Save Money With This St. Louis Ribs Recipe — It’s the Ultimate Fall-Off-the-Bone BBQ Main
St. Louis ribs are often cheaper than baby backs — plus, this trick adds more flavor!
The key to your best-ever BBQ ribs starts with shopping for the right kind. You may be overwhelmed by the options at the meat counter. But, we’re here to make it known that St. Louis ribs are a cut above the rest. These ribs have the right balance of meat and fat, which allows them to cook up juicy and flavorful. They also brown nicely on the grill and are cheaper than baby back ribs. Thinking about grabbing a rack or two for 4th of July? Here’s how to cook St. Louis ribs to mouthwatering perfection and our test kitchen’s finger-licking delicious recipe!
The difference between St. Louis and baby back ribs
St. Louis ribs are spare ribs that are cut from the pig’s belly. They’re larger and flatter than baby back ribs, which are small and curved in comparison. While this means that St. Louis ribs take longer to cook, your patience pays off for tender and evenly browned meat. Additionally, their higher fat content allows them to stay moist during cooking. A slab of St. Louis ribs is usually larger and cheaper than baby back, so you’ll get plenty of bang for your buck.
Related: How to Grill Ribs So They’re Finger-Licking Tender + Delicious for Your July 4th Cookout
Easy seasoning trick for extra flavorful ribs
Seasoning these ribs ahead of time ensures they’re unbelievably delicious once cooked. To do this, remove the outer membrane from the ribs, season with dry rub and place on a rack over a baking sheet. Allow the ribs to sit uncovered in the fridge overnight as it gives the seasonings time to penetrate the surface. Then, let the ribs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
Related: Texas Roadhouse Steak Seasoning: Easy Recipe to Enjoy Big Flavor for Less Money
A mouthwatering recipe for BBQ St. Louis ribs
This recipe for Smoky-Sweet St. Louis BBQ Ribs comes from our test kitchen and is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. It uses a clever method of cooking the ribs low and slow in the oven, and then finishing them on the grill. This creates rich and tender meat that’s glazed in a sweet prep-easy barbecue sauce. Serve these ribs with sides like Cilantro Lime Corn and Tortellini Pasta Salad to round out the meal. (Also, read our guide on how to reheat ribs to enjoy those leftovers the next day.)
Smoky-Sweet St. Louis BBQ Ribs
Season the ribs the night before to infuse even more flavor into our succulent centerpiece.
Ingredients:
- 1 (4 to 5 lb.) rack St. Louis-style ribs
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. mustard powder
- 1 Tbs. oil
- 1 cup prepared sugar-free barbecue sauce, such as G Hughes
- 2 Tbs. rice vinegar
Directions:
- Active: 20 mins
- Total time: 5 hrs
- Yield: 6 servings
- Heat oven to 300°F. Remove membrane on underside of ribs; place on large double layer of foil. Mix spices and ½ tsp. salt. Brush both sides of ribs with oil; sprinkle spice mixture over. Wrap tightly. Place on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until tender, 4 hours.
- Prepare grill for medium-high direct-heat cooking. Mix barbecue sauce and vinegar; reserve half of mixture. Unwrap ribs. Drain and discard juices. Brush ribs with half of sauce mixture. Grill, turning once, 5 minutes per side or until lightly glazed. Serve with reserved sauce.
Continue reading for more scrumptious and smoky meat recipes!
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How to Grill Steak: Chef’s Tip Ensures Juicy + Tender Meat for Your 4th of July Party
Shortcut Smoked Brisket Recipe Cooks Up Juicy + Tender in Half the Time — Perfect for Father’s Day
