Ribs on the Grill (Hot and Fast Ribs)
On April 06, 2021 (Updated October 24, 2023)
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Don’t have time to wait for the ribs on the grill to cook? This post will teach you all you need to make ribs on the grill in a time crunch. Cooking ribs on the grill doesn’t have to take all day!
Pork Ribs on the Grill
So you’re a little short on time but you still want super tasty ribs that won’t break your teeth? No worries, friend, I got you covered!
Let me introduce you to my hot and fast ribs. From fridge to your face in 4 hours. The secret is in a higher cooking temperature and a short stint wrapped in foil with sweet braising liquid and butter.
Some people like saucy, tender ribs, some people like them simple and quick, and others (the purists) like them to bite through but stay on the bone. However you like your ribs I’ve got a recipe for you.
Cooking Ribs on the Grill
These ribs on the grill are not super traditional, but they are super tasty. You won’t get a thick pink smoke ring cooking faster at higher temperatures, but the rub and braise will infuse the meat with lots of delicious porky flavor.
These ribs will fall off the bone, but they also have a little bit of a crunchy chew on the exterior from the caramelized sugars in the rub, braising liquid, and sauce.
If you are looking for tender, moist, fall all the way off the bone ribs, invest a little more time and try my 3-2-1 ribs recipe. This recipe will get the job done and yield tasty tasty results in less time. I’m cooking St. Louis trimmed spare ribs. If you’re cooking baby backs, congratulations! Your ribs will take even less time!
Ingredients for Making Ribs on the Grill
Just like my other rib recipes, these ribs are all about the basics. You don’t need much to make ’em taste good.
- 1 rack of St. Louis pork ribs. You can also use baby backs for this recipe if you life, just keep in mind they will be ready even faster.
- 2 Tablespoons Signature Sweet Rub. This rub can be made using my recipe here on Hey Grill Hey for Best Sweet Rub, or you can buy it directly from our store and have it delivered to your house.
- 1 cup apple cider. Any brand or variety will do.
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar. Make sure to go with the dark brown sugar instead of light for that extra molasses!
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter.
- 1 cup BBQ sauce. I like my Everything Sauce on these ribs, but a nice Kansas City BBQ Sauce (or your favorite!) will taste amazing on these as well.
Once you have all your ingredients assembled, it’s time to get these ribs on the grill!
How to Cook Ribs on the Grill
Not only are these ribs cooked in under 4 hours, but they’re extremely easy as well! You don’t need anything fancy to make these. Simple ingredients, a reliable grill, and a meat thermometer are all you need to make this recipe a success.
- Prep the ribs. Trim the ribs and remove the membrane on the underside of the ribs. Quick tip: snag a paper towel and use that to grab the end of the membrane and pull to remove. Season with my Best Sweet Rub (also available from our store!), and you’re ready to go!
- Grill. With your grill preheated to 300 degrees F, place the seasoned ribs on the grill and cook for 2 1/2 hours.
- Braise. Prepare the ribs and braise in a large sheet of aluminum foil. Close the foil tightly around the ribs and return to the grill.
- Finish grilling. Continue to grill the ribs for another hour, remove the ribs from the foil and brush liberally with your favorite BBQ sauce. Return the ribs to the grill and grill for another 15 minutes to set the sauce.
- Rest and serve. Remove the ribs from the grill and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes. Slice and serve!
That’s it! You’re all set to enjoy some tasty ribs in record time!
More Ribs Recipes
Looking for more ways to cook and enjoy pork ribs? Hey Grill Hey has a handful (or should I say, plateful?) of ribs recipes you’re gonna love.
Ribs on the Grill Recipe
Hot and Fast Ribs: Flavorful and Tender in Under 4 Hours
Ingredients
- 1 rack St Louis pork ribs
- 2 Tablespoons Signature Sweet Rub recipe link in notes below
- 1 cup apple cider
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- 2 tbsp salted butter
- 1 cup Everything BBQ Sauce or your favorite tomato-based BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the grill. Prepare your grill for indirect grilling. The target temperature on your grill should be 300 degrees F. I recommend using fruit woods like apple, peach, cherry, or hardwoods like hickory or oak for this recipe.
- Trim the ribs. Trim down any excess fat and use a paper towel to grab and remove the thin membrane on the back of the ribs. Season liberally with the sweet rub.
- Grill the ribs. Place the ribs directly on the grill grates on your grill, close the lid, and cook for 2 1/2 hours at 300 degrees F.
- Make the braise. After your ribs have cooked for 2 1/2 hours, place a large sheet of tin foil on a flat surface. Remove the ribs from the grill and place on the foil bone side up. Fold up the corners of the foil to create a well around the ribs. Top with the brown sugar, butter, and pour on the apple cider.
