A Pitmaster Reveals How to Pick the Best Rack of Ribs Every Time
You can’t have a summer barbecue without ribs. They’re among the most popular meats for grilling and smoking thanks to their rich, smoky flavor, tender texture, and crowd-pleasing appeal. The combination of juicy meat, rendered fat, charred edges, flavorful dry rubs, and sticky barbecue sauce makes ribs one of the most indulgent BBQ staples at any cookout.
But not all racks of ribs are created equal. From marbling and meat coverage to bone size and fat distribution, several factors can affect how ribs cook and taste on the grill. To help shoppers pick the best rack every time, Eat This, Not That! asked Shannon Snell, a former NFL player turned Head Pitmaster at Sonny’s BBQ, to share the No. 1 thing he always looks for when buying ribs at the grocery store, along with a few grilling tips.
Quality
A good barbecue starts at the store. When choosing ribs for the grill, Snell’s top priority is quality.
“Most proteins are generally classified in three categories: prime, choice, or select,” he explains. “Prime is the top of the mountain; it has a great marbling-to-meat ratio. This is especially true with ribs.”
He adds, “The marbling delivers a nice natural saltiness that is hard to attain with regular seasonings.”
Why Choice Grade Ribs Aren’t a Bad Pick
USDA Choice beef ribs are popular because they offer a great balance of flavor, marbling, and value without the higher price of Prime cuts. They have enough fat to stay juicy and tender during slow cooking, making them a reliable choice for grilling and smoking.
“Choice grade ribs are middle of the road, they have a little bit less marbling but still can get the job done, a bit cheaper and usually are at every grocery store, readily available to grab and go,” says Snell.
Select Grade Meat Can Work
USDA Select beef ribs are a lower grade of beef, but that doesn’t mean they can’t work, according to Snell.
“Select great ribs don’t have a ton of marbling, and sometimes they are a little bit tougher to break down due to the minimal fat content; however, marinades, injections, and seasonings can make these quality ribs taste fantastic,” he shares.
Grilling Tips for Ribs
Snell has been with Sonny’s BBQ for more than 15 years and knows how slow-cooked meat can shine when it’s done right.
“Ribs are great on the grill because they’re a relatively thin, bone-in cut that doesn’t take all day to cook,” he says. “No one, including experienced pitmasters like myself, wants to stand over a hot grill all day.”
For best results, Snell recommends offset cooking rather than direct heat.
“I’ve never been a fan of cooking ribs directly over an open flame,” he explains. “The fibers and collagen in a rack of ribs need time to break down in order to become tender. Cooking them too quickly can burn the outside while leaving the inside tough and underdeveloped.”