Juicy, tender baby back ribs with smoky flavor—on a gas grill, no smoker required. Learn how easy it is to cook ribs low and slow at 250°F with just a rub and wood chips.
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- 🧡 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- 🐖Ingredients
- 👨🍳Quick Overview: How to Grill Baby Back Ribs on a Gas Grill
- ⏰ How Long to Cook Baby Back Ribs on a Gas Grill at 250°F
- 🔥 How to Tell When Baby Back Ribs Are Done
- 🔧 Using Indirect Heat and Smoke on a Gas Grill
- 🥣 Dry Rub Options for Ribs
- 🐖 More Rib Recipes to Try
- 🍽️ What to Serve with BBQ Baby Back Ribs
- ❄️ Storage and Reheating Tips
- ❓Frequently Asked Questions
- 📖The Recipe Card
Featured Comment from Matt :
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Delicious. Wife also loved them. These are the best ribs I've cooked so far - this basic recipe is a keeper, and I'm going to stick with it."
🧡 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Real BBQ flavor – low and slow at 250°F on a gas grill. Juicy, smoky ribs with a simple rub and optional wood chips.
- Beginner-friendly – Simple rub, step-by-step help, and no wrapping required.
- Flexible cuts – Works with baby back, St. Louis, or spare ribs – just adjust the time.
- Know exactly when they’re done – Learn the three foolproof signs of perfectly cooked ribs – no guesswork.
- Impress without stress – Backyard BBQ that feels pro, even on your first try.
🐖Ingredients
- Baby back ribs – One slab. St. Louis or pork spare ribs also work but need a longer cook time.
- BBQ dry rub – Use your favorite or a simple blend of brown sugar, kosher salt, chili powder, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.
Optional: Add cayenne for heat. - Wood chips (optional) – Hickory, cherry, apple, or your favorite for smoke flavor on a gas grill.
- BBQ sauce (optional) – For serving. Use what you like—I recommend my Memphis Barbecue Sauce.
🔧 Equipment
- Gas grill – Must support indirect heat and maintain a steady 250°F. Charcoal grills can work too but are harder to control for long cooks.
- Thermometer – A grill surface thermometer helps monitor grill temp, and an instant-read thermometer checks when the ribs are done.
- Smoker box or foil pouch – For adding wood chips on a gas grill.
- Drip pan with water – Placed under the ribs to regulate heat and moisture. NEVER PLACE ANYTHING IN THE BURNERS.
✅Pro Tip: Make sure you have a full backup propane tank. Low and slow cooks can run long, and running out of gas halfway through is a fast track to tough ribs and takeout.
👨🍳Quick Overview: How to Grill Baby Back Ribs on a Gas Grill
1. Set up the grill for indirect cooking
Set your gas grill to 250°F on the indirect side with a drip pan underneath. Clean and oil the grates.
✅Pro Tip: Do not put the drip pan (or anything else) on the grill burners. But the pan can go on the lava rocks.
Optional: Add smoke using a smoker box, cast iron pan, or foil pouch with holes—start right at the beginning for 30–60 minutes.
✅Pro Tip: Add water to the drip pan to help stabilize the temperature and keep things moist.
2. Preparing the ribs
Remove the inner membrane and check for bone chips. Apply your dry rub to all sides.
✅Pro Tip: Use a butter knife and a paper towel to get under the membrane and peel it off—it’s slippery but worth the effort.
3. Grill low and slow at 250°F
Cook over indirect heat for 2 to 3 hours. St. Louis or spare ribs may take longer.
Optional: Add smoke in the first hour.
✅Pro Tip: Don’t keep opening the lid—every peek drops the temp and adds time to the cook.
4. Know when they're done
Ribs are ready at an internal temp of 190°F+, with 200°–205°F preferred. Other signs: bones start to show, and they crack slightly when lifted with tongs.
👇For full step-by-step instructions, scroll to the printable recipe card or keep reading for tips, rub options, and serving ideas.
