Rockin’ Dry Rubbed Grilled Ribs
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A family recipe for getting tender juicy ribs on the grill, plus my favorite way to repurpose the leftovers!
Can we talk about this insane weather we’ve had lately?! It was in the 70s two days ago, but we’re expecting snow this weekend! WHAT?! Luckily, it looks like we’ll be trending towards warmer temperatures after that.
As some one who just experienced her first true winter, I CANNOT wait for these warmer days. Along with family walks, extra time on the trampoline, and bike riding, I’m looking forward to grilling more frequently! We’ve grilled a handful of times throughout the winter, but I can think of many things I’d rather do than run in and out of the house in 20º weather.
During our recent warm spell, I took the opportunity to get out and get some ribs made based on the way my dad makes his. My dad makes THE BEST fall-off-the-bone ribs! Every single time we visit home, we make a point of grilling out at least once and inviting our local friends over to eat. Our friends always look forward to rib night, which is typically a highlight of our trip.
For our most recent home away from home rib experience, I started out the way Dad always does; with a rack of Smithfield Extra Tender Pork Back Ribs from Walmart. Smithfield® ribs are hand-trimmed, extra-tender and juicy- plus so easy to grill, regardless of your grilling experience! 
To help make the slab a bit more manageable, I’ve found that slicing the rack in half, against one of the bones, is easiest. That way, you don’t have a huge raw slab of meat flopping all around the kitchen.
For extra flavor, I love using a dry-rub method- just like my dad does! Making a simple, yet flavor-packed rub at home is so simple with basic herbs and spices from your pantry (my recipe below). Just gently work the rub into both sides of the meat, and they’re ready to hit the hot grill. But not before wrapping them in some heavy-duty foil. The foil helps cook the ribs even quicker and retain a lot more moisture.
After cooking through on the grill, the ribs get slathered in some BBQ for the final minutes of grilling. That nice char and smokey flavor that can only come from the hot coals really finishes the meat and makes them the best, in my opinion!
Grilled Dry Rubbed Ribs
Ingredients
- 1 Smithfield Extra Tender Pork Back Ribs
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp pepper
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tsp cayenne powder
- BBQ sauce, (if desired)
Instructions
- Ignite charcoal in grill according to directions.
- Remove Smithfield Extra Tender Pork Back Ribs from packaging. Rinse briefly with water and pat dry with paper towels.
- In a small bowl, combine: brown sugar, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper to create a dry rub. Gently rub a liberal amount of dry rub onto all sides of the rack of ribs.
- Wrap and seal the ribs in a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Grill the wrapped ribs for an hour in a covered grilled, turning them over half-way through cooking.
- Remove the ribs from the grill and dispose the foil. Return the cooked ribs to the hot grill and brush with BBQ sauce if desired. Grill each side for 2 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Back home with everyone coming out to enjoy ribs, there are hardly ever any leftovers. When it’s just the five of us though, one rack makes enough for two days worth of food. My favorite way to repurpose the leftovers is to shred the meat off the bone, mix with a little extra BBQ sauce, then wrap and fry in an eggroll wrapper.
For even more ideas on how to grill up great ribs, take a look at the Smithfield® Facebook Page! Don’t forget to take advantage of the Ibotta offer next time you’re picking up ribs at Walmart!