These grilled baby back pork ribs are cooked in a foil packet to keep them fall apart tender, moist, and super juicy! They're basted with your favorite BBQ sauce and liquid smoke, then cooked until perfectly sticky and caramelized! If you're looking for a finger-licking-good rib recipe for this summer, you've found it!
Foil Pouch Baby Back Pork Ribs Recipe
These succulent, fall-off-the-bone ribs will have you savoring every tender bite! I use a foil pouch method to keep the ribs succulent and moist, then open them up at the end to give the BBQ sauce time to caramelize.
It's an easy recipe that doesn't take too much hovering over the grill. You'll baste and flip the ribs a few times at the end, but otherwise, you just let your grill do its thing!
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🥘 Grilled Baby Back Ribs Ingredients
If you have a rack of ribs and a grill, you don't need much more to make these succulent baby back ribs. You can use a bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce so the flavor is perfectly customized to you!
- Baby Back Ribs - 1 rack of baby back ribs.
- Apple Cider Vinegar (optional)- 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to brush on the ribs before seasoning (this helps to tenderize them).
- Pork Rub - ¼ cup of pork rub (see my recipe or use your favorite brand).
- BBQ Sauce - 1 cup of barbecue sauce - use your favorite store-bought brand or try my tasty honey bbq sauce!
- Liquid Smoke - 2 teaspoons of liquid smoke.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Grilled Baby Back Ribs
This is an easy, fuss-free recipe for perfectly tender BBQ baby back ribs! You'll need a sharp knife, your measuring utensils, a baking sheet, a basting brush, some aluminum foil, and a grill.
I find 1 rack of ribs makes about 4 servings, though it depends on how hungry everyone is!
Prep The Baby Back Ribs
- Prep. Preheat your gas grill to high heat, or set up a two-zone cooking station with briquets offset to one side. Lay out sheets of aluminum foil (use several sheets if needed) on a baking sheet to make a 'pouch.' Rinse the 1 rack of baby back ribs under cool running water, then pat them dry with paper towels.
- Remove silverskin (optional). For the most tender ribs, I recommend removing the membrane, or silverskin, on the underside of the rib bone. To do this, use a butter knife to slide under the membrane and gently lift and pull it away from the layer of fat along the bottom of the ribs.
- Season. Put your ribs on the prepared foil with the meat side facing up. If using the optional 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, brush it over the ribs before seasoning. Then, season them generously with ¼ cup of pork rub, flip them bone-side-up, and season generously on that side. With the meat facing downward, wrap the foil up and over the ribs and seal the pouch closed tightly.
Grill The Baby Back Ribs
- Grill. Place the pouch of ribs on the top rack in your grill or away from the briquettes if using. Reduce the heat to low if using a gas grill, and cook for 50 minutes.
- Make the sauce. In a small bowl, mix together 1 cup of barbecue sauce and 2 teaspoons of liquid smoke. Remove the pouch of ribs from the grill and let it cool slightly before you carefully open the pouch to release the steam. Use tongs to return the ribs to the grill with the meat facing upwards.1 cup barbecue sauce,2 teaspoon liquid smoke
- Brush with sauce. Use a basting brush to brush the BBQ mixture over your ribs, coating it on all sides. Close the lid and cook for 5 minutes.
- Flip. Flip your ribs over so that the bone is facing upwards, and reapply the BBQ sauce mixture. Close the lid and cook for 5 minutes.
- Keep flipping. Continue flipping the ribs every 5 minutes (so the BBQ sauce doesn't burn) until your ribs reach your ideal internal temperature. They need to be a minimum temperature of 145ºF (63ºC), but I like to aim closer to 200ºF (93ºC) for the most tender ribs. You can apply BBQ sauce with each flip as desired.
- Rest and serve. Remove your ribs from the grill and cover them loosely with foil. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing or serving.
🥗 Sides
I love pairing my grilled ribs with some grilled corn on the cob and ambrosia salad during the summertime!
See all my favorites on what to serve with pork ribs for more great side dish suggestions! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Once you get a good, grabbable section of the silverskin membrane separated from the ribs, use a paper towel to grip it and pull it off.
- Ribs need to be a minimum of 145ºF (63ºC) to be safe per the USDA, but grilled ribs are typically 180ºF (82ºC) or higher and ideally 190-200ºF (88-93ºC) for maximum tenderness. (see my post on pork internal temperatures for safety)
- If you like your ribs with some extra sweet caramelization, you can sprinkle a few tablespoons of brown sugar over the BBQ sauce near the end of cooking.
- The optional apple cider vinegar is one of my favorite ways to tenderize ribs. This is particularly beneficial if you choose not to remove the silverskin.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Leftover ribs should be placed in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in aluminum foil and refrigerated for up to 4 days.
