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Get ready for Summer with these Grilled St. Louis Ribs. Complete with a Homemade BBQ Sauce, these tender and juicy ribs are easy to prep and perfect for cookouts!
Cooking on the grill is something we love to do all Summer long. I REALLY hate heating up the house to cook dinner when it's hot outside, so outdoor grilling works out perfectly. We can sit outside while the kids play, have a drink and eat some delicious food.
This recipe for St. Louis Ribs on the Grill takes minimal time to prep and can cook while you enjoy spending time with family. They are great for Father's Day, Summer BBQ's or weekends full of fun in the sun.
Jump to:
- 🍖 What are St. Louis Ribs?
- ♨️ How to Prepare Ribs for Grilling
- 📋 Step-by-Step Instructions for Grilling Ribs (with Photos)
- Chef's Secret
- 🥘 How to Cook St. Louis Ribs in the Oven
- 🥡 How to Store and Reheat Leftover Ribs
- 💭 Frequently Asked Questions
- ♨️ More grilling recipes
- #ScarlatiFamilyKitchen
- Recipe
- Comments
🍖 What are St. Louis Ribs?
The term St. Louis Ribs actually refers to the cut of meat, not the style of cooking, seasoning or sauce. They are spare ribs that are meatier than baby back ribs, that tend to be flatter. For this reason, they caramelize well on the grill and are easier to work with.
These cut of ribs can be more fatty than baby back, so they are great for slow cooking. This gives plenty of time for the fat to render off while slowly infusing them with great flavor while making them super tender.
Racks of ribs come in different sizes, but generally tend to be around 2 ½ - 4 pounds per rack. If you are serving ribs as a main dish, I would plan for about ¾ pound of raw weight per person.
♨️ How to Prepare Ribs for Grilling
I like to use a dry rub for my ribs before grilling. This is just a mixture of seasonings that is rubbed into the meat that will both flavor them and seal in the moisture. I recommend putting the rub on at least 1 hour ahead of time, but you can do it as much as 24 hours ahead of time.
📋 Step-by-Step Instructions for Grilling Ribs (with Photos)
First, mix the dry rub seasonings in a bowl and generously sprinkle them over the ribs. Rub the seasonings into the meat on all sides and place the ribs in the fridge for 1 hour to rest, uncovered.
While the ribs are resting, you can mix all of the ingredients for the barbecue sauce in a medium pot and start heating it up on the stovetop.
Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 45-60 minutes or until thickened and reduced by about half.
Make sure to preheat the grill to medium high heat or approximately 375˚. Grill the ribs over direct heat for about 5 minutes on each side until browned.
Then, wrap the ribs in foil and move them to indirect heat to cook for approximately 45-60 minutes.
The ribs should be tender and the meat should be pulling away from the bone. If you want the ribs to be "fall of the bone" tender, another 15-30 minutes will probably be needed. Depending on the size of the rack, the total cooking time varies a bit.
Remove the ribs from the foil, slather in barbecue sauce and grill for an additional 5 minutes on each side over direct heat.
Take the ribs off of the grill and allow them to rest for 10 minutes before cutting into pieces and serving with extra BBQ sauce.
Chef's Secret
Really massage the dry rub into the meat. It not only flavors the ribs, but really helps to retain moisture. Letting the ribs sit in the refrigerate also gives the meat time to tenderize and infuse that flavor, so don't skip that part!
🥘 How to Cook St. Louis Ribs in the Oven
To cook the ribs in the oven instead of on the grill, place them under the broiler on a sheet pan to brown for a few minutes on each side. (This is done AFTER letting them sit in the fridge with the dry rub)
Then, wrap them in foil and let them cook in the oven at 300˚ for 2-3 hours until tender. Slather them in barbecue sauce and place them back under the broiler (uncovered) for a few minutes on each side till lightly browned. Let them rest for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
If you ever don't recognize a tool or skill that is mentioned, be sure to look it up in our Glossary of Cooking Terms and Definitions for more information.
🥡 How to Store and Reheat Leftover Ribs
Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. They can be reheated in a 350˚ oven until warmed through or also in the microwave.
Any leftover barbecue sauce will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 7-10 days or in the freezer for up to two months. Frozen sauce should be thawed completely in the refrigerator and then can be reheated in a pot on the stovetop over low heat.
💭 Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, if you would rather not make your BBQ sauce or you have a favorite one you would prefer to use, that is totally fine. My recipe makes about 4 cups of sauce, which is plenty for two racks of ribs, PLUS extra for serving.
The recipe should be plenty for up to 6 pounds of ribs or approximately two rack of ribs. If they are smaller racks, you may be able to do up to three and alternatively, if they are larger racks, you may want to increase the amounts.
♨️ More grilling recipes
If you loved these Grilled St. Louis Ribs, check out these other Summertime grilling recipes that I know you will love too!
Recipe
Grilled St. Louis Ribs with Coffee Molasses BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
St. Louis Ribs
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground mustard
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 racks St. louis pork ribs, approximately 4-6 pounds
Coffee Molasses BBQ Sauce
- 28 ounces canned tomato puree
- 1 cup strongly brewed coffee
- ⅔ cup dark molasses
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
Prepping the Ribs
- Mix together the brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, ground mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt in a small bowl.
- Cover the ribs heavily in the mixture and massage it into the meat. Place the seasoned ribs in the refrigerator to rest for at least 1 hour, uncovered. This can be done up to 24 hours ahead of time.
Coffee Molasses BBQ Sauce
- While the ribs are resting, mix all of the ingredients together in a medium pot for the sauce and heat it on the stovetop on medium high until it starts to boil.
- Reduce the heat to low and allow it to simmer for 45-60 minutes until thickened and reduced by about half.
Grilling the Ribs
- Preheat the grill to medium high heat or approximately 375˚.
- Place the seasoned ribs over direct heat and cook for about 5 minutes on each side until nicely browned.
- Wrap the ribs in foil tightly and move them to cook over indirect heat on the grill. Close the cover on the grill and allow the ribs to cook for 45-60 minutes or until tender. For more "fall off the bone ribs" cook for an additional 15-30 minutes. Cooking times will vary depending on the size of the racks.
- Remove the ribs from foil and smother in them in barbecue sauce. Grill over direct heat for 5 minutes on each side.
- Remove the ribs from the grill and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving with extra barbecue sauce.
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