Ask 10 different cooks how to grill ribs, and you’ll get 10 different answers – and all would be correct. So what we’re going to do here is throw yet one more method of how to grill ribs and let you decide for yourself. Up for the challenge? Well, don’t break out the energy drinks yet, ‘cause learning how to grill ribs our way falls right into the easy-breezy category of meal-making.

Learning how to grill ribs makes a great excuse to invite people over for a backyard bash. And because the method used here, what we like to call “low and slow,” takes awhile, that’s more of an excuse to have your guests congregate in the back yard with an ice chest full of beer and soft drinks, along with a few appetizers to get the ol’ appetite good and whetted.

As you learn how to grill ribs that don’t come off the grill looking like charcoal-encrusted tire tread, it may take a time or two of rib-cooking encounters to get it down just right, especially for those used to the hot and hasty method of cooking steaks and burgers.

How to grill ribs just right begins with marinating them overnight. The ingredients for a good marinade vary with personal tastes, but make sure whatever you use includes something acidic to tenderize the meat (vinegar, lemon juice, orange juice, or other citrus fruit juice), something with fat (oil, butter, margarine) to add moistness, and something with intense flavor (garlic, soy sauce, onion) to add, well … flavor.

After marinating, lay the ribs on the grill opposite of the fire. Partially open all vents – just enough to keep the fire going, but not enough to make the coals flare up into flames. When you’ve learned how to grill ribs right, you’ll know exactly how low of a fire you need.

Keep a sharp eye on the ribs from here on out, checking them every 20 or 30 minutes until the meat pulls easily away from the bone – which should be about two hours per side if you’ve correctly learned how to grill ribs.

So the key words when learning how to grill ribs? Repeat after me: low and slow…low and slow…low and slow… With those magic words, you can’t go wrong!