I recently have started smoking food on my Weber charcoal grill and it is a game changer! I have only ever smoked food previously in smokers. It is a little intimidating to smoke food on a charcoal grill because of the stigma that it is harder to control the temperature. This is only true if you don’t know how to work your air vents, but after doing a ton of research and practice, I have almost mastered the art. Here is how you can smoke ribs on your charcoal grill!

Ingredients:

  1. 1 rack of baby back pork ribs
  2. BBQ Rub:
    1. 1 tbsp salt
    2. 1 tbsp garlic powder
    3. 2 tsp pepper
    4. 2 tsp onion powder
    5. 1 tbsp smoked paprika
    6. 2 tsp cayenne
    7. 1 tsp chili powder
  3. Wood chips
  4. Charcoal
  5. 1 cup of bbq sauce

Instructions:

  1. Remove the membrane from the underside of the ribs.
  2. Coat ribs in rub and refrigerate overnight.
  3. Soak wood chips for 1 hour before.
  4. Next day, light your charcoal. The best way to do this is with a smoke chimney on your charcoal grill. Once fully lit and hot, pour charcoal to one side of your charcoal grill. Add wood chips on top of the charcoal. On the other side, place a medal pan with an inch of water. This will help steam the meat and keep it moist.
  5. Add your top grate to the grill. Above the water pan (NOT the charcoal), add your pork ribs. Add the lid to the grill, making sure the grate on the lid is above the ribs, not the charcoal. This allows for the heat to flow through the ribs instead of straight out the top. Adjust the vent so it is 3/4 closed on the top. Adjust the bottom vent so it is almost closed, or if you own a Weber, the second notch to the left.
  6. Monitor the temperature, making sure it is around 250*F or below. If it is too hot, close your bottom vent and top vent slightly.
  7. Smoke for 3.5 hours. After 3.5 hours baste with bbq sauce of choice and smoke another 30 minutes.
  8. Pull ribs, test to make sure it is done, and enjoy!
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