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The Only National BBQ Ribs Day Recipes You’ll Ever Need (14 Recipes, 4 Articles)

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The fourth of July is the birthday of America, the day our Founding Fathers declared independence from Britain. It’s the day that American freedom was born, and every year, we celebrate that hard-earned freedom with fireworks, concerts, carnivals, family reunions, and not least of all, barbecue. On this day, millions of Americans fire up their grills, gather round, and cook all manner of hamburgers, hot dogs, steaks, corn on the cob, and best of all, ribs.

Yes, today is not only Independence Day. It’s National Barbecued Ribs Day! And we’ve got everything you need to celebrate in style. Our award-winning ribs recipe is only the tip of the rib bone: we’ve also got the inside line on how to tell when your ribs are properly cooked, a guide to our favorite rib racks, and step-by-step techniques like how to remove that pesky membrane from your rack of ribs–and an explanation of why you definitely want to remove it.

Happy Ribs Day, America! 

Hungry for more ribs recipes, tips, and techniques? Click here to download our ebook “Amazing Ribs Made Easy” $3.99 on Amazon (free Kindle app runs on all computers and devices). Or, get this book and others FREE as a member of the AmazingRibs.com Pitmaster Club. Click here to join.

amazing ribs defined hero image

Amazing Ribs Defined: Kissed By Smoke, Hugged By Sauce, Licked By Fire

By:

Meathead, BBQ Hall of Famer

What are amazing ribs? When I judge barbecue, here's what I look for: Appearance, scent, pork flavor, seasonings, smoke, sauce, texture, and balance.
remove membrane from ribs

How to Remove the Membrane from Ribs: Skin & Trim ‘Em

By:

Meathead, BBQ Hall of Famer

Removing the paper-thin membrane from the bone side of ribs prior to smoking ensures that the ribs come out as tender as possible without guests having to gnaw through the membrane's tough texture. This how-to guide features step by step photos for trimming a slab of ribs and removing the membrane.
rib cooking temperature timeline

Are My Ribs Ready Yet?

By:

Meathead, BBQ Hall of Famer

There are several techniques to tell when your ribs are ready: bend, twist, peek-a-boo, taste, toothpick, popup, and thermometer test. Since ribs come in so many different weights and thicknesses, knowing when they are done is an inexact science but here are some guidelines and techniques that will help make it easier.
Sauced rack of ribs on a tray

A Killer Smoked BBQ Ribs Recipe That Shames The 3-2-1 Method

By:

Meathead, BBQ Hall of Famer

Mastering smoked ribs -- whether they are St. Louis style ribs, spare ribs, or baby back ribs -- with our comprehensive tutorial and recipe will make you a backyard all star.
chopped smoked pork rib tips

Smoked Pork Rib Tips Are The Best Treats, No Tricks

By:

Clint Cantwell, Champion Pitmaster

This simple smoked rib tips recipe makes the perfect snack, appetizer, or main course. The rib tip (a.k.a. brisket, costal cartilage, or break) is the triangular, cartilage-dotted slab of meat attached to the lower end of the sparerib. Seasoned with BBQ rub then slow smoked on the grill, these bites are a surefire hit.
Charlie Vergos Rendezvous

Need BBQ Ribs Fast? Check Out This Quick & Easy Rendezvous Ribs Recipe

By:

Meathead, BBQ Hall of Famer

Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous is a Memphis BBQ staple and now you can create their signature dry rubbed ribs at home. In this quick and easy recipe, baby back ribs are cooked hot and fast over charcoal, basted constantly with a vinegary mop sauce, and then covered in their seasoning. In true Memphis fashion, there is no sauce on these dry rub ribs.
dinosaur ribs

The Science of Beef Ribs

By:

Meathead, BBQ Hall of Famer

There are several subsections and cuts from the ribs: Back ribs, ribeyes, short ribs, English cut, flanken cut ribs, riblets, boneless short ribs.
Smoked Texas style beef rib

Smoked BBQ Beef Ribs Just Like They Do ‘Em In Texas

By:

Meathead, BBQ Hall of Famer

Create delicious Brontosaurus sized beef ribs at home with this tested smoked Texas beef rib recipe. Whether it is meaty beef short ribs or the more flavorful beef back ribs, the key to successfully replicating this Texas BBQ classic is cooking them low and slow over live fire with just the perfect touch of smoke.
Smoked beef back ribs

You’ve Never Experienced Beef Back Ribs As Delicious As This

By:

