipe! You can use the dry rub of your choice, but we highly recommend giving this recipe a try.
Baby Back Ribs Grill Temperature
Light your gas grill to medium-high at approximately 300 degrees for about 1 hour. After the 1 hour mark, baste the ribs and turn the heat to low for 15 minutes.
Internal Temp for Baby Back Ribs
Though the safe grill temperature for ribs is 145°F, you will achieve the most tender results between 195°F to around 200°F. Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature when grilling baby back ribs.
How to Cut Ribs
- Lay your ribs flat with the back side of the ribs facing up, to cut from the back.
- Using a sharp knife, cut right next to the rib, between each rib, to ensure each cut has plenty of meat on the bone.
Our Smithfield baby back ribs are so tender, they will practically melt under the knife. They are so easy to cut and so delicious!
Can I cook baby back ribs in the oven?
Yes! Here’s how to cook our Smithfield baby back ribs in the oven:
- Season the ribs all over with rib dry rub, cover well, and refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Allow the ribs to come to room temperature, then lay them bone-side down on a wire rack. Fit the wire rack on a baking tray lined with foil.
- Add to the oven and bake for approximately 1 hour. After 1 hour, brush with BBQ sauce and continue cooking for 15 minutes. When the ribs reach 195°F to 200°F, they are ready to enjoy.
Best Way to Reheat Ribs
- Place the ribs in a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Preheat oven to 250˚F.
- Bake in preheated oven until the meat reaches about 140˚F and is heated through.
- Uncover the ribs and brush with barbecue sauce. Continue to bake for another 10-15 minutes uncovered.
Side Dishes for Ribs
Try one of our favorite side dishes for baby back ribs on the grill:
- Seasoned Grilled Corn on the Cob in Foil
- Potatoes on the Grill Recipe
- Salad with Grilled Peaches
- Cold German Potato Salad
- Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas and Rice
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📋 Recipe
Baby Back Ribs on the Grill
Equipment
- Grill
- Tongs
- Knife
Ingredients
For grilled baby back ribs
- 2 pounds Smithfield Baby Back Ribs
- ¼ cup Rib Dry Rub your choice, or our dry rub
- 1 cup Barbecue Sauce
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
Instructions
- On a large rimmed baking sheet, rub each rack of ribs all over with the rib dry rub and refrigerate overnight. Make sure to cover the entire racks well and pat down the rub. It's called a rub for a reason…. rub rub rub and pat pat pat on both sides, you want a really nice coating!
- Bring the ribs to room temperature when ready to cook. Clean the grill grates. You want nice clean grill grates for these baby back ribs. Light gas grill to medium, approximately 300°F.
- When grill is warm, place the ribs on the grill grates and close the lid. I like to check on these ribs every 20 minutes of so. I move them around a bit if I feel they are cooking unevenly. Grill for approximately 1 hour.
- Mix the BBQ sauce and garlic powder. At the 1 hours mark, brush the ribs with the BBQ Sauce using a basting brush. Give them a good coating.
- Turn the heat to low and shut the grill for approximately 15 minutes. Only baste with BBQ sauce in the last 15 to 20 minutes of grilling or the sugars will burn.
- Remove from grill and transfer to a large cutting board. Let the ribs rest for 10 minutes. Using a sharp knife, cut each rib in between each bone. Serve with additional BBQ sauce on the side.
Video
Notes
- I have made this recipe thousands of times and have never removed the membrane from the ribs. You simply do not need to do this when grilling BBQ baby back ribs.
- Rub both sides of the ribs very well with the rib dry rub. It’s called a rub for a reason – so rub rub rub and pat pat pat it down!
- You’re going to be cooking baby back ribs on the gas grill for an hour on low, so make sure you have propane in your tank.
- Only baste with BBQ sauce in the last 15 to 20 minutes of grilling, or the sugar in the sauce will burn.
- Let your grilled baby back ribs rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting them. If you skip this step, the ribs will lose their juiciness and become dry.
Frank says
Love the char you get from putting the ribs on the grill, thanks for all the helpful tips
Sara Welch says
Enjoyed this for dinner last night and it did not disappoint! So bold, juicy and fall off the bone delicious; the whole family loved it!
Reis says
Those baby back ribs looks amazing! I can’t wait to make these for my family.
Liam says
Talk about a perfect Summer grilling recipe! My family is going to love these. Thank you for this great recipe.