There’s nothing like the tender, fall-off-the-bone deliciousness of BBQ pork ribs in Saint Louis. Arriving at those satisfying results, however, can be a bit of a process. Fortunately, with the right preparation and technique, you can achieve delectable ribs that will forever crown you as a backyard barbecue legend. Prepare the Ribs Proper preparation is crucial to achieving the perfect BBQ pork ribs in Saint Louis. Preparing the ribs in advance using a rub, marinade or both will ensure that your ribs have more than enough flavor, providing a level of protection should your grilling technique leave a little to be desired. You’ll want to prepare your meat several hours in advance to ensure it has ample time to absorb every flavor.
Prepare the Grill The key to great ribs is low, indirect heat for most of the duration of the cooking. With that in mind, you’ll want to carefully prepare your charcoal to ensure it’s not flaming up by the time you put the ribs on the grill. Also, you’ll want to oil the grill grates to prevent the ribs from sticking and pulling off that delicious meat you’ve worked so hard to prepare. When the grill and meat are ready, you’ll want to place the ribs directly on the grill using tongs to space them apart properly.
Cook and Enjoy After an hour or so of low, indirect heat, you’ll want to finish the ribs on medium, direct heat. If a fork can glide through the meat like hot butter, they are perfectly done and ready to be enjoyed. Carefully remove the ribs from the grill and use a sharp knife to carve them into individual serving sizes. An important note about how done the ribs are is that you don’t want them to actually “fall off the bone.” If they get to this point while they’re still on the grill, they’ll likely be tough and chewy instead of flavorful and tender. Stick with the fork test and you’ll end up with the perfect ribs, every time.
