Grilled Ribs - 2 Ways

For our Memorial Day meal, I elected to grill two packages of baby back ribs instead of smoking them over hickory chips.

But what sort of dry rub to use?  I decided that two completely different flavor profiles would be fun and we could compare and contrast.  

At a recent BBQ competition, judges were given a gift bag which included a container of Bad Byron's Butt Rub.  Okay, so one flavor was a given!

Then my eye fell on my beloved Hardin's Seasoning in the cabinet.  Of course that would be the choice for the second rack of ribs!

Always remember to remove the membrane on the back side of the ribs.  You can grasp a corner with a paper towel and gently pull and should be able to remove it completely.  Discard.

Choose YOUR favorite dry rub or seasoning and place the rack of ribs on a tray.  Pat the ribs, front and back, with a paper towel to dry them as much as possible.  This will help the dry rub adhere properly.

Thoroughly coat the ribs on both sides and let them rest for 15-20 minutes.

Preheat the gas grill and clean grates.  You'll want to cook the ribs to as close to 325 degrees F. as possible.  The secret to grilling ribs is to cook over indirect heat.  I have a three burner grill.  When the temperature reached 325 degrees, I turned off the middle burner and lowered the heat of the two outside burners to the lowest heat setting.   Then I placed the ribs onto the middle of the grill.

Now the fun wait begins!  Close the lid and keep an eye on the temperature.  Low and slow is the thing for tender ribs.  After about an hour of cooking, I gently brushed the ribs with apple juice using a silicone brush.  That helps to keep them moist and juicy.

After about 3 hours, the internal temperature of the ribs stood steady at 187.  The sweet spot for grilled ribs is 198-203 degrees F.  

I increased the heat slightly and began applying the sauce to both sides of the ribs.

After about another half hour of cooking, the temperature was 202 degrees F.!  We are ready to eat!

 Those are some pretty ribs!

Our favorite seasoning?  Hardin's hands down!  These were great ribs even if I do say so and here's the proof that the "one bite out of the middle without the meat falling off the bone" was achieved!