⏰ How Long to Cook Baby Back Ribs on a Gas Grill at 250°F
About 3 hours at 250°F is typical for baby back ribs on a gas grill, but always cook to doneness, not just by time.
- Medium baby back ribs: About 3 hours at 250°F
- Smaller racks: Start checking at 2 hours
- Thick slabs: May take up to 4 hours
- Two slabs in a rib rack: Add 30–60 minutes
- St. Louis or spare ribs: Take longer than baby backs
Don’t cook by time—cook to doneness. Use the signs below to know when they’re really ready.
🔥 How to Tell When Baby Back Ribs Are Done
Ribs are ready when the internal temp is 200°–205°F, the bones start to show, and the rack cracks slightly when lifted with tongs. These three signs are more reliable than time alone.
- 🌡️ Temperature – While some consider ribs done at 190°F, most people—including me—prefer 200°–205°F for the best texture. That’s when the collagen fully breaks down and the ribs become tender.
Use an instant-read thermometer, but the bones can make it tricky to get an exact reading. - 🦴 Exposed rib bones – As the meat cooks and tightens, the ends of the bones will start to show.
- 🔪 The crack test – Lift the ribs with tongs about a third of the way from one end. If they crack slightly under their own weight, they’re done.
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🔧 Using Indirect Heat and Smoke on a Gas Grill
For ribs, you’ll be cooking with indirect heat—meaning the meat isn’t directly over the flames. Every grill setup is a little different, so use a grill surface thermometer to make sure the indirect zone stays near 250°F. A drip pan with water under the ribs helps stabilize temperature and prevent flare-ups. Just don’t place it directly on the burners.
✅Pro Tip: The best temperature to cook ribs on the grill is 250°F, just like the competition grillers and smokers do.
If you want to add smoke, use a smoker box or a foil pouch with wood chips. Hickory is my go-to, but apple, cherry, or pecan work well too.
See How to Set Up Your Gas Grill for Smoking and Low and Slow Cooking for more detail.
🥣 Dry Rub Options for Ribs
The recipe uses a simple 6-ingredient dry rub with common pantry spices—sweet, salty, and balanced. You can also use:
- Memphis Dry Rub – For a classic, peppery finish
- Cajun or Chipotle BBQ rubs – For heat and bold flavor
- Your favorite store-bought blend – No shame in saving time
🐖 More Rib Recipes to Try
🍽️ What to Serve with BBQ Baby Back Ribs
This is a dry rub recipe, so the sauce is served at the table. I like my Memphis Barbecue Sauce, but use whatever you enjoy.
Great sides for ribs include:
❄️ Storage and Reheating Tips
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days
- Freeze for up to 4 months—wrap tightly to prevent freezer burn
To reheat:
- Preferred: In the oven—place ribs on a rimmed tray, cover with foil, and warm at 300°F until heated through
- Faster option: Microwave in short bursts, covered with a damp paper towel or vented wrap
✅Pro Tip: Always thaw frozen cooked ribs overnight in the refrigerator for the best texture when reheating.
❓Frequently Asked Questions
Pork ribs have a thin membrane on the back that some leave on—but I always remove it for better flavor and texture.
Use a butter knife to loosen a corner near the end of the rack, then grip it with a paper towel and peel. It may not come off perfectly the first time, but it gets easier with practice.
No. Wrapping interferes with smoke absorption and prevents bark from forming. I leave mine unwrapped the whole time.
Yes—as long as you use indirect heat and keep the temperature steady. Just know it’s harder to maintain 250°F for several hours on charcoal compared to gas.
The key is low and slow at 250°F. If the temp creeps up to 300°, they’ll dry out.
Optional tricks: brining beforehand, spritzing with apple juice during the cook (but this extends time), or brushing with sauce in the last 30 minutes.
Some wrap ribs for the second half of cooking—but I skip that to keep the bark crisp.
Baby back ribs come from near the spine—they’re shorter, curved, and cook faster.
Spare ribs are larger, meatier, and come from the belly side of the rib cage.
St. Louis ribs are spare ribs that have been trimmed to remove the rib tips, cartilage, and sternum—making them flatter and more uniform in shape.
