“Stylie” is a screen name for an active poster on a local community website in Elk Grove, CA.

Baby backs are traditionallly barbequed  at low temps, but here’s a recipe for grilling them. Stylie is a home brewer, and is a detail oriented guy. When we talked to him, here’s what he told us:

First, I started with fresh not previously frozen back ribs. My mother in law had just returned from Eastern Europe with some killer paprika, so I made up my own rub. Here’s how I covered the ribs.

But first, Stylie removed the membrane from the ribs. This step is integral to achieving the penetration of rubs or marinades.

Stylie uses a propane gas grill. The problem with a gas grill is that it’s hard to keep the temperature down to BBQ temps of 225 degreees or so.  Stylie’s has a three-burner grill, with the burners running right to left, not Weber-style, front to back.  He put an aluminum pan of water under the grill and over the most left burner, and set the temp to the lowest possible to maintain a temp of around 225 degrees F.

“You take one of those aluminum serving pans and fill it with hot water. Start your grill and get a consistent 225. The water pan fits under the metal grate and on top of the burner covers. The water will simmer, should never boil and keeps the air in the grill nice and moist which in turn helps the smoke linger longer. The simmering water also keeps the temperature consistent inside the grill even after quick openings to redo the foil chip pouches.”

And here are the ribs ready to grill

LC Comments: The doneness test  is the same as if the ribs were on a conventional barbeque. Using tongs, you grab the rack about in the middle. If the meat separates from the bone at the point beyond where the tongs are holding the rack, they’re done. If not, they’re done when they’re done!

Stylie reported a successful product, and said next time he’d use a little less rub. There you have it, grilled ribs!