Grilling Baby Back Ribs

Baby back ribs are an excellent choice for backyard parties and casual occasions. Derived from the top ribcage of market weight hogs, baby back ribs are more tender and meatier than spare ribs. They are fun and messy to eat and are best consumed with your hands, rather than by spoons, forks or knives. Barbecued and grilled baby back ribs are offered in restaurants along with fried potatoes, cheese, onion rings and other finger foods.

For home cooking of baby back ribs, purchase frozen packages and cook them by smoking, grilling or baking. Amongst these, grilling is considered to be the prefect way to enjoy the flavor of baby back ribs. Though most people prefer fast cooking on direct heat, a slow and indirect heat grilling will make the ribs more tender and juicy. And, gas grilling baby back ribs is no different from other grilled ribs recipes.

Grilling baby back ribs also require barbecue sauce, which you can either buy from the food store or prepare at home. To make barbecue sauce on your own, take a large bowl and combine together the ingredients - cup ketchup, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1/3 cup light brown sugar and 2 tablespoons each of soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well and your barbecue sauce is ready. Now, let's take a look at the easy ways on how to grill baby back ribs.

Grilled Baby Back Ribs

Ingredients

• 3 pounds baby back ribs
• 1 cup barbecue sauce
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

First of all, prepare baby back ribs by removing the membrane from the lower side of each rack. You can use a sharp knife to cut and lift the membrane. Turn on the gas grill and bring it to a high heat. In a small container with lid, combine together cumin, paprika, chili powder, salt and pepper. Close the lid and shake for a few minutes. Now, brush this spice mixture on both sides of the baby back ribs. If you prefer less spices, brush lightly or else, cover with a thick layer for more spiciness.

In order to avoid flare-ups, you can lay an aluminum foil on the lower rack of the gas grill. This will capture the drippings from the ribs while grilling. Also, lightly oil the grill grate to avoid stickiness. Then, place the spice coated baby back ribs over the grate and reduce the heat to a low temperature setting. Close lid and continue grilling for about an hour. When one hour grilling is over, remove the ribs and coat them with barbecue sauce. Grill for another 5-8 minutes in low heat and serve with your favorite garnish.

Seasoned Baby Back Ribs

Ingredients

• 4 pounds baby back ribs (remove membrane and cut into 4 rib portions)
• 1 cup barbecue sauce
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• teaspoon black pepper
• teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 teaspoon celery salt
• Orange peel (for garnishing)

Directions

For cooking this seasoned baby back ribs recipe, the ribs are first baked in the oven and then grilled in direct heat. So, preheat oven to about 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a small bowl, add paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, ground red pepper and celery salt. After mixing these spices, coat it over the baby back ribs and place them in a shallow baking pan. Bake the ribs for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile start grill and set it to a high heat.

After baking the ribs, transfer them over the grill grate. Cover the lid and grill on high heat for about 10 minutes. Carefully, remove the ribs from the grill with tongs and brush them with half the amount of barbecue sauce. Return these baby back ribs to the grate, cover lid and grill for another 10 minutes. Garnish if desired and serve with the remaining barbecue sauce.

While grilling baby back ribs on gas grills, you can also place a water pan in between the ribs and the flame. This will prevent the meat from drying out and make them more juicy and tender. You can serve the grilled baby back ribs as an appetizer or as a separate dish during the main souse of a meal.