Dry-Rubbed Ribs on the Grill

bbq ribs and corn on the cob with bbq sauce.

5 from 3 votes

Our amazing ribs on the grill are seasoned with an easy marinade and then dry rubbed before grilling to perfection. Enjoy!

Prep Time1 30

Cook Time1 30

Total Time3

Course: Meat and Chicken

Cuisine: American

Keyword: ribs on the grill

Servings:

Author: Emily Richter

Ingredients

2-3 lbs. bone-in baby back ribs
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons cracked black pepper

Rib Marinade

¼ cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
5 cloves garlic minced

Rib Dry Rub

3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons ground celery seed
2 tablespoons coarse salt
2 teaspoons dried thyme
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons cracked black pepper

Optional Ingredients

1 cup bbq sauce

Instructions

First, prepare the rack of ribs. Remove the membrane from the ribs. To remove the membrane, slide a knife under the membrane (which is a white film layer) on the backside of a rack of ribs and then pull the membrane off with your fingers.
Massage the kosher salt and pepper into the ribs and set aside.
Make the rib marinade. Add all of the ingredients for the rib marinade to a bowl and whisk until combined.
Transfer the ribs to a gallon-sized bag or a 9x13-inch pan. Pour the marinade over the ribs. Be sure the ribs are covered in marinade. Flip the ribs meat side down, cover, and refrigerate the ribs for at least 1 hour or overnight for more tender and flavorful ribs.
Make the spice mix. Combine all of the ingredients for the dry rub in a bowl until and mix to combine. Set aside.
Preheat the grill to 300ºF.
Remove the ribs from the refrigerator and let the excess marinade drip from the ribs. Season the ribs with about 4-6 tablespoons (the amount varies by ribs) of the dry rub. Rub the spices into the ribs on both sides so that they’re completely covered.
Let the ribs sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes.
Cook the ribs. Transfer the ribs onto the grill and cook meat-side-down, over indirect heat for 1 hour.
Bring the temperature of the grill up to 400ºF. Move the ribs over to direct heat, making sure they are meat-side-up. Use a brush to coat the ribs with bbq sauce (if using). Grill over direct heat for 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Remove the ribs from the grill when the internal temperature reaches 195ºF but you can also tell that the ribs are done because they will start to expose the bone.
Let the ribs rest for 10 minutes and serve.

Video

Notes

Store any excess dry rub in an airtight container to use later.
The longer the ribs marinate the more tender and flavorful they will be.
You can use any type of bbq sauce that you’d like.
This recipe has only been tested with baby back ribs, no other kind of rib.
If you like more of a ‘crust’ on your ribs, add more dry rub before grilling.

Nutrition