There are several difficult ways to smoke ribs, but none are necessary for regular cooking, especially when using a pellet grill. Many people believe that cooking ribs on a pellet smoker are the easiest. The pellet smoker typically does an excellent job, and the results are delicious.
This article will teach you the tricks and secrets for cooking ribs on a pellet grill and the best way to get desirable results. Ensure to pay attention to our recommended timing guidelines to get a perfect outcome.
Ribs Nutrition Facts
Tips for Cooking Ribs on a Pellet Grill
The following tips have been compiled to ensure a smooth cooking process when cooking ribs on a pellet grill:
Necessary preparatory steps – It is advisable to always begin by removing any huge fatty chunks that are remnants from the butchering and packaging procedure. Also, eliminate any silver skin that may be remaining in the ribs. Failure to do this will make the silver skin contract during cooking, making any piece of flesh on the ribs extremely difficult to chew, so always make sure to get rid of it when you see it.
If it’s a full rack of ribs (spare ribs) you’re working with, cut them into smaller pieces. If your pellet grill is a smaller-sized one, you may need to cut the ribs in halves or thirds to make sure everything will fit on your rack simultaneously.
Ideas for a good rub – Whatever comes to mind to use as a rub for your ribs will work just fine. Smoked paprika is one of the most commonly used ingredients in rubs. Combine equal parts smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and half a teaspoon of salt for a quick rub. A tablespoon of each ingredient should suffice for a whole rack of ribs. You can also prepare a larger quantity of rub and keep it in a ziplock bag or small container to use later. Feel free to make up your recipe if that’s what you prefer. For a sweeter bark, try adding some honey or brown sugar. Try to avoid using a moist bbq sauce when grilling the ribs. You can also top them with a sauce for even more flavor when serving the ribs. However, it is up to you to explore different flavors and have some fun with your cooking.
Use the bend test – The bend test is a way to ensure that your ribs are always cooked to perfection. As a result of the meat being so near to the bone, thermometers aren’t always accurate for ribs. So instead, pick up the ribs using tongs and flex them to see if the bark splits and the ribs are nearly split in two.
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Cooking Time for Cooking Ribs on a Pellet Grill
The ideal cooking duration for ribs on a pellet grill is described in the table below:
Cooking Procedure
Cooking Time
Cooking ribs on a pellet grill at 275 F
5 hours and 30 minutes
PrintPellet-Grill Smoked Ribs (4 to 6 Servings)
Ingredients
- Kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper
- Four teaspoons of paprika
- Two tablespoons of vegetable oil
- Two full racks of St. Louis-style pork ribs (2½ to 3 pounds)
- ⅔ cup of apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups of ketchup
- ⅓ cup of distilled white vinegar
- ⅓ cup of dark brown sugar
- Two tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 to 2 teaspoons hot sauce, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your pellet grill to 275°F. In a small bowl, combine two tablespoons of salt, four tablespoons of coarsely ground pepper, and two teaspoons of paprika. One tablespoon of oil should be rubbed all over each rack of ribs, and the salt and seasoning combination should be evenly sprinkled on both sides.
- Place the ribs on the grill grates, with the meat side facing upwards. Cook the ribs for 1 hour on the grill, covered.
- In a spray bottle, pour in ⅓ cup of cider vinegar and ⅓ cup of water, then combine this mixture. After 1 hour, spritz the ribs all over with this vinegar mixture and water to dampen them. Cook the ribs for another hour, covered.
- In a medium saucepan, pour in the ketchup, the remaining ⅓ cup of cider vinegar, ¾ cup of water, brown sugar, white vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, two teaspoons of pepper, two teaspoons of salt, spicy sauce, and two teaspoons of paprika. Cook this mixture for 2 minutes over medium heat, or until the mixture gets entirely warmed and the sugar has dissolved. Set the resulting mixture aside.
- Examine the ribs and re-spray them with the vinegar-water mixture. They should begin to turn red due to the smoke. Cook them, keeping them covered, for 30 to 45 minutes, or until they have developed a deep red color. Spritz the ribs once again, then brush ¼ cup of the sauce over the meaty portion of each rack. Close the grill and continue to cook the ribs for an extra 15 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.
- Place two sheets of heavy-duty foil with a sufficient length to cover individual racks on a surface, then spread ¼ cup of sauce on half of each sheet. Place the rib racks on the saucy section of the foil, meat side down. Apply ¼ cup of sauce and a few sprays of vinegar water to the bony sides, then wrap the foil over the ribs and seal it tightly.
- Suppose the initial layer of foil has been pierced while wrapping; add an extra layer. Place the ribs on a rimmed baking sheet and grill until done (the baking sheet should get the juices if any leak out). Cover and simmer for 2 hours, or until the meat is cooked but not coming off the bone.
- Allow a 5-minute resting period after removing the ribs from the grill before carefully unwrapping them (be careful, so the hot steam doesn’t hurt you). Serve the ribs with the leftover sauce after slicing each rib rack into separate rib chunks.
This recipe for pellet-grilled ribs yields tasty and satisfying results, provided that the cooking instructions are adhered to properly. If you’d like to see more ideas for cooking ribs on a pellet grill, we recommend checking out this video recipe.