Tuscan Grilled St Louis Style Pork Ribs

Ready in under 2 hours, Tuscan grilled St. Louis style pork ribs are succulent, tender, and fall right off the bone. The subtle seasoning of salt and pepper in combination with the garlic butter, lemon juice, and rosemary, complement the naturally sweet flavor of the pork!

Our oven baked beef ribs and our fall off the bone baby back ribs are on our table for entertaining all the time because they are our most requested by everyone. But with the shorter cook time of fewer than 30 minutes, in this Italian style recipe, it definitely wins out as our go-to for simple entertaining.

Sure, a good messy, saucy rib is awesome, but this was definitely a pleasant surprise. A tasty sauce can really overpower the flavor of the meat sometimes and with this recipe, we are reminded that St Louis Pork ribs are delicious all on their own!

The simple spices highlighted the meat and we didn’t miss the bbq sauce at all.

Because these are lightly seasoned, and come with very little mess, they are a great choice to include on a grilled meat platter. The butter, garlic sauce infused with lemon and rosemary will pair nicely with so many other things.

Most of our rib recipes follow the low and slow method to achieving fall of the bone tender results, which is usually accompanied by some sort of finger-licking sauce.

So as you can imagine, a shorter cook time, resulting in juicy delicious ribs, is a game-changer!

What are St Louis style ribs?

They are actually a cut of spare ribs which are from the lower portion, closer to the belly or brisket area, and thus have lots of meat on them.

St Louis Style ribs are cut into a nice rectangle when the neck bone and some gristle are cut away. They are meatier than the baby back ribs, which are cut closer to the loin from the smaller rib area, and are also flatter so they are easier to brown. 

This recipe works so well with St Louis style because of those flatter bones. This means you can really get them close to the heat to brown and cook quickly. Brushing them with the signature Tuscan style sauce not only keeps the meat moist but gives it so much added flavor.

PRO TIP
Peel the membrane away from the ribs for more tender ribs– even better have the butcher do it for you!

How to remove the membrane from spare ribs?

Removing the membrane means removing a layer of the meat that is chewy and unpleasant to eat. You can do it yourself like I explain below, but here is a video on how to do it.) You can also ask your butcher to do it for you.

• Pat the ribs dry with a paper towel.
• Slip the tip of a small paring knife under the edge of the membrane located at the cut edge of the bone to loosen it.
• Use a dry paper towel to grab the membrane and slowly pull it back. It should come off in one single piece.

Ingredients you’ll need

• Spare Ribs – St Louis style, 3 lbs each.
• Salt & pepper – Will be used as a simple rub before grilling.
• Vegetable oil – Used along with the salt and pepper rub to coat the pork nicely and to avoid sticking.
• Butter – Salted
• Garlic cloves – Minced
• Rosemary – Finely chopped. Fresh or dried.
• Lemon Juice – Will give a nice flavor balance to the flavor of the meat, the butter, and the rosemary.

Tips for Making St Louis style ribs on the grill

• If you don’t want to have to deal with the membrane ask your butcher to remove it for you. You can also ask at Costco, although some will already have it removed.
• Cut the ribs into small pieces to grill them. 2 bones per piece.
• Let the ribs come to room temperature before grilling. It is a must when cooking them this quickly. It also helps with even cooking if they are all the same temperature, to begin with.
• Season them before letting them come to room temperature. 
• Use a thermometer to check for doneness. Spare ribs should cook to 175° – 185°
• Brush the butter garlic seasoning on as soon as you remove from the grill and transfer it to the cutting board. Brush the meat side for ultimate flavor and meaty goodness.
• Let them rest 10 minutes or so, then cut them into one bone portion for serving. It’s much easier for your guests to eat that way.

Frequently asked questions!

Can St Louis spare ribs be made on a charcoal grill?  Yes, meaty spare ribs can easily be made on a charcoal grill. Prepare the coals so that there is a wide cooking surface. Get the coals good and hot first, then place them on the grill, close the lid and follow the cook instructions in this recipe.

Can you tell me how to cook St Louis style ribs in the oven? Sure! Cooking these in the oven is simple, but it does mean we will be going back to the low and slow method. Once it’s been seasoned, cook them for 2 hours at 325 degrees before brushing them with the garlic butter mixture. Broil for a couple of minutes to brown the meat and allow to sit for a few minutes before cutting and serving.

What to serve with this grilled rib recipe?

• Twice baked Potatoes 
• Grilled Hassleback Potatoes with garlic butter
• Gouda Mac n Cheese
• Chili Lime Corn Salad
• Frito Corn Salad

More Rib Recipes to Enjoy

• Oven Baked Beef Ribs
• Fall Off the Bone Tender Baby Back ribs
• Pressure Cooker Beef Ribs
• Red Eye Short Ribs 
• Boneless Pork Ribs

Yield: 12 2 rib pieces)

30 Minutes Grilled Spare Ribs Recipe

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Grilled spare ribs are an easy way to have them on the table for an outdoor dinner in about 30 minutes. No sauce, but brushed with garlic, herbs, oil and lemon juice--- you'll get juicy, tender pork ribs!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 Racks (3 pounds each) St Louis Style Spare Ribs
• 2 Teaspoons Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
• 1 Tablespoon Pepper

Mop

• 1/4 cup Salted Butter, melted
• 3 Garlic Cloves, zested 
• 1 Teaspoon Rosemary, chopped super fine
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

1. Pat the ribs dry. If the membrane wasn't removed by the butcher, slip a knife on the back of the rib by the bone to lift up the membrane. Then grab the membrane with a paper towel and slowly peel back removing the membrane. Throw the membrane away.
2. Cut the ribs into 2 bone pieces.
3. Rub the ribs with oil, then season with salt and pepper. Let the ribs sit at room temperature for an hour.
4. When ready to grill preheat your gas grill for 15 minutes on high.
6. Reduce the heat on the grill to med-high, then place the ribs on the grill with the meaty side down towards the flame. Close the grill lid, and cook for about 5-6 minutes. There will be grill marks, but the meat may still be light in color.
7. Flip the ribs and cook for 5-6 minutes more browning the bone side.
8. Flip one last time and cook until the ribs are nice and browned. About 4-8 minutes until the ribs in the meaty thick end of the ribs measure at 175° -185°
9. Remove from the grill to a cutting board and allow the ribs to rest for 10 minutes.
10. In a small bowl melt the butter in the microwave. Once melted add the zested garlic, rosemary and lemon juice.
11. Brush the ribs on the meat side as they are resting.
12. Using a heavy-duty knife, after the ribs have finished resting, cut the 2 bone ribs into 2 pieces. Serve immediately..

Notes

This recipe is adapted from Annie Petito's in Cooks Illustrated.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 111Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 445mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 0gSugar: 2gProtein: 3g

This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. Please calculate your own nutritional information if you want it exact to what you make and use my calculations as a guide only.

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