Really well-cooked ribs are probably a wet dream for many.
In fact, it’s not that hard to succeed if you just take the time and do everything properly.
Here are 12 truly awesome rib recipes and a few tips and tricks along the way
If you want to nerd out even more, we also have our complete guide to ribs on the grill and BBQ.
There are loads of different kinds of ribs.
Beef ribs, short ribs, baby back ribs, spare ribs, thick ribs and more.
First and foremost, the membrane, the thin skin on the back of the ribs, should always be pulled off.
The easiest way is to use a slightly blunt knife and slide it under the membrane. Then you pull it off with a piece of paper towel.
Then ribs must always be cooked long and slowly. Preferably with smoke.
Count on about 4-5 h for perfect ribs. When the meat has pulled back up the bones and they’re easy to pull apart, they’re done.
They shouldn’t fall completely to pieces, though, since that means they’ve gone too long.
There are many different methods.
One of them is the 3-2-1 method.
This means you cook the ribs with smoke for 3 h, then wrap them in foil and add a little liquid.
Suggestions are a little apple juice, apple cider vinegar and some good spices.
This method originally comes from the USA and doesn’t work quite a hundred percent on our Swedish ribs, which are usually a bit thinner.
My recommendation is therefore to use the 2-1-1 method, which means 2h of smoke, 1h wrapped in foil and one hour without
Last but not least, it is forbidden to parboil them.
You lose loads of fat and flavor when you boil them first.
There’s also a saying that goes:
“If you boil your ribs, the terrorists win”
Think about it.
Good luck!
Below are 12 really good recipes for different kinds of ribs.
Here you’ll find short, long, thick and beef ribs.
Dig in.
Ribs – The Complete Guide to Grilling and BBQ
A complete guide to BBQ ribs: baby back vs spare ribs, trimming, rubs, the 3-2-1 and other methods, glaze, troubleshooting, serving and four recipes.
Iberico spare ribs with rub, oak smoke and BBQ sauce, grilled low and slow for juicy ribs with deep flavor and a nice bark.
Beef Short Ribs: Low and Slow with Oak or Pecan Smoke
Beef short ribs reward patience. Here is my recipe with a hearty rub, oak or pecan smoke, indirect heat and a long cook until the meat…
Smoked beef ribs (short ribs) with oak and hickory, following Anders Lejonbjörn's Nordic Smokes recipe: trim, rub, smoke, wrap in foil and rest.
Baby back ribs with clear Jamaican influences: marinated in dark rum, then rubbed with a hot jerk seasoning and smoked low and slow.
Beef short ribs cooked low and slow with Salt of Satan chili salt, black pepper and garlic, with a light pecan wood smoke.
Side ribs with crispy skin, cooked low and slow with apple smoke and a rub, then finished over high direct heat so the skin turns properly…
Thick ribs can be tough to get right, but done perfectly they are incredibly good. Jack Daniels runs through the whole cook, in both the brine…
I tried a new way of prepping ribs: a brine of cider and chili. Cooked low and slow with mesquite smoke and finished with BBQ sauce,…
Jalapeño Jerk Baby Back Ribs: Sweet, Hot Ribs With Pineapple
Baby back ribs with jalapeño, pineapple, cilantro, ginger, and a jerk-inspired rub. Sweet, hot, and sticky ribs with big flavor and a proper kick.
Kansas City Ribs: Sweet, Hot and Properly Sticky
Kansas City ribs are sweet, hot and sticky, built on a sweet-and-hot rub and a thick BBQ sauce. Cook them low and slow until tender, then…
Memphis Style Wet Ribs: Sticky Ribs with Homemade BBQ Sauce
Memphis Style Wet Ribs are cooked low and slow with a spicy rub and hickory smoke, with a sweet, sticky BBQ sauce added only near the…