- Finish grilling. Close the foil tightly around the ribs and crimp to seal. Return the ribs to the 300 degree F grill for another hour to hour and fifteen minutes.
- Finish grilling the ribs. Remove the foiled ribs from the packet (watch for steam) and return to the grill.
- Add the sauce. Liberally brush the ribs with your favorite BBQ sauce and grill for 15 more minutes to set the sauce. Don't leave on any longer than 15-20 minutes or the sugars in the sauce will burn.
- Rest, slice, and serve. Remove the ribs from the grill, and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
**This post was originally published in April 2015. We recently updated it with more information and helpful tips. The recipe remains the same.
I don’t have apple cider. Can I use apple cider vinegar?
You can use apple juice. I would not use vinegar.
Best recipe by far….I’m tossing out all my others. Yummo flavorful and tender . Thank you!
Have made these a few times. I have a pellet smoker. I have had to start turning my smoker down to 250 when I put it in foil. @ 300 the vinegar & sugar in the foil was almost candied. So I turned it down to 250 the next time & they were awesome. Best method & recipe I have found for ribs & have tried many!!!!
Followed this recipe last Friday and they turned out great. Don’t think I will do the other methods for a while. This is another winner recipe from Hey Grill Hey!
Better results than a 3-2-1 and much faster. Still got a smoke ring and perfectly tender.
These ribs aren’t just good. I have always smoked my ribs on a WSM, but I thought I’d give grilled, fast ribs a shot and boy am I glad that I did. Tender, juicy, and tasty and with absolutely no fuss, they made a believer out of me. Thanks for the recipe and the great technique!
I’m so glad you liked them! Way to nail it!
Simply laid out step by step instructions for someone that isn’t the best cook/grill master ended up making some VERY full & happy people. Thanks for making me look good lol highly recommend this method
Hey, I wrote the recipe but YOU did all the work! Way to nail it!
Last minute decision to smoke up some ribs for dinner and this was perfect. 4 Hours and the ribs were awesome! Definitely doing again!
Thanks!! I’m so happy you like them!!
I cooked today the hot and fast ribs for my family, it was a huge succes, thx grillers and smokers, grtz from Belgium
We just burned two racks of ribs following this step: “Place the ribs on the grill, close the lid and cook for 2 1/2 hours at 300 degrees.” Is this temperature wrong? So upset… The only other recipe I have followed on your page was the Poor Man’s Burnt Ends and found out, after following the recipe, that the temperature in the recipe was wrong, and that the one in the video was more likely the correct temp. I’d love to keep trying these recipes, but I’m worried I will end up with more overcooked meals. Please let me know if I’m doing something wrong. (I’m using a Green Mountain Grill – Jim Bowie model).
Hey Krista- I’m so sorry we have to meet under sad circumstances! Burned ribs are a tragedy. I have cooked ribs this way many times (on a pellet grill) and have never dealt with them burning. The only thing I can think is that maybe the ribs were quite a bit thinner than the racks I used and that caused them to over cook. Another possibility is that you were cooking in colder weather and it caused your temperatures in the grill to be a bit hotter than the thermometer reading on the grill said.
As for the poor man’s burnt ends, either temperature works for the chuck roast as long as you’re cooking to the correct internal temperature of the meat. I’ve actually had lots of people loving this recipe lately cooking them at both temperatures without issues. I’d love to help you troubleshoot this one, if you’re interested.
I test all of my recipes multiple times, hopefully to prevent issues like this from happening. I know it is a bummer to feel like you wasted money on meat. I’m really sorry there were any issues at all. Let me know if you think there is any way I can help.
Perhaps ribs were placed on direct heat vs. indirect heat as recipe called for.
Sounds to me like Krista may have been cooking these on a regular grill. A pellet cooker cooks with indirect heat, you cannot follow this recipe unless you have your grill setup for indirect cooking. On a gas grill, this would mean not turning on all the burners, and putting the ribs over the side with the burner turned off.
225 degrees 3 hrs bone side down pull rap ribs 2and a half hours meat side down brush with favorite sauce cut serve meat to thin to rest doc holidays world famous bbq rap with foil but I use rub refrigerate over night allways
I have a GMG crockett and have a temp differential of 50 degrees on either side. Your temp Probe is at the lowest temp point unfortunately. You were prob at 350-375.
I always cook my ribs at 300 degrees and I NEVER burn them.. indirect heat or far side of the smoker to keep main heat stream from rushing the meat and drying them out.. but I also only smoke them for 4 hours..