The Genius Way Ina Garten Stops BBQ Ribs From Drying Out On The Grill

Ina Garten calls herself the Barefoot Contessa, so you might expect her recipes to be as fancy-schmancy as her self-chosen sobriquet. Indeed, some of the first ones to come up under the dinner category on her website include beef bourguignon, truffled mac and cheese, and saffron risotto with butternut squash. She does, however, offer a selection of down-home dishes including chicken pot pie, turkey meatloaf, and something she calls "foolproof ribs with barbecue sauce." Okay, Ina, what makes the ribs so foolproof? The secret, she says, is to cook them in the oven before finishing them off on the grill.

The reason why Garten pre-bakes the ribs is something she revealed on her Instagram account. According to the caption on a pre-Father's Day video she posted, "The secret to making perfect ribs is that I actually roast them in the oven first until they're tender and delicious, then add more BBQ sauce and sear them quickly on the grill to get that delicious smoky flavor going." Ribs can be tough, so they benefit from the long, slow cooking that an oven can provide. Garten bakes her ribs at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, while grills can reach temperatures between 600 degrees Fahrenheit (propane) and 1200 degrees Fahrenheit (charcoal).

Several commenters on Garten's post mentioned that they also cook ribs this same way, but one person said they do the exact opposite: They grill their ribs first, then bake them until they're done. Either way, though, the high heat of the grill allows the sauce to caramelize, while the gentler heat of the oven lets the meat cook through without charring.

Most experienced barbecuers seem to agree with Ina Garten that ribs should be pre-cooked before you grill them, but not everyone chooses to bake them in the same way she does. Another way to use the oven involves suspending the ribs on a rack above a foil-covered pan of water, apple juice, or beer and allowing the meat to steam in the moist heat. Parboiling is another method favored by some, but there are both pros and cons to boiling ribs. This method will make the meat more tender, but the ribs can lose some of their juices and hence their flavor.

You can also preheat your meat in a slow cooker, especially if you have all day to prepare your barbecue feast. If you want things to move a little quicker, though, an Instant Pot is an excellent way to cook ribs. In fact, the secret to making copycat Chili's baby back ribs involves first using a pressure cooker, then following it up with some time on the grill.

However you choose to precook your ribs — in the oven, the slow cooker, or the Instant Pot — this will ensure that the meat inside doesn't dry out, but instead is fall-off-the-bone tender. Finishing ribs on the grill will provide some of that smoky flavor that only outdoor cooking allows, while also giving them a crispy exterior.