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A platter with 7 grilled baby back pork ribs

Grilled Half-Rack Baby Back Ribs

Tana
A blow your socks off delicious dinner for two!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 2

Ingredients
  

For the Ribs:

  • ½ rack pork baby back ribs about 5–6 bones
  • 1 –2 tsp yellow mustard optional, for binding the rub

Dry Rub:

  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper optional
  • 1 tsp brown sugar or low-carb sweetener optional

For Wrapping (Optional):

  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or broth
  • 1 tbsp butter or tallow for seed-oil-free option
  • Optional BBQ Sauce for finishing:
  • 2 –3 tbsp of your favorite BBQ sauce

Instructions
 

Prep the Ribs

  • Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs (use a paper towel for grip).
  • Pat ribs dry with paper towels.
  • If desired, lightly coat ribs with yellow mustard to help the rub stick.

Apply Dry Rub

  • Mix all dry rub ingredients in a bowl.
  • Coat ribs evenly on both sides.
  • Let sit for 30 minutes at room temp (or refrigerate up to overnight for deeper flavor).

Set Up the Grill

  • Preheat grill to 275–300°F using a two-zone setup: one side for direct heat, the other for indirect.
  • If using wood chips for smoke (apple or hickory), wrap in foil and place over direct heat.

Grill Low & Slow

  • Place ribs bone-side down on the indirect heat side.
  • Close the lid and cook for 90 minutes, undisturbed.
  • Optional: After 90 minutes, spritz with apple cider vinegar or broth every 30 minutes to keep moist.
  • Wrap for Tenderness (Optional)
  • After 1.5–2 hours, wrap ribs tightly in foil with butter and a splash of vinegar or broth.
  • Return to indirect heat and cook another 30–45 minutes.

Unwrap & Finish

  • Carefully unwrap ribs and return to grill over direct heat.
  • Brush with BBQ sauce, if using.
  • Grill 5–10 minutes, flipping once, to caramelize the sauce. Watch closely to avoid burning.

Rest & Serve

  • Let ribs rest 5–10 minutes before slicing between bones.

Notes

Meat should pull back from the bones.
Internal temperature for tender ribs is 195–203°F.
If not using sauce, finish with a drizzle of pan juices or a light glaze of vinegar and spices.
Keyword bbq, dinner for two, grilled meat, keto, low carboyhydrate, pork ribs, skillet dinner