St. Louis Ribs (Grilled)

4.86 from 14 votes

As grilling season kicks into high gear, make sure to add these St. Louis Grilled Ribs to your barbecue lineup. Get ready to impress your guests with these irresistible and crowd-pleasing grilled ribs.

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

Prep Time30

Cook Time6

Resting Time9

Total Time15 30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Author: Becky Hardin

Equipment

Grill or Indoor Grill Pan
8 ounces Apple or hickory wood chips or chunks
Baking Sheet

Ingredients

For the Ribs

2 slabs St. Louis-Style Ribs 7-9 ribs each
2 tsp kosher salt
canola oil
2 tbsp dry rub for pork
¼ cup barbecue sauce Homemade or Blue’s Hog Original are our favorites

For the Vinegar Mopping Mixture

½ cup distilled white vinegar
½ cup water
½ cup dry rub for pork

Instructions

For the Vinegar Mopping Mixture

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside for now.
½ cup distilled white vinegar, ½ cup water, ½ cup dry rub for pork

For Prepping the Ribs

Rinse the ribs under cool water to remove any bone chips from butchering.
2 slabs St. Louis-Style Ribs
Remove the membrane from the ribs if it is still intact. HERE is a great instructional video.
To dry brine the ribs, season them with kosher salt like you would if they were served to you unsalted; about ¼ tsp per pound of ribs. Wrap each slab with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1-2 hours.
2 tsp kosher salt
After 1-2 hours, remove the ribs and liberally brush both with canola oil. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of the pork dry rub evenly over both sides of each slab of ribs, and wrap the ribs with plastic wrap.
canola oil, 2 tbsp dry rub for pork
Place the ribs in the fridge for 8-24 hours.

For Cooking the Ribs

When it’s time to grill the ribs, a two-heat-zone grilling method will be used, and 225°F is the optimal temperature.
To set up a kettle-style grill for slow, low cooking, start by heating half a chimney of briquettes.
Remove the ribs from the fridge to warm to room temperature.
Once the briquettes are ready, pour them over the lower grate and against one side of the grill. “Bank” them up the side of the grill. Place 4 oz. of wood chips/chunks on top of the coals. Fill a stainless steel pan with 2 cups of water and set it on the cool side of the grate opposite the coals, and close the grill lid.
Adjust the intake damper on the bottom of the grill to get the temperature of the grill to 225°F before adding the ribs. Place the upper grate over the grills with the lift-up opening placed over the coals. Preheat the grill 5 minutes, then open it and clean and oil the upper grate.
Place a stainless steel pan filled with 2 cups of water, on the grate, directly over the coals.
Unwrap the ribs and place them, meaty side up, on the cool side of the grate opposite the pan of water. “Mop” the ribs with the Vinegar Mopping Mixture.
Place the lid on, with the vent over the ribs, and cook 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, place another 4 ounces of wood chips/chunks directly onto the coals. Replace the lid and cook an additional 2½ hours.
If the temperature goes below 200°F, add 10 hot briquettes over the coals (as needed). Also, add additional water to the water pans, as needed.
After the ribs have cooked a total of 3 hours, “mop” the slabs with the Vinegar Mopping Mixture and turn them 180°. Do NOT flip them over. Close the lid and cook an additional 2 hours. Keep a close eye on the grill's internal temperature and add more hot coals and water, if needed.
After a total of 5 hours cooking time, heat another ½ chimney of briquettes. While the briquettes heat, take a peek at the ribs, and give the ribs the “bend test.” (Pick the meat up, with tongs, by one end to see if the meat will “break” or slightly tear apart, if it does, it’s ready). Transfer the ribs to a baking sheet to coat lightly with your favorite BBQ sauce and to rest while the coals heat.
¼ cup barbecue sauce
Once the coals are hot, place a slab of ribs directly over the coals and cook 30 seconds each side. Repeat with the second slab of ribs.
Cut the ribs between the bones and serve.

Notes

Ask your butcher to remove the membrane on the ribs to save you some prep time!

Nutrition