Jump To Recipe Pin For Later
By: Becky Hardin
This post may include affiliate links that earn us a small commission from your purchases at no extra cost to you.
Grilling season is in full swing and these St. Louis Grilled Ribs are one recipe that you need in your barbecue repertoire! These succulent, fall-of-the-bone ribs are always a hit. Find out how to grill the perfect ribs every single time and become a pit master!
Table of Contents
What’s in St. Louis Style Ribs?
I don’t think there’s much more impressive when it comes to grilling than serving up succulent and juicy ribs – they are such a crowd-pleaser! Follow this recipe for perfect St. Louis Grilled Ribs every single time!
- St. Louis-Style Ribs: A type of moist, tender spare rib that’s perfect for beginners.
- Kosher Salt: Helps to brine the ribs before they are cooked. This helps make them extra moist on the inside and crispy on the outside.
- Canola Oil: Helps the dry rub stick to the ribs.
- Pork Dry Rub: A mixture of herbs and spices that flavors both the ribs and the mopping mixture.
- White Vinegar: Forms the base of the mopping mixture and adds moisture and tanginess to the ribs as they cook.
- Water: Adds moisture to the mopping mixture.
- Barbecue Sauce: Adds a rich, tangy flavor to the finished ribs.
Pro Tip: Ask your butcher to remove the membrane on the ribs to save you some prep time!
Variations on Ribs on the Grill
If you’re not into that classic barbecue rib flavor, you can baste these ribs with Hoisin sauce, mustard sauce, ah-so sauce, or teriyaki sauce.
Email This Recipe
Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe directly to you!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from The Cookie Rookie.
What are St. Louis style ribs?
St. Louis style ribs come from the belly side of the rib cage of a pig, just above the breast bone. They contain more bone than meat, but they also have a high fat content which makes them tender and flavorsome. They are also known as spare ribs.
What’s the difference between St. Louis ribs and baby back ribs?
Baby back ribs come from the top of the pig’s ribcage, closer to the spine and they are usually meatier and leaner than St. Louis ribs. Baby back ribs have a higher demand so they are often more expensive. Both types of rib require a long and slow cook time so that they become tender.
Can you use baby back ribs instead?
Although the cooking method is essentially the same, St.Louis ribs take longer to cook as they are bigger. If you are feeding a crowd, St.Louis is a great way to go as they are larger and will feed more people.
How do you prep ribs?
To ensure you are serving the best ribs ever, you do need to do a little prep work. Ideally, you would do this the day before you are cooking them. You will need to remove the membrane if it is still intact– you can also ask your butcher to do this for you. They need a dry brine and rub to really help to tenderize them, and they should be left for at least 8 hours before you start to cook them.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover St. Louis ribs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a pan covered with aluminum foil in a 250°F oven until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 130-140°F.
How to Freeze
Freeze St. Louis Ribs in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
Ribs are the perfect summertime grilling food and should be served alongside all of your usual favorites, like potato salad, coleslaw, Caesar salad, macaroni salad, classic baked beans, corn on the cob, or cornbread.
More Rib Recipes We Love
- Oven Baked Ribs
- Smoked Ribs
- Instant Pot Ribs
- Air Fryer Ribs
- Crockpot Ribs
Recipe
St. Louis Ribs (Grilled)
4.86 from 14 votes
Author: Becky Hardin
Prep: 30 minutes minutes
Cook: 6 hours hours
Total: 15 hours hours 30 minutes minutes
Serves6 people
Print Rate
Save Shop our store
As grilling season kicks into high gear, make sure to add these St. Louis Grilled Ribs to your barbecue lineup. Get ready to impress your guests with these irresistible and crowd-pleasing grilled ribs.
Email This Recipe
Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe directly to you!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from The Cookie Rookie.
Ingredients
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)
Recommended Equipment
8 ounces Apple or hickory wood chips or chunks
Instructions
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.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- 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
Nutrition Information
Calories: 1383kcal (69%) Carbohydrates: 21g (7%) Protein: 69g (138%) Fat: 113g (174%) Saturated Fat: 34g (213%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 20g Monounsaturated Fat: 43g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 347mg (116%) Sodium: 482mg (21%) Potassium: 1245mg (36%) Fiber: 3g (13%) Sugar: 5g (6%) Vitamin A: 675IU (14%) Vitamin C: 3mg (4%) Calcium: 316mg (32%) Iron: 13mg (72%)
Did You Make This?I want to see! Be sure to upload an image below & tag @thecookierookie on social media!
Upload A PhotoTag on
InstaLeave A Rating
Meet Becky Hardin
Becky Hardin is a wife and mother living in Saint Louis Missouri. She founded The Cookie Rookie in 2012 as a creative way to share recipes. Now, she is a trusted resource for easy cooking around the world, being featured in Taste of Home, The Kitchn, ABC’s Home and Family, and more. Here at The Cookie Rookie she is the editor in chief of all recipes and continues to enjoy sharing her passion for cooking for busy families. She has since founded two additional food blogs, Easy Chicken Recipes and Easy Dessert Recipes.
Claim your free ebook!
Subscribe to have posts delivered straight to your inbox!! PLUS get our FREE ebook!
Subscribe
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
12 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Lauren
Posted on 8/9/2021
These ribs are so good. i used these in my smokersfalre. they are delicious.. thanks for sharing this
Reply
Becky Hardin
Posted on 8/11/2021
Reply to Lauren
Thanks for sharing, Lauren!
Reply
Chris
Posted on 11/6/2020
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.
Reply
Becky Hardin
Posted on 11/6/2020
Reply to Chris
Thanks for sharing your success with us, Chris!
Reply
Katie
Posted on 7/12/2019
These ribs are so good. The family loved them!
Reply
Becky Hardin
Posted on 7/15/2019
Reply to Katie
Awesome! Thanks, Katie!
Reply
April
Posted on 7/12/2019
OMG yummmm…. I love a great ribs recipe – this one is AMAZING
Reply
Becky Hardin
Posted on 7/15/2019
Reply to April
Thanks, April!!
Reply
Natasha
Posted on 7/12/2019
Yum! This rub looks so orange rather than brown… is that what makes it St. Louis-ey??
Reply
Julie
Posted on 7/12/2019
St. Louis ribs are life! can’t wait to make these this summer!
Reply
Becky Hardin
Posted on 7/12/2019
Reply to Julie
SAME
Reply
Katerina @ diethood .com
Posted on 7/12/2019
I can’t wait to try this recipe! It looks fantastic!!
Reply