Pellet Grill Secrets: Smoking Ribs Like a Pro

Apr 23, 2025 • Christian Dashiell

Master the art of smoking ribs on a pellet grill with expert tips on preparation, seasoning, and cooking techniques for tender, flavorful results.

In the hierarchy of barbecue meats, smoked pork ribs rank near the top of skills that grill masters must develop to establish their credibility. It’s also one of the dishes that draws people into outdoor cooking, as crockpots and ovens can’t capture the allure of perfectly smoked ribs.

Everyone has rib recipes and techniques they swear by, including us. Here you will find some of our favorites, as well as the case for why pellet grills are our grill of choice for easily and consistently cooking delicious ribs for our family and friends.

Selecting the Perfect Rack: Types of Ribs Explained

Spare ribs and baby back ribs are the two most common cuts, each coming from a different rib cage section. Spare ribs come from the side and belly hogs. On the other hand, baby back ribs are leaner, smaller, and more tender and are cut from the upper rib cage.

The leanness of baby back ribs can cause them to cook faster than spare ribs, and they are also typically more expensive as a more generous baby back cut will include some meat that could otherwise be included in a pork loin.

You may also come across St. Louis-style ribs, which are essentially spare ribs that have been trimmed down to a more uniform shape by removing the brisket bone and cartilage from the top of the rack. As such, the price per pound will be more expensive than a rack on untrimmed spare ribs, but some people think the time and effort saved by not having to trim the ribs themselves is worth the cost.

Choosing the Right Pellet Grill: Features to Consider

Temperature control and consistency are among the top reasons that pellet grills are a great option for smoking ribs. Since a rack of ribs is thin compared to, say, a pork shoulder or brisket, they are more susceptible to overcooking if your grill temperature spikes.

However, a quality pellet grill like the Yoder Smokers YS640s keeps temperatures steady throughout a cook, thanks to its ACS control board and welded construction-grade steel cooking chamber. Not only do these features minimize flare-ups, but the Wi-Fi enabled ACS allows you to monitor grill and meat temperatures without lifting the lid and adjust the grill temperature from a mobile device through the Fireboard App.

When smoking ribs, we recommend either hickory or a 50/50 blend of pecan and cherry pellets BBQr’s Delight. For a deeper look at why, check out our explainer on why BBQr’s Delight is the pellet of choice at ATBBQ and our Hickory vs. Mesquite explainer. [format as a highlighted/[popout box once internal links are published.]

Prepping Your Ribs: From Store to Smoker

Regardless of whether you’ve selected baby back ribs, spare ribs, or St. Louis-style ribs, the preparation steps before cooking are essentially the same. There’s some wiggle room here, as you’ll find even amongst the recipes in our extensive library we take liberties with some of these steps. But as a general rule of thumb, you’ll want to:

Trim Excess Fat and Remove the Membrane - Ribs don’t take much trimming, but you’ll want to remove any excess fat so the meat shines through on every bite. Next, flip the ribs over and slide a knife under one membrane edge to free it. Using a paper towel, grip the membrane and pull it off. Bonus points if you can get it off in one piece, but there’s no shame in pulling it off in sections.
Apply a Binder - Mustard and oil are popular binders that help your seasoning rub adhere to the meat and work its magic during the cooking process to create the perfect bark. But ATBBQ Staff Chef Tom Jackson proposes alternatives in some of his rib recipes. For example, he recommends using Bear & Burton’s The W Sauce for Texas Spare Ribs and a combination of whiskey, apple cider and apple cider vinegar for Salt and Pepper Spare Ribs.
Apply a Dry Rub - Chef Tom’s All Purpose Dry Rub is a guaranteed winner for those who want to make a seasoning rub from scratch. Or Cattleman’s Grill Trail Dust is a great option that incorporates cracked black pepper, salt, garlic, thyme, and mustard seed to create a perfect balance of flavors.

The 3-2-1 Method: A Step-by-Step Guide

While we usually recommend cooking meat to a specific temperature instead of for a specific period of time, ribs break the mold with the tried and true 3-2-1 method that has been used to wow guests and win barbecue competitions for years. It involves:

Three hours of smoking: Bark development and flavor infusion are the primary goals of this first stage as you smoke the ribs at 225 degrees.
Two hours wrapped: Tightly wrap each rack of ribs in foil, adding moisture in the form of cider or water to help tenderize the ribs and render the fat.
One hour unwrapped: Many recipes call for you to lightly sauce the ribs before putting them back on the grill unwrapped for one final hour of cooking. However, some will forgo the sauce and

Alternative Smoking Techniques: Beyond 3-2-1

The 3-2-1 method is an effective way to smoke ribs, but other alternatives are also worth trying. Some popular variations include:

Hot and fast - Smoking at 250 degrees or 275 degrees, as Chef Tom does with his Kansas City Baby Back Ribs, speeds up the cooking process while still allowing the fat to be rendered.
The no-wrap method - Some cooks forgo wrapping and just let them ride it out for the duration of the cook. They may utilize spritzing or basting once a nice crust has formed.

Checking for Doneness: Signs Your Ribs Are Ready

So how do you know when your ribs are done?

Use a Meat Thermometer - The ideal temperature range for ribs is between 190 degrees and 203 degrees. If your pellet grill is equipped with temperature probes, as on the Yoder YS640s, you can monitor internal temps from your phone. Or you can use an instant-read thermometer to get a quick measurement. However, many people prefer to look for other signs since the relative thinness of ribs can make it challenging to get a good temperature reading.
The Bend Test - Ribs are nearly done when they become very flexible. You should be able to twist the meat around the rib bones, and the meat should move freely from the bone. Also, when you lift the rack of ribs from the center, the ends should stay on the grate, and the top should start to break over. There’s a popular line of thinking that you should cook ribs until they are “fall off the bone” tender but in our opinion that actually signifies a slightly overcooked rib. Our preference is for a tender rib that still has some bite to it.

Resting Period: Letting the Ribs Relax

Allowing ribs to rest is a crucial and often disregarded step in the cooking process. But letting them rest for just 10 to 15 minutes allows the muscle fibers to relax and the juices to redistribute. The result? A juicer and more flavorful end result.

Still looking for more valuable tips on how to cook amazing ribs? Here are even more helpful resources:

Got Questions?

Whether you’re new to outdoor cooking or a seasoned chef, our team is here to help. Don’t hesitate to reach out—we’re happy to talk about smoke, flavor, tools, tips, and everything in between.

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