The debate on whether to slow cook ribs before grilling has sparked countless discussions among barbecue enthusiasts. While both methods offer their own unique advantages, understanding their nuances can help you determine the best approach for your culinary endeavors.
Benefits of Slow Cooking Ribs:
- Enhanced Tenderness: Slow cooking ribs over low heat for an extended period allows the collagen and connective tissues to break down, resulting in incredibly tender and fall-off-the-bone meat. This method is particularly beneficial for tougher cuts of meat, ensuring a melt-in-your-mouth experience.
- Flavorful Infusion: Slow cooking allows the spices and seasonings to penetrate deeply into the meat, creating a more flavorful and complex taste profile. This technique is ideal for experimenting with different spice blends and marinades, unlocking a world of culinary possibilities.
- Convenience and Hands-Off Cooking: Slow cookers offer the advantage of hands-off cooking, freeing you up to attend to other tasks while your ribs gently simmer to perfection. This method is perfect for busy individuals or those who prefer a more relaxed approach to cooking.
Benefits of Grilling Ribs:
- Smoky Flavor and Charred Exterior: Grilling imparts a unique smoky flavor and a beautifully charred exterior to the ribs. This method is favored by those who appreciate the distinct taste and texture that grilling provides.
- Crispy Bark Formation: Grilling allows for the formation of a crispy bark, a caramelized layer of spices and sugars that adds a delightful textural contrast to the tender meat. This crispy bark is a hallmark of well-grilled ribs.
- Faster Cooking Time: Compared to slow cooking, grilling ribs typically requires a shorter cooking time. This method is ideal for those who are short on time or prefer a quicker meal preparation.
Combining the Best of Both Worlds:
Many barbecue enthusiasts opt for a hybrid approach, combining the advantages of both slow cooking and grilling. This method involves slow cooking the ribs first to achieve maximum tenderness, followed by grilling them to add a smoky flavor and crispy bark. This approach offers the best of both worlds, resulting in ribs that are both tender and flavorful.
Choosing the Right Method:
The optimal method for cooking ribs ultimately depends on your personal preferences and the desired outcome. If you prioritize tenderness and flavor infusion, slow cooking is an excellent choice. If you prefer a smoky flavor and crispy bark, grilling is the way to go. For the best of both worlds, consider combining both methods.
Whether you choose to slow cook, grill, or combine both methods, the key to creating delicious ribs lies in using high-quality ingredients, applying the proper technique, and allowing the flavors to develop fully. Experiment with different approaches and discover the method that best suits your culinary style and preferences.
The above menu? Makes a delicious BBQ dinner menu. What more could you want for? Summery flavors, excellent BBQ, and a delicious dessert. When are you cooking?
To be honest, this is one dinner that I did not prepare. My spouse is our home’s grill expert, and he even makes slow-cooked ribs. He did fantastic, and we will definitely be keeping the recipe. Since our initial attempt, we have already made them again. Seriously so good!.
This is not a “grill and go” type of meal; it requires two to three hours on the grill, so allow ample time! The outcome is well worth the effort! It’s the ideal fare for an outdoor backyard day, so grab a tasty cocktail and start grilling! We made an afternoon outside and truly enjoyed the results. My advice? Make 2 racks and enjoy the leftovers. It would be wasteful not to have some leftover for later if you were going to be cooking it all day!
I adore the grill! It adds such a summery touch to everything! Summertime means it’s time to start cooking! These Slow Cooked Ribs are so good that you won’t even need to break out your slow cooker for this recipe—instead, you’ll slow cook them on the grill! That’s right on the Grill. They are amazing (I swear!).
Slow Cooked on the Grill Ribs
Ingredients
- 1 rack of ribs
- grill rub
- barbeque sauce of your choice
- 1/2 C apple juice
Instructions
- Rub ribs with seasoning 1/2 hour prior to cooking
- Wrap ribs with tinfoil
- Heat Grill to about 225-250 degrees
- Place ribs on upper rack (so not directly on top of flames – if you dont have a second rack then turn off one burner and put ribs on that side)
- Let ribs cook for about 2 hours bone side down at this low temp
- Flip ribs and add apple juice to tinfoil (close the tin foil up again) and let cook for 30 minutes
- Uncover ribs, baste with BBQ sauce and let cook for 15 minutes
- Baste ribs again with sauce and move down to direct heat for 15-20 minutes
- Serve with extra sauce!
Watch a Video Demo of this Rib Recipe Below!
- Rub ribs with seasoning 1/2 hour prior to cooking
- Wrap ribs with tinfoil
- Heat Grill to about 225-250 degrees
- Place ribs on upper rack (so not directly on top of flames – if you dont have a second rack then turn off one burner and put ribs on that side)
- Let ribs cook for about 2 hours bone side down at this low temp
- Flip ribs and add apple juice to tinfoil (close the tin foil up again) and let cook for 30 minutes
- Uncover ribs, baste with BBQ sauce and let cook for 15 minutes
- Baste ribs again with sauce and move down to direct heat for 15-20 minutes
- Serve with extra sauce!
Watch a Video Demo of this Rib Recipe Below!
The best way to get the most flavor from oven-baked ribs is to use a spice rub. I love this rub because it’s made with many common spices you probably already have in your pantry like cumin, smoked paprika, and ground coriander. When mixed with the brown sugar the flavor created is sweet and smokey with a little bit of a kick.
Baby Back Ribs – Boiled and Finished on the Grill
FAQ
Should you pre cook ribs before grilling?
Is it better to cook ribs low and slow?
How long to cook ribs at 250 on grill?
How long should ribs sit before grilling?
Should you cook ribs before grilling?
Ribs benefit from a lengthy cook time over a low temperature, which can be tough to control on the grill, and can easily lead to burnt meat. Follow this tip: Pre-cooking the ribs before they hit the grill not only gives you more control over the cooking temperature, but it can also make for more tender meat.
What is the reason for the pain in the ribs?
Pain in ribs can be due to various reasons including trauma (rib fracture), pulled muscle, joint inflammation, referred pain (liver, spleen, and lungs) and due to underlying undiagnosed auto-immune disorder.
Can You slow cook pork ribs on a gas grill?
Barbecue ribs should not be cooked quickly over a high direct heat source; instead, the ribs need to be cooked “low and slow” meaning over a low heat for a long period of time. There are several ways you can slow-cook pork ribs on a gas grill, but the two things that are consistent are to have patience and a watchful eye.
Can you cook ribs in a crockpot?
Barbecue Paradise. Like my Instant Pot Ribs, these crockpot ribs have the deep, smoky barbecue that you love. When the cooking time has ended, you’ll open your crockpot to find the best slow cooker ribs you’ve ever had. The Prep is Quick and Easy.