Memphis Style Dry Ribs {On the Grill or In The Oven}

Tender, caramelized meat that clings to the bone and requires just a gentle tug to pull it off makes for the perfect grilled spare rib. Would you believe that a week ago I had never cooked bone-in ribs? I assumed that they would be more difficult and complicated than the country style boneless ribs I’ve always purchased. I was wrong. These were so easy; I made them twice just to make sure it would work the same.

Technically, I made three batches, because I mistakenly thought that I could get away with using the crockpot. Let’s just say they were not the same. (In all fairness, the ribs that started in the crockpot were edible and the flavor was great, but the texture was off and there was just no comparison to the grill or oven versions.)

When I decided to tackle cooking ribs for the first time, I went straight to my personal grilling expert. Nibble Me This is my first stop for grilling advice. Chris first tempted me with the Grilled Smokey Chicken and Bacon Cheeseburger. Next, he convinced me to grill our steaks using the reverse sear method. I’ve used that method repeatedly and never looked back. (There is nothing else like it, I promise!) And for further proof that his recipes have never let me down, his Po’dunk Sauce is the ultimate dipping sauce for any potatoes in your life!

 

4.34 from 3 votes

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Memphis Style Dry Ribs {On the Grill or In The Oven}

Recipe lightly adapted from and with thanks to Nibble Me This

Servings: 5 -6 servings, recipe can easily be multiplied

Ingredients

• 1 slab pork spare ribs - see note
• 5 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 4 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
• 4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage
• 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 cup vinegar
• 1 cup water

Instructions

1. GRILL METHOD: Preheat the grill to 250 degrees. If using wood or charcoal, situate the coals on one side of the grill only, leaving the other side open for indirect cooking heat. Stir together the sugar and all of the spices in a small bowl. Reserve 1/3 of the sugar/spice mixture in a separate bowl. Stretch the ribs out on a large baking tray, meat side down. Slide a knife just barely under the edge of the membrane at one end of the ribs and then use that loosened edge to pull the membrane off the ribs. (I found it really easy to grab the edge of the membrane with a paper towel and pull it off that way. Much like this example.)
2. Pat the ribs dry with a paper towel. Apply the rub generously (leaving the reserved 1/3 for later use) to the front and back of the ribs. Place the ribs meat side up on the grill and cook with indirect heat, for 3 - 3 1/2 hours, until the ribs are tender.
3. Pour the vinegar and water into a shallow baking dish. Remove the cooked ribs from the grill and dip them into the vinegar water. Place the wet ribs onto a cutting board or a clean baking sheet and season immediately with a coating of the reserved dry rub. Cut and serve. Enjoy!
4. OVEN METHOD: Adjust the oven racks to the middle and top 1/3 of the oven. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Stir together the sugar and all of the spices in a small bowl. Reserve 1/3 of the sugar/spice mixture in a separate bowl. Stretch the ribs out on a large baking tray, meat side down. Slide a knife just barely under the edge of the membrane at one end of the ribs and then use that loosened edge to pull the membrane off the ribs. (I found it really easy to grab the edge of the membrane with a paper towel and pull it off that way. Much like this example.)
5. Pat the ribs dry with a paper towel. Apply the rub generously (leaving the reserved 1/3 for later use) to the front and back of the ribs. Place the ribs meat side up on a foil lined baking sheet and cook on the center oven rack, for about 3 hours, until the ribs are tender.
6. Pour the vinegar and water into a shallow baking dish. Remove the cooked ribs from the oven and dip them into the vinegar water. Place the wet ribs onto a cutting board or a clean baking sheet and season immediately with a coating of the reserved dry rub. Cut and serve. Enjoy!

Notes

We grilled about 4 pounds of loin back ribs. This recipe can easily be multiplied and it will also work well with St Louis style ribs as well. The cooking time will need to be adjusted slightly longer for the thicker ribs.

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