The Method Behind Texas Roadhouse's Fall-Off-The-Bone Ribs

It may be a restaurant known for its steaks, but not ordering ribs is one of the biggest mistakes you can make when dining at Texas Roadhouse. Just as they should be, Texas Roadhouse's ribs are succulent, juicy, and ready to fall right off the bone. (When we ranked chain restaurant ribs from worst to best, Texas Roadhouse landed in top five.) To achieve this level of deliciousness, the cooks at Texas Roadhouse use a tried-and-true method that all real-deal grill masters swear by.

According to the chain's blog, Texas Roadhouse follows "a 'low and slow' cooking process for more than four hours to achieve extremely tender ribs that slide off the bone without having to use a knife." Essentially, the ribs are cooked at a moderately low temperature for a longer duration instead of just quickly tossing them on the grill. 

Giving ribs more time in the heat works to soften the collagen, giving it a gelatin-like consistency, which in turn makes the pork super soft and buttery. While it seems counterintuitive, in the case of ribs, you want to cook them beyond their technical level of doneness. For pork, that's typically around 145 degrees Fahrenheit. However, bringing the meat to an internal temperature closer to 203 degrees allows the fat to appropriately render and all those rich, caramelized flavors to develop.

While some folks slap some barbecue sauce on their ribs and throw them right in the slow cooker, others achieve better results in the oven, on the smoker, on the grill, or by using a combination of these methods. Many barbecue  aficionados swear by the 3-2-1, first smoking or baking the ribs (between 225 and 275 degrees Fahrenheit) for three hours uncovered before wrapping them in foil with sugar, spices, and a bit of liquid (like apple juice or beer) and cooking them for another two hours. For the final hour, the ribs are uncovered, slathered with barbecue sauce, and smoked or baked again. Alternatively, you can finish them quickly on the grill so they get that yummy, coveted char. 

Also, remember the simple rib prep tip that helps deliver tender, not chewy, meat: membrane removal. The white skin (aka silverskin) attached to the underside of the ribs is a connective tissue made of a tough protein called elastin. Unlike our ooey gooey collagen, it won't break down during the cooking process, making ribs that could otherwise be ready to fall off the bone chewy and tough. 

Unfortunately, we don't have the recipe Texas Roadhouse uses for it's rib sauce. It was specially developed by the restaurant's owner and is kept secret! However, we ranked store-bought barbecue sauces and decided Blues Hog Original is the best.