Freezing Grilled Baby Back Ribs
Cooled ribs can be wrapped in foil and placed in a Ziploc freezer bag and then frozen for 4-6 months. Let the ribs defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Reheating Grilled Baby Back Ribs
Preheat your oven to 250°F (120°C) and put the ribs in a baking dish with a splash of broth or water to keep them tender. Cover with foil and bake for 20-30 minutes or until warmed through. You can even baste with more BBQ sauce as desired. I like to uncover the ribs for the last 10 minutes of reheating so they caramelize.
>>>>See all of my recipes here<<<<
❓ Recipe FAQs
Cooking baby back ribs on the grill in a foil packet helps to retain moisture and keeps the ribs tender. This technique slightly accelerates the cooking process and creates fall-off-the-bone ribs!
No, the BBQ sauce should be added near the end of the cooking time. Otherwise, the BBQ sauce tends to burn. That's also why I recommend flipping the sauced ribs every 5 minutes.
You can use any BBQ sauce you like, but you should definitely try out my honey BBQ sauce! A sauce that is sweet with a little heat will nicely complement the smokey flavor of the ribs.
♨️🔥 More Summer Grill Recipes
- Grilled Grouper - This grilled grouper is tender and flaky, a seafood lover's dream!
- Grilled Cowboy Ribeye - A giant bone-in ribeye seared to mouthwatering perfection!
- Grilled Lamb Chops - Juicy grilled lamb chops seasoned with a lovely aromatic herb rub.
- Grilled Brats - Sink your teeth into some juicy grilled brats in a warm bun and topped with your favorite condiments!
- Grilled Yellow Squash - A quick and easy vegetable side dish you can toss on the grill with your protein!
- Grilled Chicken Quarters - These succulent grilled chicken quarters are seasoned to perfection!
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📖 Recipe Card
Grilled Baby Back Ribs
Ingredients
- 1 rack baby back ribs
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (optional)
- ¼ cup pork rub (see recipe or use your favorite brand)
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- 2 teaspoon liquid smoke
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Preheat your gas grill to high heat, or set up a two-zone cooking station with briquets offset to one side. Lay out sheets of aluminum foil (use several sheets if needed) on a baking sheet to make a 'pouch'. Rinse the 1 rack baby back ribs under cool running water, then pat them dry with paper towels.
- (Optional) For the most tender ribs, I recommend removing the membrane, or silverskin, on the underside of the rib bone. To do this, use a butter knife to slide under the membrane and gently lift and pull it away from the layer of fat along the bottom of the ribs.
- Put your ribs on the prepared foil with the meat side facing up. If using the optional 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, brush it over the ribs before seasoning. Then, season them generously with ¼ cup pork rub, flip them bone side up and season generously on that side. With the meat facing downward, wrap the foil up and over the ribs and seal the pouch closed tightly.
- Place the pouch of ribs on the top rack in your grill, or away from the briquettes if using. Reduce the heat to low if using a gas grill and cook for 50 minutes.
- In a small bowl, mix together 1 cup barbecue sauce and 2 teaspoon liquid smoke. Remove the pouch of ribs from the grill and let it cool slightly before you carefully open the pouch to release the steam. Use tongs to return the ribs to the grill with the meat facing upwards.
- Use a basting brush to brush the BBQ mixture over your ribs, coating it on all sides. Close the lid and cook for 5 minutes.
- Flip your ribs over so that the bone is facing upwards and reapply the BBQ sauce mixture. Close the lid and cook for 5 minutes.
- Continue flipping the ribs every 5 minutes (so the BBQ sauce doesn't burn) until your ribs reach your ideal internal temperature. They need to be a minimum temperature of 145ºF (63ºC), but I like to aim closer to 200ºF (93ºC) for the most tender ribs. You can apply BBQ sauce with each flip as desired.
- Remove your ribs from the grill and cover them loosely with foil. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing or serving.
Notes
- Once you get a good, grabbable section of the silverskin membrane separated from the ribs, use a paper towel to grip it and pull it off.
- Ribs need to be a minimum of 145ºF (63ºC) to be safe per the USDA, but grilled ribs are typically 180ºF (82ºC) or higher and ideally 190-200ºF (88-93ºC) for maximum tenderness.
- If you like your ribs with some extra sweet caramelization, you can sprinkle a few tablespoons of brown sugar over the BBQ sauce near the end of cooking.
- The optional apple cider vinegar is one of my favorite ways to tenderize ribs. This is particularly beneficial if you choose not to remove the silverskin.
- To store: Leftover ribs should be placed in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in aluminum foil and refrigerated for up to 4 days.
- To freeze: Cooled ribs can be wrapped in foil and placed in a Ziploc freezer bag, and then frozen for 4-6 months. Let the ribs defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- To reheat: Preheat your oven to 250°F (120°C) and put the ribs in a baking dish with a splash of broth or water to keep them tender. Cover with foil and bake for 20-30 minutes or until warmed through. You can even baste with more BBQ sauce as desired. I like to uncover the ribs for the last 10 minutes of reheating so they caramelize.
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