St. Louis Style Pork Ribs

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In this post I’m going to show you how to make delicious fall-apart St. Louis Style Pork ribs on your grill.

Why St. Louis?

St. Louis is known for its barbecue culture and they really know their ribs!

St. Louis ribs are a popular choice for grillers and smokers, alike. They’re loaded with a rich, meaty flavor that comes from the process of grilling (or slow smoking) along with the seasonings you add.

What you end up with is a complex, mouthwatering taste you won’t soon forget.

These ribs are incredibly versatile. You can use whatever seasonings you like to make them your own.

And it doesn’t matter if you’re grilling yours in Texas, Arizona, or New York City, you can give them the flavors you enjoy. In other words, they’re totally customizable.

You can serve St. Louis ribs as a full rack or in individual portions. (Are these gorgeous, or what?) They make an amazing presentation on the plate. (“I’m ready for my closeup, Mr. DeMille!”)

If you love tasty, tender pork ribs, these St. Louis style ribs are the perfect meal for you.

St. Louis-Style Ribs: Let’s Talk Cut of Meat

St. Louis ribs are cut from the lower portion of the pig’s ribcage. (If you want to get specific, it’s the belly area). What sets St. Louis ribs apart is the removal of the rib tips and the sternum bone.

What you’re left with is a rectangular-shaped rack of ribs that appears more uniform in size and shape than other types of spare ribs.

St. Louis Rib Ingredients

You will find a full recipe card at the bottom of this post but here’s a glance at what you’ll need. You can pick these things up at any grocery store.

• St. Louis style ribs
• mustard (to bind)
• Wholly Smoked Genesis Rib Rub (or rub of your choice)
• butter
• brown sugar
• honey

How to Make St. Louis Style-Style Pork Ribs

Making St. Louis ribs is an enjoyable process. And best of all, it’s not complicated, whether you’re making them on the pellet grill, a gas grill, or an ordinary charcoal grill. Mine were made on the pellet grill, as you will see from the photos below.

Start by preheating your grill to 225 degrees Fahrenheit.

Remove ribs from packaging and pat dry with a paper towel.

Using a paper towel you can remove the thin membrane from the back of the ribs or make small slices through the membrane if you don’t feel comfortable removing the membrane.

Cut off all excess fat from the end of the ribs and the rib side of the ribs, creating a smooth, uniform surface.

Take the excess fat and clippings and set those aside to be put on the smoker to render while cooking the ribs. (We have a whole post on fat rendering coming up soon!)

Coat all the surfaces of the ribs with mustard as a binder for the seasonings you’ll be adding. (Optional: you can also use oil as a binder or nothing at all.)

Coat every surface of the rib generously with a seasoning of your choice. We used Wholly Smoked Genesis Rib Rub. You can also use Sweet Texas heat. A traditional Texas rub would just be salt and black pepper.

By the way, stay tuned for an upcoming post featuring our amazing smoked salt and pepper! It’s a fun and easy process that totally enhances the flavor of your favorite condiments.

After the ribs have been seasoned properly, put them on the grill–bone side down, meat side up–for two hours.

Put the pan of fat pieces on the grill to render while the ribs cook.

Check them at the one-hour mark.

Once the fat starts to render you can use a basting brush to baste the meat side of the ribs with the rendered fat to keep the ribs moist, being careful not to brush too heavily and mess up the seasoning and spice.

At the two-hour mark, flip the ribs meat side down and put more of the fat on the underside of the ribs, basting it like before. This might be a good time to insert the meat thermometer.

Cook for another hour and a half or so until you start to see the meat pulled back from the bone (keeping an eye on the internal temperature of the meat  – you’re looking for around 185 to 195 degrees).

Check out the sides of the ribs in the photo below. Perfect!

While waiting to reach that temperature range, lay out a large piece of butcher paper and spread ½ cup brown sugar, ½ stick butter in thin slices on butcher paper and drizzle with honey. (Hint: use local raw honey for the best flavor.)

Remove ribs from grill.

Lay the ribs meat side down against the seasonings on the paper and wrap them in that paper

Place ribs back on the grill meat side up this time for about 30 minutes, allowing the butter, brown sugar and honey to coat the top of those ribs and give it a nice caramelization.

