How to Make Smoked Ribs on a Gas Grill

There are a few different ways to make smoked ribs on the grill. This article will provide you with some tips and tricks for making these delicious ribs, whether you are cooking them in your backyard or at a family reunion.

Smoked ribs are a delicacy that can be enjoyed on the grill with wood chips. The “how to smoke ribs on a gas grill with wood chips” is an easy process that will take only 20 minutes.

Note from the editor: This is a guest post by Jeff Mcintyre.

Growing up, learning basic culinary skills was not a priority for me. The shift from a well-fed adolescent to a completely self-sufficient and kitchen-illiterate college freshman was difficult. Fast food and premade meals suddenly became unappealing to me. Fortunately, outdoor cooking has always piqued my interest. I started reading about grilling methods and became captivated instantly. Grilling introduced me to the skill of cooking delicious food. Cooking has been one of my biggest loves in recent years.

There’s a reason why pork ribs are so popular in competition grilling. Cooking succulent ribs demonstrates a mastery of the barbecue procedure. Although it may seem difficult, the greatest part about cooking ribs is that it consists of a sequence of easy procedures that you can learn and gain the advantages of.

Where Can I Buy Pork Ribs?

Pork ribs may be found at almost any supermarket, meat market, or wholesale grocer, such as Costco. I definitely suggest ordering ribs at Costco if you are a member. They provide high-quality meats at a reasonable cost.

Although there seem to be an infinite number of sorts of pork ribs with various names, there are only three to consider.

Back Ribs (Baby)

Loin ribs, back ribs, and Canadian back ribs are all names for these ribs. Baby back ribs, which are cut from the top of the rib cage between the spine and the spareribs, are shorter and meatier than spareribs and cook in less time.

Spareribs

These ribs are removed from the belly side of the rib cage, below the baby back ribs region and above the sternum, and are known as spareribs or side ribs. Spareribs provide less meat and have more fat than baby back ribs.

Ribs in the Style of St. Louis

The sternum bone, cartilage, and rib tips have been removed from spare ribs. St. Louis style ribs have a rectangular form after being chopped.

Ribs: How to Cook Them

Cut and Rinse

This may seem self-evident, yet it is worth mentioning. The first step is to thoroughly rinse the ribs under cold water to remove any loose meat, fat, or bone fragments. Using paper towels, wipe the slab dry after washing.

Remove any meat or fat that is hanging. If left on the slab, these portions will burn and leave burn scars on your ribs.

You’ll observe a thick membrane protecting the bones on the slab’s bone side. Get between the membrane and the flesh at the broader end of the slab and tear it off all the way to the narrow end to remove it.

Marinate

Although the efficacy of marinating pork ribs is debated, I like to do it for a few hours before cooking them as follows:

In a large, non-reactive roasting pan or a big dish, place the ribs.
Pour 3 to 4 cups apple cider vinegar over the ribs, enough to thoroughly cover them.
1 lemon, cut and squeezed immediately into the mixing bowl
Refrigerate the bowl for 1 to 2 hours after wrapping it in plastic wrap.

Using a Dry Rub

It’s critical to use a dry rub on your ribs. Salt, sugar, herbs, and spices will improve the taste of the meat, provide some heat, and aid in the formation of a delectable top crust. Use the rub below, create your own, or use your favorite store-bought brand.

This recipe yields around 1 cup. In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix with your hands. The residual rub should be kept in an airtight container away from heat and light for at least 6 months.

Ingredients

1/4 cup brown sugar, tightly packed
paprika, 1/4 cup (hot paprika for an extra kick)
3 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
4 teaspoons of salt (preferably coarse salt)
2 tablespoons powdered garlic
celery seeds, 2 tblsp (optional)
cayenne pepper (1 teaspoon)

Take the marinated ribs out of the refrigerator and pat them dry with paper towels. A thin coating of vegetable oil should be applied to the ribs. Because the flavors in most dry rubs are oil soluble, this procedure will aid the rub’s penetration into the meat’s surface. Rub both sides with a liberal quantity of the rub. Wrap the ribs in foil or plastic wrap and place them in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Let’s get grilling!

In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to cook spareribs on a gas grill with smoke. When utilizing a charcoal grill, the significant distinctions are in how you set up your grill and how you apply the woodchips for the smoking process.

The main difference between the two types of ribs while grilling is the cooking time; owing to their lower fat content, baby back ribs cook a little faster.

On indirect heat, I’m grilling.

Ribs are finest grilled with wood smoke and cooked gently over low heat. By grilling our meat indirectly, we can maintain a continuous low temperature. Simply said, we dial up the heat on one side of the grill while placing our meat on the other.

On a gas barbecue, indirect grilling.

It’s not difficult to set up a gas grill. Turn one of the burners on and leave the other off if you have two. If you have three burners, turn off the two on the edges, or if you’re having trouble keeping your target temperature of 225 degrees, switch one of the edge burners on while leaving the other two off.