Clint Cantwell, Champion Pitmaster

As succulent as brisket but with a ready-to-carry bone, this slow smoked beef rib recipe rivals those served at the top BBQ joints in Texas. Unlike the traditional salt and pepper rub, the beef ribs are seasoned with coffee, cocoa, and chile for a bold burst of flavor that perfectly compliments their smoky beef flavor.
Sliced maple glazed ribs

This Maple Glazed BBQ Ribs Recipe Will Make You The Boss Of Your Block

By:

Meathead, BBQ Hall of Famer

Impress guests at your next BBQ and grilling cookout for this sweet and savory rib recipe starring a glaze of real maple syrup. The result is extremely tender, juicy, meat with a beautiful mirror like sheen from the glaze. We'd be shocked if these aren't the best ribs you've ever tasted.
Saucing ribs with soy-ginger glaze

These Soy Ginger Glazed BBQ Ribs Will Knock Your Socks Off

By:

Clint Cantwell, Champion Pitmaster

BBQ ribs get an Asian inspired makeover in this recipe for soy ginger glazed spare ribs. The flavor base for these Asian style smoked ribs comes from a dry rub of paprika mixed with five spice powder. The ribs are smoked low and slow until moist and tender then glazed with a sticky sweet soy and ginger BBQ sauce.
Sugar being melted on top of ribs with a torch

Candied BBQ Ribs Are Just Too Good To Pass Up

By:

Clint Cantwell, Champion Pitmaster

Crunchy bruleed sugar adds an unexpected twist to traditional low and slow smoked spare ribs in this recipe for sweet and savory candied BBQ ribs. The ribs are smoked low and slow until mouthwateringly moist and tender before sprinkling the ribs with sugar then torch them until the sugar melts and browns for a crust.
Rib sandwich on a plate

Rib Sandwich Recipe: Kicks McRib In The Ribs

By:

Meathead, BBQ Hall of Famer

Why wait for the McRib to return when you've got an amazing rib sandwich recipe? Learn more about the fabled McRib sandwich while creating one that takes it over the top. Ribs are smoked to perfection before the meat joins homemade pickles, caramelized onions, and custom BBQ sauce on a buttery brioche bun.
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Scallion and sesame seeds garnish ribs

Hoisinful Nine Dragon Chinese Ribs Recipe

By:

Meathead, BBQ Hall of Famer

Experience the best Asian-style ribs you have ever had with this recipe for Hoisinful Nine Dragon Chinese Ribs. Based on an amazing dish at a now defunct Chicago Chinese restaurant, meaty baby back ribs are marinated in flavorful hoisin sauce before being finished on the grill for a sweet and smoky blast of flavor.
A plate of ribs garnished with chopped scallions

Chinese Five Spice Ribs Have Incredible Flavor

By:

Meathead, BBQ Hall of Famer

Perfectly flavored and smoked until tender, these Chinese five spice riblets are a sure fire hit for dinner or a mouthwatering party appetizer. In the recipe, the ribs are marinated and grilled but they can also be cooked in the deep fryer for extra crunch.
Sous vide and smoked ribs sliced and plated

Perfect Smoked Ribs Every Time With Sous-Vide-Que

By:

Clint Cantwell, Champion Pitmaster

Create succulent ribs on the smoker or grill by marrying water and fire in this recipe for sous-vide-que St. Louis spare ribs. By starting them in a low and slow sous vide water bath, the ribs are rendered moist and tender before finishing them on the grill for that smoky flavor we all love in tradition BBQ ribs. Check out the recipe!
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Smoked dry rubbed lamb ribs plated

Smoked Dry Rubbed Lamb Ribs Will Become Your New Obsession

By:

Clint Cantwell, Champion Pitmaster

With this simple flavorful recipe, feast on succulent lamb ribs that are seasoned with a dry rub and slow smoked until tender. These grilled lamb ribs are served without any sauce to highlight the balance of the slightly gamey meat and the herb scented dry rub. A squeeze of lemon never hurts though.
Pork ribs being judged

Competition Ribs Recipe and Award Winning Tricks

By:

Clint Cantwell, Champion Pitmaster

Perfect your competition ribs with these simple tips and a competition rib recipe. Trimmed ribs are seasoned with a flavorful BBQ dry rub before being smoked for several hours. Wrapping the ribs with butter and other ingredients ensure that they are moist, tender, and packed full of flavor for the competition judges.

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Published On: 6/27/2019 Last Modified: 6/25/2023

 

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