Another optional step would be to remove it from the butcher paper prematurely and put it straight back on the grill at a higher temperature like 350 to 400 to caramelize the sugars and honey on the ribs. (Cooking time may vary depending on your method.)

Check the temperature. It should be around 200 degrees.

Remove the ribs from the grill. (Talk about anticipation!)

Unwrap the ribs. (Are you getting hungry yet?)

Pour the excess juice from the butcher paper onto the meat side of the ribs to coat them.

For best results, let them rest for about 10 to 15 minutes, then cut with a sharp knife and serve!

You can also use your favorite BBQ sauce as a condiment (but these babies stand alone)!

Store leftovers in an airtight container (or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap) in the refrigerator. They will stay good for 4 – 5 days.

What to Expect from this St. Louis Pork Ribs Recipe

These ribs are incredibly tender and oh, so delicious! The flavor was unbelievable. The slow-cooking process works miracles because it breaks down the connective tissue in the meat, giving you ribs that are easy to pull apart with a fork (or just to bite into). Talk about juicy ribs!

The smoky aroma and flavor that come from smoking or grilling St. Louis ribs are highly appealing to many people. It adds a distinctive and authentic barbecue experience that can’t be replicated with other cooking methods.

These fall off the bone ribs are finger-licking good. No, really. You’ll want to make sure you’ve got damp paper towels on hand to clean up those sticky fingers when you’re done. That’s the sign of a great rib meal, and these St. Louis ribs are definitely great!

Other Ways to Make these Flavorful Ribs

St. Louis style ribs often call for a barbecue sauce so you’re certainly welcome to use that if you like. We prefer ours with the dry rub approach. Either way, they’ll tickle your taste buds.

Don’t have a grill? You can cook these ribs in the oven. They won’t have the same smokey flavor, but it can be done. You can even make crock pot BBQ ribs, if you like! (I haven’t tried that yet, but it’s definitely one way to do it.)

Questions People are Asking about St. Louis Ribs

Are St Louis Style Ribs the same as Baby Back Ribs?

They’re not the same. St. Louis style ribs are meatier and are a different cut than baby backs. To learn more about the difference between the two, check out this post from Masterclass.com.

I don’t have parchment paper. Can I use aluminum foil for the final wrap?

You can, but remember. . .aluminum foil heats up fast. Keep a close eye on the ribs to make sure they don’t overheat.

Can I add garlic powder or onion powder to the seasoning?

You can add any spices you like. Garlic and onion are great choices!

What sides pair well with this dish?

I would suggest potato salad, rice pilaf, baked sweet potatoes, macaroni salad, green salad, or even hot pasta dish. Pork pairs well with a lot of things, including our Sweet and Savory Southwest Beans, (a family favorite).

Great Side Dishes for these Delicious Ribs

Looking for great sides to go with this St. Louis-style ribs recipe? Here are a few ideas you might enjoy:

Looking for a way to sweeten up this recipe? Add a heaping helping of our Sauteed Cinnamon Apples on the side! Apples and pork are meant to go together. You can even mash the cinnamon apples and turn them into applesauce. (Delicious!)

Check out this Corn Casserole Recipe from Southern Home Express. It looks simple and delicious and would be terrific with these St. Louis ribs!

If you’re looking for another great side, try these Sweet Potato fries, made in the Air Fryer from Southern Style Recipes.

That’s it for this post, friends. I hope you enjoy this easy recipe! I sure did. These were the best ribs I’ve had in ages!

Cooking ribs doesn’t have to be stressful. It can be a lot of fun!

Leave a comment below if you make these and enjoy them, and don’t forget to share the pictures below on Pinterest. Until then. . .“Grill Simple, Y’all!”

See this recipe at

Full Plate Thursday

Weekend Potluck

About the Man Behind the Grill

Zach Morrow was born and raised in Texas and has always had a passion for great barbecue. 

He’s at home behind the grill and loves to feed his friends and family home-cooked favorites as often as he can. 

Zach especially loves trying new things and is excited to produce recipes like this one for Backyard Texas Grill.