This recipe uses baby backs, but the same method works for all three. Just increase the cooking time for larger cuts.
The diagram below shows where each rib type comes from::
📖The Recipe Card
Grilled Baby Back Ribs on a Gas Grill (Tender & Smoky)
Video Slideshow
Ingredients
- 1 rack baby back ribs
- ¼–½ cup rub of your choice
- 8 tablespoons brown sugar - ½ cup
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Step-by-Step Instructions
Set up the grill for indirect cooking
- Set up the grill for indirect cooking at a surface temperature of 250°F. Place a drip pan with ½ inch of water under the indirect zone—but not directly on the burners.
- Add smoke using a smoker box, cast iron pan, or foil pouch with holes—start right at the beginning for 30–60 minutes.
Preparing the ribs
- Remove the inner lining and check for bone chips.
- Rub with about ½ cup of a dry rub of your choice or my suggested rub. The rub will work fine if applied just before grilling or the day before. If applying early, then wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Grill low and slow at 250°F
- Place over the drip pan and start your smoke—30-60 minutes of smoke is enough. Then keep your hands off for about 2-3 hours total from the start of cooking. Add some time to that if cooking more than one slab. It may be 4 hours or more. If you are unsure of your grill setup or doing smaller ribs, start checking at 1½ hours.
Know when they're done
- The ribs are done when: First, an internal temperature of 190°+ (200°-205° preferred.) Second, some ends of rib bones are sticking out. Lastly, when you pick up the ribs with tongs holding them about ⅓ of the way up, they should crack.
- Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- The three most important points to success are grill setup, keeping the right grill surface temperature, and knowing the endpoint of cooking.
- If you are unsure of your grill setup or doing smaller ribs, start checking at 1½ hours. Also, review How To Set Up Your Gas Grill for Smoking and Low and Slow Cooking.
- Doneness guide (any of the following means they’re ready):
• Internal temperature of 190°F+ (200°–205°F preferred)
• Rib bone ends start sticking out
• The rack cracks slightly when lifted with tongs one-third of the way from the end - This post is for one slab of baby backs. If you have enough space, you could do two side by side, or use a rib rack. If you have a large slab of ribs or do a rib rack to cook more slabs, you must add some time. And if you use a larger rib like a St. Louis or spare ribs, they will also take longer.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Originally published May 11, 2014. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Matt says
Delcious. Wife also loved them. These are the best ribs I've cooked so far - this basic recipe is a keeper and I'm going to stick with it.
I cooked them for the first time tonight on my Genesis II. It was tricky figuring out the right temperature and they reached 195-ish after 2.5 hours, so I'm going to have to play with the setup. Someone on this page writes about switching one off and on again at certain intervals. I might try that, but I'd rather just be able to let them sit.
The ribs were still fantastic despite not having gone at least three hours in the grill. Super juicy, tender, and almost fall-off-the-bone. They're going to be even better once I can figure out the surface temperature problem.
Janel says
I do not know how you got the wood to smoke...on a gas grill at such a low temperature
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Janel,
Welcome to the blog.
It will smoke. If you use an aluminum pouch or castiron box, put it over the direct heat side. If you have a built-in box, use it. More details at https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/set-gas-grill-smoking-low-slow-cooking/
Hope that helps.
Dan
Valerie Pickett says
Outstanding ribs! Thank you for a great recipe!
It was my first time cooking ribs on the grill! The man and I went to a local meat shop and purchased the ribs so I didn't want to fail. Looking at a lot of recipes yours was the most complete and easy to follow.
The only question I have for next time is how to ensure the top of the ribs are a little less chewy?
Will be checking out the rest of your site. Thank you again❣
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Valerie,
Welcome the blog.
By the top, I assume you mean the outside of the meat where the rub is. The chewie is some dryness of the meat from dry cooking, you can add some humidity to the environment with water in the drip pan. Some people "mop" with various solutions.
Hope that helps some.
Thanks for the note and rating.
Dan
Jubran says
Just tried these out on our new Weber Genesis II 310 for Memorial Day - came out delicious!
