Summertime means getting the grill out and whipping out a good rack of ribs. However, try baby back ribs with bacon! Our Bacon-Wrapped Baby Back Ribs are some of the juiciest ribs you will ever have! Get the recipe below for our baby back ribs with bacon!
Bacon-Wrapped Baby Back Ribs
Our Bacon-Wrapped Baby Back Ribs, seasoned with a coffee rub and light brown sugar and resting atop a heap of sliced sweet onions has ‘you gotta try this’ written all over it!
When finished the bacon comes out crispy, and the ribs are falling off of the bone tender!
I think these may just be some of the best Baby Back ribs I have ever prepared at home. Juicy, flavorful, and falling off the bone delicious! Maybe it had something to do with the slices of thick-cut bacon-wrapped end to end along the whole length of baby back ribs. Or maybe it was the coffee rub and light brown sugar combination. Or just maybe it the charcoal and wood smoke.
Remember those sliced onions I placed the bacon-wrapped rib on? Well, here they are in all of their caramelized glory!
I am thinking all the above and a good cut of pork ribs. All of these things came together to create the perfect Baby Back rib recipe, and the proof is when you take that first succulent bite!
And all you need is a slab of well-marbled Baby Back ribs, coffee rub, light brown sugar, a bit of olive oil, and a bed of sliced sweet Vidalia onions. So, let’s fire up the grill and get these incredible ribs done! I used Kingsford® 100% Natural Lump Briquets and a handful of hickory.
Just recently I taught my son how to grill, and how to select and prepare Baby Back ribs.
If you don’t know your ribs just ask you local butcher and here are few things to look for when choosing your ribs:
- Search for ribs with lots of meat coverage over the bone, and of course, you want more meat than fat. Marbling is good but too much is rarely a good thing.
- Avoid purchasing frozen ribs, fresh ribs are always best, look for ribs with pink in color and avoid ribs with a grayish color and with adequate moisture if the ribs look dry, look elsewhere.
- When preparing ribs, give them a thorough cold-water rinse, never use warm or hot water, and pat them dry with paper towel.
- Allow the ribs to come to room temperature; the ribs will cook uniformly when they are at room temperature, allow the meat to sit out for about 25 to 30 minutes.
- I also share a few additional secret tips on how to grill you should check out.
I used the indirect or two-zone cooking method for this Baby Back rib recipe, and the results were outstanding; lots of smoke and charcoal flavor. Check out the complete recipe down below:
How to make Bacon-Wrapped Baby Back Ribs
Ingredients:
- A slab of Baby Back Ribs
- 1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar
- 1/2 Coffee Rub
- 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 Large Sweet Vidalia Onions, sliced thin
- 8 or more slices of thick-cut bacon
I picked up a bottle of Organic Sriracha and Roasted Garlic Barbeque sauce at Trader Joe’s. Not bad, not bad at all!
Directions:
- Rinse ribs with cold water and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Allow the ribs to sit on the counter for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Rub the ribs with EVOO.
- In a bowl combine light brown sugar with the coffee rub and mix well.
- Coat the ribs with the light brown sugar and coffee rub mixture.
- Wrap the ribs with thick-cut bacon end to end.
- Use a mandoline or sharp chef’s knife, slice the onion using a thin cut.
- Use a length of aluminum foil four to six inches on both ends of the ribs.
- Place the onions onto the foil, then place the ribs directly over the onions.
- Fold the ends and sides of the foil over the ribs; this will create kind of an elongated enclosure and a sort of bowl in which the rib, onion, and bacon juices will make your ribs taste like you wouldn’t believe.
- Once the charcoal is hot, between 375 to 400 degrees, place the ribs about 6-8 inches away from direct heat, close the lid and let the magic happen for 2 1/2 hours.
- After the 2 1/2 hours open the lid and open up the foil to expose the top of the thick bacon wrapped ribs, close the top of the grill and let the ribs cook for an additional 1 to 1 1/2 hours. When finished the bacon should be crispy-ish, and the rib meat should be delicate.
- Remove the ribs onto a chopping board or a large platter, let the ribs rest for 15 minutes then slice into them. See, I told you!
- Serve.
The fresh cilantro lends a bit of freshness to the ribs and really makes them shine!
And what’s a slab of ribs without something cold and refreshing to wet your whistle? This time, I served up one of the favorite sour ales from New Holland Brewing. Perfect!
These ribs are falling off the bone delicious!
Can I use a different cut of ribs?
If you want to use short ribs or another type of rib instead of a baby back rib go right ahead. Just use whatever ribs you would like and cook as directed. The key is making sure the ribs fully cook all the way through.
What is the difference between baby back ribs and regular ribs?
Baby back ribs are a favorite as they are a leaner and offer a more tender texture. You will find prep of ribs varies depending on which cut you use.
Why do they call him baby back ribs?
Baby back ribs get their name from being smaller than other ribs. The back rib is a lot shorter than a sparerib would be. Some think a baby back rib means it came from a baby pig, but that is false.
What’s another name for baby back ribs?
Loin ribs is another name for a baby back rib. Depending on where you live you will find that sometimes ribs are called different things.
Will any type of barbecue sauce work for this rib recipe?
Yes, you can use any brand of barbecue sauce you would like. Just keep in mind that if you use a sweeter sauce it will of course adjust the flavor of your ribs. Or if you want a bit spicier go right ahead and buy whatever style you would like.
![](https://www.awortheyread.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Bacon-Wrapped-Baby-Back-Ribs-683x1024-200x200.jpg)
Ingredients
- 1 Slab of Baby Back Ribs
- 1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar
- 1/2 Coffee Rub
- 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 Large Sweet Vidalia Onions sliced thin
- 8 or more slices of thick-cut bacon
Instructions
- Rinse ribs with cold water and pat dry with paper towel.
- Allow the ribs to sit on the counter for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Rub the ribs with EVOO.
- In a bowl combine light brown sugar with the coffee rub and mix well.
- Coat the ribs with the light brown sugar and coffee rub mixture.
- Wrap the ribs with thick-cut bacon end to end.
- Use a mandoline or sharp chef's knife, slice the onion using a thin cut.
- Use a length of aluminum foil four to six inches on both ends of the ribs.
- Place the onions onto the foil, then place the ribs directly over the onions.
- Fold the ends and sides of the foil over the ribs; this will create kind of an elongated enclosure and a sort of bowl in which the rib, onion, and bacon juices will make your ribs taste like you wouldn't believe.
- Once the charcoal is hot, between 375 to 400 degrees, place the ribs about 6-8 inches away from direct heat, close the lid and let the magic happen for 2 1/2 hours.
- After the 2 1/2 hours open the lid and open up the foil to expose the top of the thick bacon wrapped ribs, close the top of the grill and let the ribs cook for an additional 1 to 1 1/2 hours. When finished the bacon should be crispy-ish, and the rib meat should be delicate.
- Remove the ribs onto a chopping board or a large platter, let the ribs rest for 15 minutes then slice into them. See, I told you!
- Serve.
Are you planning to grill this summer? What are some of your favorite ways to grill ribs? Drop me a line below and let me know!
Be sure to pin this delicious recipe for later!
Alexis says
This looks so delicious!! Perfect pairing with the beer too!
T Worthey says
Thanks for the feedback and stopping by our blog Alexis!