On a gas barbecue, smoking with woodchips.

Smoke flavor enhances the taste of your ribs. Simply follow the instructions below to discover how wonderful grilling with smoke can be.

Woodchips may be found at home improvement shops or at grilling supply stores. Hickory and mesquite are my favorite smoking woods. Both woods provide powerful tastes fast. Placing wood chips directly on the flame will cause them to catch fire and swiftly burn out, leaving a mess of ashes and very little smoke. Place the woodchips in a container that won’t burn and won’t release harmful compounds even when heated to high temperatures. You may choose between two options:

Purchase a woodchip smoker box, which is a one-time investment of less than $20. These boxes are strong, long-lasting, and efficient.
Make use of foil. To store your woodchips, follow the easy instructions in this video.

I’ve tried both ways and found that using foil to make your own “smoking pouch” works just well. I recommend beginning by manufacturing your own smoker pouches and sticking with it if it works for you.

Most grilling gurus advocate soaking woodchips for at least an hour before using them (usually in water, but you may also use wine, beer, whiskey, or even fruit juice). Then drain them and put them in your smoker pouch or box.

It’s time to turn the heat up!

Now that everything is in place, it’s time to light up the burners and have some fun! Place your smoker box or foil smoking pouch on top of one of your burners (refer to the indirect grilling instructions above). Set your smoke box or smoking pouch on the highest heat setting on the burner. Wait until you see smoke billowing from the grill (waiting is key as opening the lid to check will only delay the process by letting the heat escape). Turn the burner to medium-low and set the slab of ribs on the grate over the burner that isn’t in use once you see smoke coming from the grill. Keep in mind that we’re cooking on low heat using indirect heat. Maintain a temperature of 225 to 235 degrees for the length of the cooking. The woodchips will eventually burn out, but the ribs may be cooked without smoke until they are done. The 45 minutes or so of smoking will have imparted a lot of flavor to your ribs.

A spray bottle is required. Spray bottles may usually be found in the gardening department of most supermarkets. Pour a tiny quantity of apple cider vinegar into the spray bottle. Lift the cover of the grill every 30 minutes or so and sprinkle a little apple cider vinegar straight on the ribs to coat them and keep them from drying out. Within 4 to 5 hours, the ribs should be thoroughly cooked. Apply a coat of your homemade or preferred store-bought BBQ sauce to the ribs about 20 minutes before they’re done. Even better, try this recipe for my favorite homemade BBQ sauce:

Ingredients

2 quarts ketchup
a quarter cup of apple cider vinegar
Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 cup
1/4 cup brown sugar, tightly packed
molasses (2 tblsp.)
mustard (2 tablespoons)
1 tbsp Tabasco sauce (or your favorite hot sauce)
1 tblsp. barbeque sauce of your choice (optional)
2 tbsp liquid tobacco (optional)
a quarter teaspoon of black pepper
3 peeled fresh garlic cloves
2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped (optional)

In a nonreactive saucepan, combine all ingredients (except the garlic cloves) and gently bring to a boil. Reduce to a low/medium heat setting and add the garlic cloves. Allow at least 15 minutes for the sauce to boil before removing the garlic cloves. Refrigerate the sauce after transferring it to clean jars. The sauce will last for a few months in the refrigerator.

Examine for doneness

The fact that you can’t use a meat thermometer to check ribs for doneness is the greatest stumbling block. Because you can’t probe the meat far enough without striking the bone, the thermometer won’t give you an accurate reading. Heat is emitted by bones, resulting in an incorrect measurement. Despite this constraint, there are a few techniques to determine if your ribs are done:

Place a toothpick in the gap between two bones. They’re done when it goes in and out of the flesh without resistance.
Remove the end bone and taste it to see whether it’s done.
Check for pink liquid around the center of the meat by cutting into it with a knife.

Try these ribs and let me know what you think! I’d love to hear how amazing these ribs came out after you’ve tried them. Better better, give me a yell and I’ll be there! I’ll bring the ice cold drinks!

What are your rib-making secrets and techniques? Let us know in the comments!

Jeff Mcintyre is a freelance writer who chronicles his experiences as a writer, bookworm, poker player, sports enthusiast, prop bet junkie, technologist, and foodie.

The “how to cook ribs on gas grill fast” is a cooking technique that can be used for smoked ribs. The process is easy and doesn’t require many ingredients.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to smoke ribs on gas grill?

A: This depends on the size of your grill and how much you are going to smoke. It can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour or so, depending on what sort of ribs that youre cooking.

Is it possible to smoke ribs in a gas grill?

A: No. It is not possible to smoke ribs in a gas grill because the heat from the flame and open end of the grate would cause them to burn too quickly, before they have time to render all their juices into flavor.