The Fourth of July is right around the corner and could mean three days of outdoor backyard parties. This year, make it exciting and put a twist on everyone’s favorite, baby back ribs. There’s nothing better than tender, spicy, baby back ribs that fall off the bone and create amazing holiday memories, especially when combined with a hickory bourbon BBQ sauce and grilled peaches. When you cook spare ribs on the grill, you first bake them low and slow.
How to Cook Pork Spare Ribs on the Grill
With so many cuts and preparation methods to try and endless flavor combinations to explore, pork is the must-have this grilling season. Smithfield has several cuts of pork which are hand-trimmed, extra tender, and proudly raised in the USA, including country ribs, baby back ribs, and St. Louis style. I used only three ingredients; Butt Rub, Smokey Bones Hickory Bourbon Barbecue Sauce and grilled peaches, all purchased at Walmart – the ultimate source for your barbecue essentials and great pork deals.
Butt Rub is just about perfect because, while, it’s spicy, it’s not burn-out spicy. It’s simple, has no MSG and allows the pork to shine without taking over. I used Stubb’s Hickory Bourbon Barbecue BBQ Sauce because it complemented the peaches.
But there is more good news. Three large racks fed 8 people at my recent barbecue. Two rib-loving, southern men with big appetites proclaimed these to be the best ribs they ever ate. That’s a high compliment living in the South. I felt all-aglow with pride, because I don’t have a smoker or the ability to cook spare ribs for 12-20 hours. But, guess what? While that’s great for pit masters, you can make ribs to similar applause, with very little effort. You could use your own rub or barbecue sauce, but the secret is really in the technique.
How to cook pork spare ribs is always the subject of debate. There is the dry rub camp and the barbecue sauce camp. I’m a dry rub, Memphis-style ribs lover myself, but to please all the barbecue sauce lovers, I lightly sauce before grilling (very lightly) and serve a warmed barbecue sauce at the table. This makes everyone happy.
The Grilling Process to Cook Pork Spare Ribs with Grilled Peaches
The secret to grilling ribs is to pre-bake them in the oven first for about 3 hours at 300 degrees F. You will be able to tell when they’re ready to come out of the oven, because the bones should move easily, but not so easily they fall apart.
First, sprinkle both sides with salt and the rub. Wrap in lots and lots of foil. Make sure to place a sheet of foil on the bottom to catch any accidental drippings, and there probably will be some.
You can prep your ribs the day before. Once out of the oven, the ribs can be refrigerated overnight and then grilled on medium high heat without the foil the next day. (Bring to room temperature before you start grilling).
If you want to make the ribs on the same day, pre-bake them early, and let them completely cool off before grilling, to prevent them from falling apart. Grill for about 20 minutes and apply the barbecue sauce in the last ten minutes.
That’s it’s. If you want to cook pork spare ribs on the grill, it’s that simple. It’s doesn’t get any easier, and when that meat falls off the bone, be prepared to beam from the compliments you will receive.
When feeding a crowd, I like to cut the ribs to 4 -6 bones each, making it easy for folks to grab a serving. Look how beautiful these ribs are, and they tasted even better. These were all pre-cut before I rubbed, wrapped and baked them. However, you can grill whole racks. It’s your choice, but when making more than one rack, small sections are easier to manage and to turn over on the grill.
If you’ve followed Spinach Tiger pork recipes, you know that I love to bring fruit and pork together, such as this pork chop recipe with blueberry compote, or this pork chops recipe with baked with apples.
In the meantime, get the grill ready and enjoy the happiest July 4th weekend with these tender baby back ribs and grilled peaches.
Please follow me on Instagram to see all the ways I’m cooking for the holidays and pictures that never make it here. I’d love to connect with you.
Note: I participated in the National Pork Board program as a member of One2One Network. I received compensation but all opinions are my own. I had the choice to pick which cut of pork and which ingredients and recipe I wanted to make.
- 1 rack of baby back ribs
- 2-4 tablespoons Butt Rub
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- 4 peaches
- Sprinkle ribs with Butt Rub, enough to cover, but not excessive.
- Wrap in a lot of tin foil, noting that the ribs could leak.
- Place a piece of foil on bottom rack for any accidental juices.
- Heat oven to 300 degrees F.
- Place ribs directly on rack.
- Bake for up to 3 hours, turning at 90 minutes. Check to see if bone moves easily. If so, take out and cool.
- Cool completely before grilling.
- Heat grill to 450 degrees.
- Place ribs on grill.
- After ten minutes, brush with barbecue sauce. Grill for another 10 minutes.
- Serve at the table with more warmed up barbecue sauce and grilled peaches.
- Grill on oiled grill about 5 minutes each side or until you have adequate grill marks.
Recipes that You May like to Accompany the Ribs
Cole Slaw with Blue Cheese and Green Apple
American Pie with Stars & Stripes Pie
Blackberry Cobbler in Mason Jars
I’m craving ribs now! These sound so delicious. My husband is obsessed with ribs, so I’ll have to try this out for him 🙂
Oh Thank you. You’re husband will love.
Wow, these look amazing! So perfect for a summer BBQ. I like that the rub you use is spicy but not overly so. That would be perfect for us.
Hi Katie
Yes, I worried that kids would find them too spicy. turns out they still do! Ha.
Oh my yummy goodness! These ribs look and sound amazing…. I’m officially hungry 🙂 #blogitforward
Thank you Kelly.
So I’m in the BBQ sauce camp. I actually don’t think I’ve ever tried a dry rub. I am so going to pre-bake my ribs from now on. My husband usually makes them and tries to slow cook them. They ALWAYS turn out so dry! Thanks for the tips. #blogitforward
Kyla
I’d love to hear more about it when you do pre-bake them. My mom boils them, but I like wrapping them in the foil.
Those ribs truly do look amazing! I totally get what you mean about not wanting burn-out spicy. I am going to share this with hubby is usually our grill master.
🙂
Traci
Thank you. At first the Butt Rub seems spicy but it loses most of the heat when it cooks.
I’ve never attempted making ribs myself, but those look delicious! Maybe I’ll be brave enough to give it a go soon!
Nikki
IN truth, this was my first try, and I wasn’t sure what to do. This worked well.
Oh my goodness, that looks ridiculously good! We had to get rid of our grill last year and I’m so sad we don’t have one right now!
Heather
You could still make them. Bake them, cool them to room temperature and then broil them for about 5 minutes each side (more if you need to).
I just had dinner and now I am hungry again! Maybe ribs for dinner tomorrow night…
Terri
That’s exactly why I don’t look at food blogs after dinner. 🙂
Hi Angela, my husband would go crazy for these. Great tips….having company for 5 days.. thinking this will be one of our meals.
CHeri
Let me know how it comes out. Make them ahead. Keep life easy!
I start my ribs in the oven on a slow long cook too. They turn out soooo tender! I also like a combination of a dry rub and wet sauce.
Thanks Liz. How long do you cook yours?
“while at Walmart”….aarrgghhh! I think not!
Oh my goodness! This baby back ribs looks so yummy! It’s deliciously adorable! It looks so tender. Ribs will definitely be on my list for dinner 🙂
Ooooh, I love that you grilled the ribs WITH the peaches on them!
Ribs so tender I’m in love. GREG
Really amazing as i serve them in my last night party and every body loved them . Thanks for the idea.