This is the Best Dry Rub Ribs recipe. Slow cooked, juicy, tender dry rub ribs. Toss them on the grill and sit down and relax. The family will love it.
This is the Best Dry Rub Ribs recipe you are ever gonna make. Easy. 20 minutes active. Then sit back and relax for about 4 hours. Spectacular!
Dry Rub Ribs (Grilled Pork Baby Back Ribs)
Hey there. It's Don, grilling the Best Dry Rub Ribs on the back deck. When it's too hot for cooking inside or we simply want a grilled meal, I fire up the CharBroil Tru Infrared Grill (affiliate link) right outside the kitchen door. Grilling is a great way to cook tasty, tender Spectacular Grilled Dry Rub Ribs.
I use a dry rub that has spices, brown sugar and hot pepper. Rub the mix generously all over the ribs, wrap them in foil and cook them a few hours on a low-heat grill. When the baby back ribs are unwrapped, the fragrance wafting through the house is enough to summon everyone to supper.
What You Need
You'll need some knives (affiliate link), a cutting board, a small bowl, measuring spoons, and a good outdoor grill. Although ours is gas, it doesn't matter whether it's gas or charcoal. The method is "indirect" cooking, and if you are using a charcoal grill, you have to bank the coals around the outside before putting your ribs on. I love my rib rack and suggest you get one.
Best Dry Rubs Ribs Recipe
Best Dry Rub Ribs
Ingredients
Ribs
- 2 racks of pork baby back ribs (about 2 ½ pounds)
Dry Rub
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons sweet Hungarian paprika
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 teaspoons dried oregano
- 4 teaspoons garlic power
- 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Instructions
Prepare the Ribs
- Remove the thin membrane from the rib side of the slab. The easiest way to do it is to use a small knife to work the membrane loose at one end of the slab. Then grip the loose end with a paper or cloth towel and gently but persistently pull the membrane away from the ribs.
- I cut the rack into four equal sections as close in size as possible.
- Lay each section on a piece of aluminum foil large enough to wrap it well.
Prepare the Rub and Season Ribs
- Put all the ingredients except the ribs in a small bowl and mix well.
- Generously rub both sides of the ribs with the spice mixture.
- Wrap each section tightly with the foil.
Heat Grill
- Preheat a covered grill to between 250°F and 350°F.
- If you are using a charcoal grill, pile the coals at one side away from where you are placing the ribs. With a gas grill, only use the burner farthest from where you place the ribs.
Grill Ribs
- Stand the foil-wrapped ribs in a rib rack and place them on the grill at the end away from the heat source.
- Pay attention to the temperature and adjust it to keep the ribs cooking at about 300°F.
- Cook the ribs for 3½ to 4 hours.
- You can turn them once about half way through if the heat source is close to the ribs. Otherwise, enjoy the company of family and friends while they turn into a delicious, fall-off-the-bone treat.
Let Rest & Serve
- When ready to eat, take the ribs off the grill and let them rest for 10 minutes or so.
- Then unwrap them and serve along side homemade coleslaw.
NOTES
- NOTE: The proportion of spices is perfect for me and my family. If you like them with more "kick," up the cayenne pepper and black pepper. Or if you like them a little sweeter, increase the brown sugar.
- LEFTOVERS NOTE: At our house we eat them dry most of the time. When we do have them left over and they have been refrigerated for a couple of days, we reheat them in the oven with homemade sweet and tangy sauce.
Recipe Nutrition Information
This recipe is GF, DF, NF, SF, EF, CF (use corn-free salt)*
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.
Slow-cooked, Spectacular Grilled Dry-Rub Baby Back Ribs Nutrition Label. Each serving is about …“ pound.
More About This Ribs Recipe
The spicy dry-rub recipe came from TV Chef Nathan Lyon. Lois and I met him at the Business of Food Conference at James Madison University a few years ago. We bought his cookbook, Great Food Starts Fresh (affiliate link), and are delighted we did. His dry rub makes the best dry rub for pork baby back ribs that I have ever tasted, and Lois loved them too. She's not a big meat eater, so that's saying something!
The last time I made Dry Rub Ribs our daughter's family, the Clissolds, were here: Abbi, Brian, Madeline, Charlotte, and Brennan. I cooked two full racks cut into quarters for that crew. We had about half a rack left over that we warmed up another day, topped with Easy BBQ Sauce.
The fun part was teaching the grandkids it's okay to eat ribs with their fingers. The Best Dry Rub Ribs are not that messy, and mine are just fall-off-the-bone scrumptious. If Mom or Dad want the kids to be œproper, they can easily eat the ribs with a knife and fork; but what fun is there in that?
Nourish Your Body & Soul
I encourage you to care of yourself by eating satisfying, nourishing food that is good for your body and makes you feel healthy. Protect your spirit by living authentically, moving your body, and taking time to replenish and rest. I think you might also like these recipes & posts from Recipe Idea Shop:
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Best Dry Rub Ribs. Super easy. The hardest part is waiting.
Best Dry Rub Ribs (IMHO). It's grillin' time!
Best Dry Rub Ribs Recipe. Easy, fall-off-the-bone ribs.
*Allergen Key
GF = Gluten free | DF = Dairy free | NF = Nut free | SF = Soy free | EF = Egg free | CF = Corn free | V = Vegetarian | VG = Vegan
Note: If you have serious allergies or sensitivities, to be considered free of these allergens, you need to use products specifically marked "gluten free," etc. There can be cross-contamination in facilities.
This post was first published on Recipe Idea Shop July 6, 2015 and updated April 13, 2021.
Eileen Dight
I want to try this Brits are way behind when it comes to roasting ribs. Can I make these in a slow cooker? I haven’t got a barbecue grill.
Lois
Hi Eileen! I think a slow cooker would work great with the temperature on high. The timing would be similar to grilling. Don says you can make the ribs in a slow cooker or the oven at 400F, but they still need to be tightly foil wrapped to keep the spices and moisture in.
Lois
Hey, Eileen. Don says cook your ribs on high in the slow cooker for around 4.5 hours, as long as your slow cooker can get to a temperature of 450F degrees. If not, then cook them longer. Still wrap them in foil to hold in the moisture.