Our grill is a three burner, so we started off with the two sides on and one off in the middle. The heat was rising a bit too rapidly at first with two burners, so after an hour I turned one of the burners off, then on again after another hour. After 3 hours, both racks were right at 190F, so I finished them with a quick sear on medium heat over direct flame to finish it off, and it came out great. It looks like experimentation really is needed with each unique grill.
One concern I had was with the wood chips. After three hours, I had no smoke coming out of the hickory wood chips I bought, despite being hot to the touch. I think next time I'll do without soaking first and see how it turns out.
Thanks for the great recipe, Dr. Dan.
Matt says
Jubran, did you have the burners on low the entire time? I may try your method of switching one off then on again.
Greg says
I've been using your method for 2-3 years now. Family, friends, and visitors always ask how it's done after they've eaten (can't really beat that as a compliment when it comes to ribs).
Brad says
WOW! DrDan, thanks so much! Thanks for your attendant article "How To Set Up Your Gas Grill for Smoking and Low and Slow Cooking." That got me to experimenting with my grill as you suggested, with your guidelines in mind. I have a nice 4-burner CharBroil with Grill Grates installed. Previously, I've had OK results to burned results. Tonight, my birthday, we had fantastic ribs. I figured out to use my outside burners on low with the outside Grill Grates taken off. That gave me the indirect heat at 250º. I used the shallow aluminum drip pan with water. I also did an America's Test Kitchen suggestion and brined my ribs before cooking. I also cooked them with the meat side down. Your rub recipe is totally awesome! I got totally fall off the bone tender and moist meat. Couldn't decide whether to use BBQ sauce or not because the rub was incredible.
Thanks again, you are the (grillin') Man!
em says
Hi DrDan,
I am just want to confirm that you are using Fahrenheit temperatures? Our grill was purchased in Finland and uses metric, but we can do the conversions ourself, of course!
Emily
DrDan says
Yep, Fahrenheit. As a doctor I used metric for everything. Here everything is American.
Alec says
I have a surface thermometer but a question about location. For the gas grill ribs, do I want the thermometer to reach 250 on the heat side or the indirect side? Or should it be places somewhere in the middle of the BBQ?
DrDan says
I do near the back of the indirect side, That is the surface temp you want the ribs to cook at. If you don;t have room there then right next to the ribs away from the direct side.
Let me know if other questions.
Dan
Stephen Reedy says
I'm low and slow cooking mine on a small grill. With the burners going front to back. I lined the back portion of the rack with foil to help keep it in indirect heat, and placed drip pans directly on top of the foil. My grill also has the upper rack which is where I placed the ribs so the drip pan is underneath. I lack a temperature gauge so I actually have no idea what temperature the ribs are getting. I suppose this is going to be trial and error until I get a thermometer. I did have to rotate the ribs about 2 hrs into the process because the side facing the directcheat blackened, while the back did not. I hope these turn out ok my girlfriend and her mom are coming over to help eat these! I'll try to post a picture of the finished product if I can
DrDan says
I'm afraid this is not going to go well for you. You are totally driving blind. I'm a huge believer in thermometers. I'm more of a "science guy". I'm not sure the way you have it set up is very "indirect".
https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/grill-temperature/
https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/set-gas-grill-smoking-low-slow-cooking/
Jeff says
Hey DrDan
That's awesome information, I really appreciate it!!! I will definitely get one of these on grill thermometers and try it out, and this time have better success! One last question (sorry to keep bothering you!) in your opinion, where I found the ribs to be to salty, do you think if I had cooked at the right temp the salt wouldn't have been as powerful or it didn't matter and it's just my taste buds?
Again thanks for all your help and advice, it's greatly appreciated!
DrDan says
Again a taste thing. Cut back the salt in the rub or use less rub.
Have a good day and let me know if you have other questions.
