Hello World! Welcome Friends! While a gas grill is great for many things – such as hot and fast cooking – getting that true barbeque flavor when using it for cooking a rack of ribs can, without a doubt, be challenging. However, just because it’s a bit more difficult does not mean that it’s impossible. In fact, there are some tricks that you can use to make that happen.
Keep in mind that when using a gas grill for cooking ribs, you will not be cooking them directly, but indirectly. What exactly does it mean? Instead of the heat being underneath the ribs, it’s on the other side of the grill – if you place the ribs directly on the heat, they might burn due to the high temperatures.
This particular guide will be based on cooking a full rack of spare ribs, however, with proper adjustments, you can use it for cooking any type of ribs you fancy. So, without any further ado – here is everything you need to know about cooking ribs on a gas grill.
Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash
What You Will Need
Here is a list of things you will need to cook your ribs on a gas grill:
- fuel for your grill
- one rack of pork ribs
- sharp knife
- aluminum foil
- rib rub (you can either buy it in a store or make one yourself – there are tons of recipes online)
- wood chips or chunks (for the smoky flavor)
- half a cup (120 ml) of apple juice
- barbecue sauce
Step 1: Prepare the Rack of Ribs
When looking for ribs in the store, try to find a rack that is square-shaped and has an even thickness. You can also visit a beef butcher to look at a high quality selection of meat.
Since it’s not often that you find store-bought ribs that are actually properly prepared, you will most likely have to do some basic trimming before you can cook them. The good news is that it shouldn’t take you more than a few minutes.
The first thing to do when it comes to preparing the ribs is inspection – make sure that there aren’t any loose pieces of bone, fat, or meat. Cut off excess fat and scraps if there are some. Once you’re done with trimming, rinse the ribs with cold water and pat them dry with a paper towel.
Step 2: Rub the Ribs
It’s time to apply the rub. As we already mentioned, you can either make one yourself or just buy one from the store. There are several recipes online, which means that you should have no problem with finding one that includes your favorite ingredients.
Remember that a good rib rub will not overpower the meat – instead, it will give it some flavor. Apply the rub evenly on the whole rack (back, front, sides, and ends) – put as much as it will stick, and let the excess fall away. If, for some reason, you need to put the ribs back into the fridge, wrap them tightly with a plastic wrap.
Remember to not apply the rub earlier than an hour before cooking, as it might affect the texture of the meat. Ideally, you should put the ribs on the grill within 10 to 20 minutes of applying the rub.
Step 3: Make Smoke Bombs
One of the disadvantages of a gas grill is that giving the meat a proper smoke flavor can be very challenging. Thankfully, it is not impossible – there are some ways in which you can achieve that, one of them being smoke bombs.
How to make them?
Well, start with placing around half a cup of dump (but not wet) wood chips on a foil – wrap them so that one side has a single layer of foil. Poke some holes through it so that the smoke has a way out. Place the smoke bombs under the cooking grate and close to the burner to create indirect heat.
Remember that in the beginning, you will have to preheat the grill enough for the combustion of the wood to start. Once the smoke starts coming out, turn down the heat, place the ribs on the grill, and close the lid.
Step 4: Place the Ribs
Correct placement of the rack of ribs on the grill is important, as, in order to cook them without burning them, you need indirect heat.
If you have a gas grill with burners running from front to back, you will need to use one of the burners on either of the ends. Place the smoke bombs over the chosen burner and the ribs on its opposite side.
If the rack of ribs you are using is short, it can be placed parallel to the burners – just remember to place it close to the burner, and not over it. If it’s long, you might have to place it in a diagonal position, in which case you will have to rotate it every once in a while to even the cooking.
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Toodles,
These are some great tips! And you’ve got it right; it makes a massive difference. Choosing the right Gas Range For Home Chef can be pretty tricky, but this guide made it a lot simpler! Thank you so much for writing; this was helpful!