How to Cook BBQ Pork Ribs Quickly

by Dacia Rivers, Demand Media
Pork ribs cook more quickly when wrapped in aluminum foil.

Pork ribs cook more quickly when wrapped in aluminum foil.

ITStock Free/Polka Dot/Getty Images

Quick is a relative term when it comes to barbecue. Cooking ribs can take all day, but it doesn't have to. You can follow a few tips to create tasty barbecue pork ribs in just a couple of hours, perfect for a lazy Sunday dinner or an evening barbecue for friends and family. Lean on prepared ingredients when you can to help you throw together a backyard barbecue feast with minimal time and energy invested.

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Step 1

Start with baby back ribs. These smaller pork ribs cook more quickly and are more tender and juicy than larger ribs.

Step 2

Pick up a premade barbecue spice rub at the grocery store to save the time required to make your own. Wash the ribs thoroughly and optionally remove the thin membrane, the called the silverskin, from the ribs, then massage the rub all over them. The rub will penetrate the meat better in a shorter time with the silverskin removed.

Step 3

Let the ribs sit in the rub at room temperature for 30 minutes while you get everything else ready instead of marinating them in the refrigerator overnight.

Step 4

Wrap the ribs in aluminum foil to speed up the cooking process. Place the wrapped ribs in a 400-degree-Fahrenheit oven, or on a gas or charcoal grill heated to 400 with the lid closed.

Step 5

Cook the ribs for about an hour until the meat is tender. Check the ribs for doneness with an internal meat thermometer. Remove the ribs when the meat reaches 190 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 6

Remove the ribs from the foil, baste them with a prepared bottled barbecue sauce, and place them on a hot grill for about 30 minutes, just to get the outside of the ribs seared and crispy.

Items you will need

  • Spice rub
  • Aluminum foil
  • Internal meat thermometer
  • Barbecue sauce

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Tips

  • Make coleslaw, a traditional side dish for BBQ, quickly with a bag of shredded cabbage mix and a bottle of creamy coleslaw dressing.
  • Save yourself all of the work and mess and make things super quick by picking up preseasoned or precooked barbecue pork ribs at the grocery store. If they are precooked, just reheat them on a hot grill for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

About the Author

Dacia Rivers has been writing for Texas magazines and newspapers for more than 10 years. Her work has been published in "Texas Co-op Power" magazine and "The New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung," among other publications. Rivers has a bachelor's degree in print journalism from Texas State University.

Photo Credits

  • ITStock Free/Polka Dot/Getty Images