Dan
Jeff says
Hi DrDan
It's a 4 burner grill I bought new in may. I used the far left burner for the smoke and indirect heat source. The thermometer is located in centre of lid. I'm not sure if this link will work but it is almost identical to this one (broken link removed—DrDan)
As for the smoke, I guess my smoker box worked as it should have then? As I said I. New at this and had the understanding that you were supposed to smoke the whole duration of the cook (as in like a smoker unit would do)
Thanks for the fast reply, anything you can think of to ask or tell me to help hone my skills I would greatly appreciate!
Cheers
Jeff
DrDan says
Hi again.
The thermometers in grill hoods are unfortunately horrible. They are cheap and measure the air temp at the top of the grill, not the surface temp. So your issues are temperature related. Probably the same issue Gadge, the commenter before you, had but didn't realize.
I used grill surface thermometers for years. They only cost about $10 and will last most of grill season until you can't read it anymore. Amazon, Home Depot or Lowes will have them. I now use a fancy Theromoworks remote monitor.
The amount of smoke is more a personal taste thing. I find 20-30 minutes to be my taste. Type of smoke is also a taste thing. I like hickory usually. The soaking of the chips is frequently recommended but most pros don't care.
Jeff says
I tried this recipe and didn't have the desired outcome. It was also my first time doing ribs on a BBQ so I more than likely did something wrong. First I found the ribs to be very salty. Second, I kept the heat constant at 270-280 range and cooked them for 4 hours, checked the internal temp and it was reading 140. Thirdly, when the ribs were finished cooking they were, not tough but also not fall off of the bone, somewhere in between but leaning more to the tough side. I did the water tray below the indirect side under the ribs, so I don't know why I had this outcome. Any advice would be great.
On the same topic but different note, if I could get some help about smoking would be good. I have 2 smoker boxes, soaked the apple wood chips, filled the box and it was literally 45 mins before it stared to smoke. Worst off, it only lasted for 20 mins at best! Once the smoked stopped I removed that box and put In the new box with fresh chips, and same thing, 45/50 mins before smoke started and only lasted for 20 mins. So I made a smoker packet out of tinfoil and tried it with dry chips, had to wait over an hour and got 30 mins of smoke. Each time the smoker pack/box was over the only lit burner. I have no idea if it is normal or not. Again any feed back would be great. One last thing, should I smoke the whole ti,e they are cooking, or only for a short period at the first or at the end? Like I said this was my first attempt, I have been trying to up my barbecuing skills this year and I would like to get a good hold of this technique.
Sorry for the long post, thanks for any help and the recipe!! Cheers
DrDan says
Hi Jeff,
My first question is the thermometer? New? Old? Location? Number burners on the grill. I just sounds like the temperature was off.
Next the smoking. I usually I only do smoke for 20-30 minutes. But it starts the smoke usually within 5-10 minutes and last the 20 plus minutes. Again I question the temperature.
What do you think?
Dan
Gadge says
I put the ribs on the gas grill. It didn't even make it the 3 hours you suggested. After 2 hours on the grill, I checked it and it was burned all to hell. Completely ruined.
Grilly mcbuzzedrealgood says
Check his instructions for INDIRECT heat
Woody says
OMG......used Jack Daniels wood chips.. usually have left overs but these chips gave it the WOW factor
Michael Lawton says
Can you please clarify what stArt your smoke for 30 minutes means. Do you mean put ribs in for 30 minutes, then remove foil pack?
DrDan says
The duration of smoking is somewhat to taste. To me, 30 minutes of smoke gets very nice results. Would I remove a foil pack after 30 minutes if it was still smoking? No I would let it get done. With my grill a full wood chip bin gets about 30 minutes of nice smoke. A nicely made foil pack will also do about 30 minutes and if you have one of the cast iron smoking boxes, filled with chips will last 30-40 minutes.
Shirley Kressel says
What is the purpose of the pan of water? Is it to catch grease to prevent flare-ups? Or to keep the meat from drying out?
DrDan says
Hi Shirley,
The pan is mainly to catch the grease. Usually, everybody puts water in it for moisture but I doubt that matters much. Since the ribs are on the indirect side, there are no flare-ups issues, just the mess.
Dan