Well-seasoned Grilled Baby Back Ribs with Chipotle Barbecue Sauce, grilled to perfection, and brushed with a tangy, sweet, and spicy barbecue sauce. They are finger-licking delicious and a real summer hit just like our oven-baked Chinese pork ribs and red wine barbecue pork ribs !
Disclosure: Chipotle BBQ Pork Ribs is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of McCormick® at Walmart.
Table of Contents
Ah, summer and all its goodies... like these grilled baby back ribs.
I don't know about you, but all year long I look forward to summer, with its sunshine, laid-back moments with friends and family, and great food.
Grilling during the summer is, of course, a must--no matter whether it is cheese, fruits, veggies, or meats like these pork ribs. In fact, our BBQ pork ribs are at the top of my family's favorite summer foods.
They are sticky and yummy with a sweet, tangy, and spicy sauce--a real hit among people of all ages! If you love chipotle peppers like me, check out these 17 chipotle peppers recipes!
What's more, our pork rib recipe makes use of McCormick®Black Pepper, Lawry’s® Seasoned Salt, and Stubb’s® Original Bar-B-Q Sauce--products that are all available at Walmart, delivering inspiration, recipes, and tips for better BBQ’s.
So fire up that grill and learn how to prepare some of the best ribs ever! I can already envision the smile on your face!
How to make grilled baby back ribs
- Place the pork ribs on a large cutting board and remove the membrane that covers the bones.
- To do this, slip a dull knife under the membrane, and then with the aid of a paper towel, grasp membrane with fingertips, and strip it away from the bones.
- Transfer ribs to a large baking sheet, pat dry, and set aside. In a small bowl, stir together the seasoned salt, pepper, 1 teaspoon chipotle, cumin, and sugar.
- Rub mixture on both sides of the ribs with your fingers. Cover with aluminum foil and let sit for about 1 hour at room temp.
- Meanwhile, mix barbecue sauce, ½ teaspoon chipotle powder, garlic powder, and lime juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in and let simmer for 4-5 minutes.
- Prepare charcoal grill for indirect cooking. To do this, bank charcoal into a slope against one side of the grill.
- Oil the grill grate. Place the ribs to cook, covered, on the part of the grate opposite the bank of coals, so that they will cook slowly over a longer amount of time.
- To maximize moisture, place a small disposable aluminum pan filled with hot water on the bottom of the grill beneath the ribs.
- If space allows, another small pan filled with hot water can be placed on the grate directly above the coals.
- Position the top vent holes of the lid of the grill so that they overlie the ribs, and leave them at least half-way open.
- This will enhance the smoky flavor of these bbq pork ribs. Also open the bottom vents to about half-way initially.
- After 40 minutes from the start of cooking, check ribs. If they appear to be browning/cooking too fast, cut back on the heat by narrowing down the bottom vent holes.
- Keep checking every 20 minutes until bbq pork ribs have cooked for about 75-85 minutes total. Brush on the sauce for the last 30 minutes of cooking.
- Remove when done/tender. Brush on more sauce and serve with oregano on top. Enjoy!
HOW TO CHOOSE BABY BACK RIBS
- Look for good marbling (fat) on top
- Avoid baby back ribs with a strong, "off" smell
- Also avoid discolored ribs, or those with dried-out edges (freezer burn)
- Give preference to fresh over frozen ribs
- Avoid ribs with a large amount of liquid in the package, which may indicate an extended storage time, improper temp, or previous freezing/thawing.
GRILLING TIPS FOR Making BBQ Pork Ribs on CHARCOAL GRILL
- Let seasoned meat sit at room temp for 30-60 minutes for even cooking.
- Oil the grill grate to prevent sticking
- Cook meat on the cooler side of the grill to prevent burning (i.e. use indirect cooking).
- Cover the grill to cut down on moisture loss. Moreover, place an aluminum pan full of water in the bottom of the grill beneath the meat to help retain moisture.
- To enhance smoky flavor, leave top vent holes of the lid of the grill open at least half-way.
- Check meat now and then to prevent overcooking and drying out.
- Check internal temp, which varies depending on the meat. For pork ribs, it's at least 145 °F.
- After grilling, let grilled baby back ribs rest for at least 3-10 minutes before cutting.
Storage
Store grilled baby back ribs in an airtight container for up to 3 days!
Other ribs recipes to try:
PIN & ENJOY!
Grilled baby back ribs with chipotle barbecue sauce
Equipment
- grill
- bowls
Ingredients
- 1 (2 ½-3 lbs) rack of baby back ribs
- 2 teaspoon Lawry's® Seasoned Salt
- 1 teaspoon McCormick® Black Pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoon chipotle powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 ½ cups Stubb's® Bar-B-Que Sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves
Instructions
- Place the pork ribs on a large cutting board and remove the membrane that covers the bones. To do this, slip a dull knife under the membrane, and then with the aid of a paper towel grasp membrane with fingertips, and strip it away from the bones.
- Transfer ribs to a large baking sheet, pat dry, and set aside. In a small bowl, stir together the seasoned salt, pepper, 1 teaspoon chipotle, cumin, and sugar. Rub mixture on both sides of the ribs with your fingers.
- Cover with aluminum foil and let sit for about 1 hour at room temp. Meanwhile, mix barbecue sauce, ½ teaspoon chipotle powder, garlic powder, and lime juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in and let simmer for 4-5 minutes.
- Prepare charcoal grill for indirect cooking. To do this, bank charcoal into a slope against one side of the grill. Oil the grill grate. Place the ribs to cook, covered, on the part of the grate opposite the bank of coals, so that they will cook slowly over a longer amount of time.
- To maximize moisture, place a small disposable aluminum pan filled with hot water on the bottom of the grill beneath the ribs. If space allows, you can set another small pan filled with hot water on the grate directly above the coals.
- Position the top vent holes of the lid of the grill so that they overlie the ribs, and leave them open at least half-way. This will enhance the smoky flavor. Also open the bottom vents to about half-way initially.
- After 40 minutes from the start of cooking, check ribs. If they appear to be browning/cooking too fast, cut back on the heat by narrowing down the bottom vent holes.
- Keep checking every 20 minutes until ribs have cooked for about 75-85 minutes total. Brush on the sauce for the last 30 minutes of cooking. Remove when done/tender. Brush on more sauce and serve with oregano on top. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
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Chipotle Barbecue Pork Ribs is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of McCormick® at Walmart.
Deb|EastofEdenCooking says
The Mr would enjoy this recipe! Father's Day would be the perfect time!
John / Kitchen Riffs says
Love ribs! Can never get enough. EVER! Terrific recipe -- thanks.
Paul says
It is delicious and good enough for a feast to feed everyone
Jeff the Chef says
Mmm! Those ribs look fantastic! Makes me want to get out the grill!