Few things equal the taste of sinking your teeth into a rack of soft baby back ribs. And to prepare that, you need the best flat top grills and your favorite bbq sauce.
Having sourced such items, add them to the following professional grilling tips and you won’t go wrong.
Table of Contents
How Long Should You Cook Baby Back Ribs On a Flat Top Grill?
The time taken to cook baby back ribs depends on their thickness and the heat intensity. However, at medium temperature, it takes about 45 to 50 minutes to cook fully.
What’s the Right Temperature for Cooking Baby Back Ribs on a Flat Top Grill?
The best way to cook baby back ribs is on medium heat level. That is heat setting of about 300 degrees Fahrenheit is adequate.
What Tools Do You Need When Cooking Baby Back Ribs on a Flat Top Grill?
Pair of Tongs
Loading the ribs on the griddle or removing them from the flat top grill to a plate requires a pair of tongs.
Flat Head Spatula
The flat-headed spatula helps you scoop the rack off the surface and also supports trouble free turning.
Dome-Shaped Lid
You use the dome-shaped lid to cover the rack of ribs during cooking. By doing so, air around the rack gets heated and results in even cooking. It’s the same cover that you use when cooking pizza on a flat top grill[ how to cook pizza on a flat top grill].
Mixing Bowl
As the name implies the bowl helps you to mix your ingredients and spices.
While Cooking Baby Back Ribs on a Flat Top Grill, How Do You Know it Is Done?
There are several tests you can carry out to determine whether the rack of baby ribs is done or not.
Thermometer Test
One of the most common tests is using an instant-read thermometer. Insert the probe of the thermometer into the thick meat without touching the bones.
Do that on several parts of the rack and notice the temperature reading. The ribs should read a consistent temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit or slightly more. However, don’t take the reading by inserting the probe between two bones.
Bend Test
When the rack of ribs is done, it grows flexible. So hold the baby’s back ribs with a pair of tongs somewhere in the middle. Give it a slight bounce. If it’s ready, the rack will bend to the ground and develop significant degree of crack on the meat.
Alternatively try lifting the rack from the griddle by holding it by the center. If it cracks to the point of almost breaking it means it’s done.
Cut and Take Note of Color.
Alternatively, you can cut the baby back ribs and take note of the color of the meat at the center. When it’s ready the meat should register a white color (or tan) at the center, free from any pink traces.
Test with a Toothpick
Still, other cooks find it easy to test with a toothpick. Take a clean toothpick and aim at the space between two bones.
If the ribs are ready, the toothpick with go through the meat with little to no resistance. And to be sure you can poke at several places and take note of the degree of resistance the toothpick meets.
How to Cook Baby Back Ribs on a Flat Top Grill?
Preparation
First, you need to inspect the rack of the ribs if it still has the chewy membrane. If present, then peel off the membrane carefully from the ribs. You can use a sharp knife to start off the process.
Mix your Ingredients
In a clean bowl mix the brown sugar, black pepper, garlic, liquid smoke, and other spices of your choice. First apply a layer of mustard salad to the rack of ribs. Then follow it with the dry rub mixture of your favorite spice you had prepared in the bowl.
Preheat the Flat Top Grill
Preheat your flattop grill over medium heat of about 300 degrees Fahrenheit. As you preheat the grill, also place the dome-shaped cover to preheat together with it.
Open the Cover and Load the Rack of Baby Back Ribs
Once it has preheated, open the dome-shaped cover and squirt a little bit of avocado oil on the griddle. Spread it to cover a large cooking surface.
Place the rack of ribs on the flat cooking surface and cover with the dome. Cook for about 20 to 25 minutes on the medium heat settings. Note that cooking baby back ribs takes slightly longer time than cooking carne asada on flat top grill[ how to cook carne asada on flat top grill].
Check On It
After about 20 minutes, open the cover and check on the rack of ribs. By then the meat should show signs of shrinking back and hence exposing the bones. In addition, it should also show signs of caramelizing on the top surface.
Flip over and let the other side cook for about 10 minutes or so. You can add a little oil if necessary. Then apply your favorite bbq sauce on top of each surface.
Switch Off the Flat Top Grill
The bbq sauce prevents the ribs from drying excessively. After applying the bbq sauce, switch off the flat top grill. However, maintain the griddle cover to trap heat around the ribs and so continue cooking for another 10 minutes or so.
When the ribs are done the meat edges in and thus exposing the bones. Though tricky, if you can check the internal heat level of the meat, it shouldn’t be less than 145 degrees.
After confirming that the rack of baby ribs is done, remove from the griddle and place on a clean plate.
Conclusion
Cooking baby back ribs on a flat top grill aren’t demanding. You just have to exercise patience and employ the above tips. And above all take note of the internal temperature so that you don’t overcook it.