St. Louis Ribs (Grilled Ribs) Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2024)

4.86 from 14 votes

Author: Becky Hardin

For the Ribs

• ▢ 2 slabs St. Louis-Style Ribs 7-9 ribs each
• ▢ 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• ▢ Canola oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Dry Rub for Pork (click for recipe)
• ▢ ¼ cup barbecue sauce Blue’s Hog Original is our favorite – or homemade (click for recipe)

For the Vinegar Mopping Mixture

• ▢ ½ cup distilled white vinegar
• ▢ ½ cup water
• ▢ ½ cup Dry Rub for Pork (click for recipe)

For the Vinegar Mopping Mixture

• Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside for now.

  ½ cup distilled white vinegar, ½ cup water, ½ cup Dry Rub for Pork

For Prepping the Ribs

• Rinse the ribs under cool water to remove any bone chips from butchering.

  2 slabs St. Louis-Style Ribs

• Remove the membrane from the ribs if it is still intact. HERE is a great instructional video.

• To dry brine the ribs, season them with kosher salt like you would if they were served to you unsalted; about ¼ teaspoon per pound of ribs. Wrap each slab with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1-2 hours.

  2 teaspoons kosher salt

• After 1-2 hours, remove the ribs and liberally brush both sides of the ribs with canola oil. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons Pork Dry Rub evenly over both sides of each slab of ribs, and wrap the ribs with plastic wrap.

  Canola oil, 2 tablespoons Dry Rub for Pork

• Place the ribs in the fridge for 8-24 hours.

For Cooking the Ribs

• When it’s time to grill the ribs, a two-heat-zone grilling method will be used, and 225°F is the optimal temperature.

• To set up a kettle-style grill for slow, low cooking, start by heating half a chimney of briquettes.

• Remove the ribs from the fridge to warm to room temperature.

• Once the briquettes are ready, pour them over the lower grate and against one side of the grill. “Bank” them up the side of the grill. Place 4 ounces of wood chips/chunks on top of the coals. Fill a stainless steel pan with 2 cups of water and set it on the cool side of the grate opposite the coals, and close the grill lid.

• Adjust the intake damper on the bottom of the grill to get the temperature of the grill to 225°F before adding the ribs. Place the upper grate over the grills with the lift-up opening placed over the coals. Preheat the grill 5 minutes, then open it and clean and oil the upper grate.

• Place a stainless steel pan filled with 2 cups of water, on the grate, directly over the coals.

• Unwrap the ribs and place them, meaty side up, on the cool side of the grate opposite the pan of water. “Mop” the ribs with the Vinegar Mopping Mixture.

• Place the lid on, with the vent over the ribs, and cook 30 minutes.

• After 30 minutes, place another 4 ounces of wood chips/chunks directly onto the coals. Replace the lid and cook an additional 2½ hours.

• If the temperature goes below 200°F, add 10 hot briquettes over the coals (as needed). Also, add additional water to the water pans, as needed.

• After the ribs have cooked a total of 3 hours, “mop” the slabs with the Vinegar Mopping Mixture and turn them 180°. Do NOT flip them over. Close the lid and cook an additional 2 hours. Keep a close eye on the grill's internal temperature and add more hot coals and water, if needed.

• After a total of 5 hours cooking time, heat another ½ chimney of briquettes. While the briquettes heat, take a peek at the ribs, and give the ribs the “bend test”. (Pick the meat up, with tongs, by one end to see if the meat will “break” or slightly tear apart, if it does, it’s ready). Transfer the ribs to a baking sheet to coat lightly with your favorite BBQ sauce and to rest while the coals heat.

  ¼ cup barbecue sauce

• Once the coals are hot, place a slab of ribs directly over the coals and cook 30 seconds each side. Repeat with the second slab of ribs.

• Cut the ribs between the bones and serve.

• Start prepping these ribs the day before cooking them to ensure they are perfectly tender.
• Make sure the membrane has been removed.
• Brine the ribs for as long as you can.
• Warm the ribs to room temperature before cooking them

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These ribs are so good. i used these in my smokersfalre. they are delicious.. thanks for sharing this

Great, great, great. I have a small Weber so I can only do one rack at a time, but anyone who have tried these ribs love them. Im using mesquite, because I always forget apple wood when I’m shopping, but still turns out great. To mitigate I use apple cider vinegar in my mopping and sometimes my water pans.

These ribs are so good. The family loved them!

OMG yummmm…. I love a great ribs recipe – this one is AMAZING

Yum! This rub looks so orange rather than brown… is that what makes it St. Louis-ey??

St. Louis ribs are life! can’t wait to make these this summer!

I can’t wait to try this recipe! It looks fantastic!!