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4.91 from 11 votes

Hot and Fast Ribs: Flavorful and Tender in Under 4 Hours

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!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time4 hours
Resting Time15 minutes
Total Time4 hours 20 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Barbecue, Party Food
Keyword: Ribs on the Grill
Servings: 3 people

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

Best Sweet Rub: https://heygrillhey.com/best-sweet-rub-grilled-pork-chicken/

Nutrition

Calories: 1231kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 68g | Fat: 102g | Saturated Fat: 33g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 347mg | Sodium: 354mg | Potassium: 1116mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 259IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 163mg | Iron: 7mg