BBQ - Slab Ribs Prep and Grill

Simply taking the ribs out of the package and throwing them on the grill won't produce a lot of flavor. 

I rinse them first, take the membrane off the back, trim them up and then season them before putting them on the grill.

I prefer to take the membrane off the back of the rib, its the thin skin on the bone side of the rib. By removing the membrane your ribs will be more tender and you will be able to get more flavor into the meat.

To remove the membrane from the ribs take a a butter knife or similar and slip it under the membrane along the end of the bone. Move the knife around a little to loosen the membrane so you can get a good grip on it.  Then get a paper towel and grab the end of the membrane and pull up and over, you shouldn't have any trouble lifting it right off.

Then I like to trim the slab down to what is called St. Louis style ribs because they cook more evenly.  I cut off the flap and tips and  cook them separately.  You'll see the difference in the tips when you cook them separate from the slab they are delicious

Next I lightly coat the ribs with olive oil, then apply seasoning/rub.  If you don't know what type of seasoning you'd like to use, start with seasoning salt and pepper; you can experiment with other seasonings the next time.

Sprinkle the rub over the entire surface of the ribs, back and front, as well as the edges around the rib.

Alllll right now you're ready to throw the meat on the grill to get it smokin' and you should use the indirect grilling method

Depending on the size of the ribs they should grill 4 or more hours and another way to check for doneness is you'll see the meat start to pull up on the bones or you can lift the ribs in the middle and if the ends droop loosely down from the middle the ribs are done.

You'll get the hang of it and be able to tell when ribs are done easily as time goes on, after you've done a few more slabs.

When the ribs are nearly done it is time to add the barbecue sauce.  Put a layer of sauce on the ribs, both sides, close the lid on your grill for about five minutes and repeat, it just depends how much sauce you like.

Tomato and/or sugar based sauces (barbecue sauces, for example) should be applied only during the last minutes of cooking, or else they will burn

Once you take the ribs off the grill let them rest for 5 - 10 minutes then dig in.