How to Grill Ribs on a Propane Grill
Craving smoky, tender, juicy barbecue ribs?
Thankfully, you don’t have to break the bank at a fancy grill-slash-steakhouse.
Here’s how you can do this dish from the comfort of your home. Trust us, these steps are doable!
Required Materials
- Propane for your grill
- One rack of ribs
- Paring knife
- Rib rub
- Aluminum foil
- ½ cup damp (NOT WET) wood chips
- ½ cup juice (apple, orange, soda, etc.
- Barbecue sauce (optional)
- Basting brush
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Prepare the Ribs
There are THREE types of ribs you can consider using for this recipe:
- Baby back ribs
- Spareribs
- Country-style ribs
Regardless of which kind you pick, you need to remove the “silver skin,” a membrane of connective tissue on the inner side of the ribs.
Otherwise, the ribs will be TOUGH and CHEWY.
To remove the silver skin, insert your paring knife under a corner of the membrane. Lift it and pull the whole thing off.
Then rinse the rack with cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Season the Ribs
Apply your rib rub evenly over the meat. Cover the back, front, sides, and ends.
Too much rub will overpower the meat’s natural flavor. Use ONLY what sticks to the ribs and discard the excess that falls off.
A basic rib rub usually includes:
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Paprika
Other recipes add seasonings like brown sugar, onion powder, or thyme. If you want a SPICIER flavor, add cayenne pepper or chili powder.
Don’t let the rub sit on the ribs for longer than 1 hour before cooking. Try to cook the ribs within 10-20 minutes of seasoning them.
3. Prepare the Grill
If you’re a complete beginner at cooking with a gas grill, it’s important to preheat your gas grill until the temperature is between 300 – 400°F.
4. OPTIONAL: Make Smoke Bombs for Added Flavor
Because gas grills burn fuel relatively quickly, they don’t release as much smoke as charcoal or pellet grills.
Meat cooked on a gas grill won’t have that same smoky flavor.
That’s where the smoke bombs come in. Wrap the half-cup of damp wood chips in a single layer of aluminum foil. Poke several holes in the foil.
Place the smoke bombs under the cooking grate as close as possible to the lit burners.
When you see smoke coming out, place the ribs in the grill—bone side down—and close the lid.
5. Cook the Ribs
The most important step is to grill ribs on the propane grill. Use indirect heat to make sure the ribs won’t be overcooked. Basically:
- Turn off the burners directly under the meat.
- Leave the burners around it on.
Depending on the grill you have, you can leave the two outside burners on and turn the middle one off.
Place the meat on one side of the grill and turn off all the burners on that side.
Cook the ribs for 30 minutes at 300°F. Keep the lid closed to keep as much smoke inside.
Afterward, check if the ribs are evenly browned on all sides. If not, grill for another 10-15 minutes until done.
You can take the ribs out of the grill and serve them now. Follow the next two optional steps to add flavor and texture to your meat.
6. OPTIONAL: Steam the Ribs in Liquid.
Wrap the ribs tightly in aluminum foil [1]. Then pour the half-cup of juice into the foil packet.
Place the ribs back in the grill and close the lid.
Turn the temperature up to 375°F and cook for another 30 minutes. If they’re NOT evenly browned, cook for another 10-15 minutes until done.
7. OPTIONAL: Add Barbecue Sauce
Lower heat to between 250 – 265°F.
Brush one side of the ribs with sauce. Close the lid and cook for 5 minutes.
Flip the ribs, apply sauce on the other side, and cook for another 5 minutes. Repeat for 30 minutes until done.
Finally, remove the ribs from the grill and let them rest for 10 minutes. Cut into portions and serve.
Conclusion
See how easy the steps are on how to grill ribs on a propane grill?
You should be good to go as long as you have the necessary tools and practice the steps repeatedly!
ENJOY your ribs!
Read more of our grilling guides below:
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