Weber Kettle Smoked Ribs: Tender, Crispy BBQ Recipe

Dad’s Weber Kettle ribs are some of the best he’s made, and they’re surprisingly simple to prepare. If you don’t have a grill, you can make them in the oven with nearly the same method.

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Prep the ribs

Preparing baby back or spare ribs is straightforward. Start by removing the silver skin (membrane) from the back of the rack, then season both sides.

To remove the silver skin, slide a sharp knife under one edge to lift it, then grab it with a paper towel and pull it away. It takes a little practice, but it becomes fast and easy.

For seasoning, Dad uses garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, black pepper and paprika. Coat the ribs evenly so every bite has flavor.

Smoking on a Weber Kettle

The Weber Kettle is the classic round charcoal grill. It’s not a dedicated smoker, but you can set it up for low-and-slow smoking by creating two cooking zones: a hot side with coals and an indirect side for the ribs.

One easy setup is to bank the coals to one side and place a water pan on the opposite side to help regulate temperature and add moisture. Add wood chunks for smoke if desired.

Once your grill is stabilized at about 250–275°F (120–135°C), place the ribs on the indirect side. Cook for 2–3 hours, maintaining the temperature and checking every 30–45 minutes to spritz the ribs with a mix of water and apple juice to keep them moist.

Wrapping the ribs

After the initial low-and-slow cook, Dad wraps the ribs in foil with butter, brown sugar and honey. Wrapping speeds up the tenderizing process by steaming the meat and allowing the sugars and butter to infuse flavor.

Wrap the ribs tightly so steam and juices stay inside, then return them to the grill. Increase the grill temperature to 300–350°F (150–175°C) and cook an additional 1–2 hours until they’re tender.

Glaze and finish

After cooking in foil, remove the ribs from the foil and place them back on the indirect side of the grill. Brush them with your favorite BBQ sauce and let them cook for another 30–60 minutes so the sauce sets and becomes glossy.

Dad often uses his own BBQ sauce recipe for finishing. A final short time on the grill caramelizes the sauce and adds a sticky, flavorful crust.

How to tell if ribs are done

A reliable visual cue is that the meat pulls back from the ends of the bones, exposing a bit of bone. When you see a good section of bone showing and the meat feels tender when probed, the ribs are done. Rest the ribs for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

No grill? Use the oven

You can follow the same steps in the oven. Use the temperatures and timing below, place the ribs on a foil-lined sheet and cook at 275°F for about 3 hours. When wrapping, you can add 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke for a hint of smokiness. After wrapping, cook at 350°F until tender, then baste with sauce and finish in the oven for 30–60 minutes.