7 Tips for Cooking Ribs on a Gas Grill

There is perhaps nothing quite as good as a rack of perfect grilled ribs. However, you might only be used to seeing ribs grilled with a traditional charcoal grill. Is it possible to achieve that perfect result when cooking ribs on a gas grill? 

Here, we’ll give you 7 important tips for getting the perfect grilled ribs from your gas grill, whether you’re a barbecue beginner or a seasoned professional. 

1. Choose the Best Cut for You 

One of the most important tips for cooking ribs right is to start with the best cut for you. Pork ribs are the most popular, but beef and lamb can also be viable options that are both flavorful and easy to cook. 

However, if you do decide on pork ribs, you’ll have another decision to make: baby back, spare ribs, or St. Louis-style pork ribs. Baby back ribs are generally cheaper and faster to cook which makes them great for beginners. However, you can always experiment with the other varieties. 

2. Prep Your Meat Right 

Most ribs have what’s called “silverskin” on the back, which is like a fatty membrane that connects to the meat. If your butcher didn’t already remove this, you’ll want to take it off before you throw anything on the grill – you don’t want to eat this part. 

In addition to this, you’ll want to trim off any meat or fat that hangs from the bone side and remove any membrane from the meat side for perfect looking ribs.

Also, you might consider whether or not to pre-cook your ribs (and how you want to pre-cook them if you choose to do so). You could opt to boil them on the stove, bake them in the oven, or even put them in a slow-cooker. Purists might fine this to be controversial, but it will save you some time if you’re in a crunch. 

3. Decide on a Dry Rub

Even if you’re going to slather your ribs in sauce, a dry rub is the best way to amp up the flavor of your meat before they’re even cooked. You can make your own dry rub with seasonings you have at home or buy something pre-made from the store. 

The most important thing is to make sure your dry rub has complementary flavors to your sauce. Also important, make sure you put the dry rub on at least 2 hours before you get the ribs on the grill. With the dry rub on, ribs should be covered and refrigerated to maximize that flavor infusion. 

4. Make Sure You’ve Got the Best Setup 

Obviously, your grill makes a big difference in the quality of your ribs. Gas grills are great for making large meals for your friends and family and they’re super easy to use! They can be a bit more on the expensive side than your average charcoal grill however. 

These grills still have all of the great qualities of a gas grill at a more budget-friendly price point. If you plan on grilling for large crowds, however, make sure you get one that can hold all the food you plan on making (a big rack of ribs can take up a lot of space!) 

5. Smokey Flavor

Because you don’t get the classic charcoal flavor from a gas grill, you might find other ways of adding those smokey flavors to your ribs. 

One tested way to add smokey flavor to gas-grilled meat is with smoke bombs. To make a smoke bomb, just roll up about a half cup of damp wood chips in aluminum foil, poke some holes in the package, and place them under the grate. You can use your favorite kind of wood chips depending on the flavor you’re going for. 

6. Distribute Heat Properly 

The key to really good home-grilled ribs is to cook them low and slow. Ribs need indirect heat to cook properly, as direct heat or overheating will result in dried out or overcooked meat. Especially on a gas grill, you should try to keep your ribs as far away from direct heat as possible. 

After preheating your grill and activating your smoke bombs with some higher temperatures, you’ll want to back the heat off to 200 degrees. Let your ribs cook for 30 minutes on each side and keep the lid closed to hold in as much smoke as possible. 

7. Rest the Meat Before Serving 

It may be tempting to immediately start eating once you pull your ribs off the grill and we don’t blame you. You’ve probably started to build up an appetite smelling all those delicious barbecue smells. 

However, you’ll want to wait at least 10-15 minutes before cutting into your ribs. You might even consider covering your ribs in apple juice and tin foil while they rest to steam and tenderize them a little bit more. Then, you can optionally add some of your favorite barbecue sauce for some final touches. 

Cooking Ribs on a Gas Grill For You and Your Family

There is no meal more satisfying to make (and to eat) than homemade grilled ribs. It may take some time and effort, but when you really perfect your method, grilling ribs on a gas grill is totally worth it. 

Have fun experimenting with new cuts of meat, new spice rubs, smoke bombs, and sauces to find the perfect rack of ribs for your friends and family, or maybe just for yourself. 

Continue exploring the site for even more tips to help you becoming an at-home grilling master.