Updated 30 September 2026
Proper BBQ pork ribs are sticky, smoky and tender enough to pull clean from the bone. They're not difficult, but they can't be rushed: ribs have plenty of connective tissue that needs low, slow heat to melt. This guide covers a simple dry rub, two methods (all on the BBQ, or oven first and finished on the grill), times and temperatures, and a sticky glaze to finish.
Which ribs?
Our Large Pork Ribs 1.1-1.4kg (£8.99) are a 1.1–1.4kg pack, sent frozen; thaw them fully in the fridge first. For a crowd, the Pork Ribs Bundle – 2 Racks (£15.99) gives you two packs. For Chinese-style ribs, try the Large Chinese Pork Ribs 1.1-1.4kg (£11.99). Allow roughly 400–500g of raw ribs per person as a main.
Prep: remove the membrane
On the bone side of a rack there's often a thin, shiny membrane. Slide a table knife under it at one end, grip it with kitchen paper and pull it off. It lets the rub in and makes the ribs more tender to eat. If it won't come away in one piece, score it in a criss-cross instead.
Simple BBQ dry rub
- 2 tbsp soft brown sugar
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic granules
- 1 tsp onion granules
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- ½ tsp chilli powder or cayenne (optional)
Mix and rub all over the ribs. For the best flavour, wrap and chill for a few hours or overnight. For a ready-made option, Dylan's Barbecue Seasoning (£4.99) works well.
Method 1: low and slow on the BBQ
- Set up for indirect cooking: coals on one side, a drip tray on the other. Aim for 110–150°C inside the BBQ with the lid on. Add a handful of soaked wood chips for smoke.
- Cook the ribs bone-side down on the cool side, lid on, for about 2 hours. Keep the temperature steady by adjusting the vents.
- Wrap the ribs in foil with a splash of apple juice or cider and cook for another 45 minutes to 1 hour, until very tender.
- Glaze. Unwrap, brush with BBQ sauce and move over the hot side for 5–10 minutes, turning and basting, until sticky and caramelised.
- Rest for 10 minutes, then slice between the bones.
Method 2: oven first, then the BBQ
The easiest way to guarantee tender ribs, especially on a busy BBQ day.
- Heat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan, gas 2).
- Wrap the rubbed ribs tightly in foil with a splash of apple juice, on a baking tray.
- Cook for 2–2½ hours, until the meat is tender and pulling back from the ends of the bones.
- Unwrap, brush with BBQ sauce, and finish over a hot BBQ (or under a hot grill, or in a 220°C oven) for 10 minutes, turning and basting.
You can do the oven stage the day before, then chill and finish on the BBQ.
BBQ pork ribs times and temperatures
| Method | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| BBQ, indirect (unwrapped, then wrapped) | 110–150°C | 2½–3 hours, plus 10 minutes to glaze |
| Oven, wrapped in foil | 150°C (130°C fan) | 2–2½ hours, then 10 minutes to glaze |
| Slow cooker, then grill | Low | 6–7 hours, then 10 minutes under a hot grill |
Ribs are ready when the meat has shrunk back from the bone ends and a rack bends easily when lifted. Pork must be cooked through (steaming hot, no pink, clear juices); ribs cooked this way go far beyond that, to about 90°C, where they're tender.
Sticky BBQ glaze
Mix 150ml ketchup, 2 tbsp honey or brown sugar, 2 tbsp cider vinegar, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp smoked paprika and 1 tsp mustard. Simmer for 5 minutes until glossy. Or brush on Middletons Double Smoke Glaze 110g (£1.99) mixed with a little water. Glaze only at the end: the sugar burns over direct heat.
Rib tips from the counter
- Don't boil ribs. It washes flavour out. Wrapping in foil does the same tenderising job without the loss.
- Keep the heat low. High heat tightens the meat and burns the rub.
- Be patient. Ribs are done when they're tender, not at a set time.
- Glaze late. Sauce goes on in the last 10 minutes.
Getting smoke flavour
Wood makes a big difference to BBQ pork ribs. Apple and cherry give a mild, sweet smoke that suits pork; hickory is stronger and more classic American. Soak a couple of handfuls of chips for 30 minutes, then add them to the coals at the start of cooking; the ribs take on most of their smoke in the first hour, while the surface is still cool and moist. You don't need smoke for the whole cook. Too much can make ribs bitter.
Leftover ribs
Cooked ribs keep for up to 2 days in the fridge. Reheat them wrapped in foil at 160°C for 15–20 minutes until piping hot, then unwrap and give them a quick blast under the grill with a fresh brush of glaze. You can also pull the meat off the bone and use it in wraps or fried rice.
What to serve with BBQ ribs
Coleslaw, corn on the cob, baked beans, potato salad, chips or cornbread. Plenty of napkins.
More rib recipes
- Pork ribs in the oven
- Pork ribs in the slow cooker
- Sticky BBQ pork ribs
- How to cook Chinese pork ribs
For planning a cookout, see what meat to BBQ. Browse pork ribs, BBQ meat and all pork.
Shop the cuts in this guide
How we pack your order
Your order is packed at our butchery at St Stephen, near St Austell, in a double-walled box with a sealed thermal liner and gel ice packs, then delivered by DPD next-day on the day you choose. Free delivery over £85.
Extra strong boxWhite double-walled corrugated cardboard
Thermal linerAir-infused, padded and sealed
Gel ice packsRecyclable film, non-toxic food-grade gel
DPD deliveryOn the day you choose
BBQ pork ribs FAQs
How long do BBQ pork ribs take?
About 2½–3 hours over indirect heat at 110–150°C, or 2–2½ hours wrapped in foil in a 150°C oven, then 10 minutes to glaze.
Should you boil ribs before BBQ?
No. Boiling removes flavour. Cook them slowly in foil in the oven or on the BBQ instead.
What temperature should BBQ ribs be cooked at?
Low: around 110–150°C, over indirect heat with the lid on.
How do you know when ribs are done?
The meat pulls back from the ends of the bones, and the rack bends easily when you lift it with tongs.
Can you cook ribs in the oven and finish them on the BBQ?
Yes. It's the easiest way to get tender ribs. Cook them wrapped in the oven, then glaze and char them on the BBQ.
