Pork Ribs Came Out Tough? This Butter And Apple Juice Trick Could Save Your BBQ

Plenty of things can go wrong in front of the grill, and there may be mistakes you make while cooking BBQ ribs that you don't realize until it's too late, from not removing or scoring the membrane to overcooking the meat. Sometimes it's on you, but other times, the grill or the ribs just have a mind of their own. A prime example? Spending tons of time making pork ribs only for them to come out tough. Thankfully, there's a trick to fix that.

No one wants to eat a dry rib — the dream scenario is that the meat falls off the bone. If you check on your ribs and discover they're moisture-less, don't give up and hope that some extra sauce will remedy the problem. Instead, you can lather your ribs in butter, a teaspoon or so of BBQ sauce, and a thin coating of apple juice. Wrap your ribs in foil and leave the bundle on the grill for an hour, then take their internal temperature (between 190 and 200 degrees Fahrenheit is generally recommended). 

Cook times and grill temperatures for pork ribs can vary, landing anywhere between two and six hours. The temperature of the grill should be between 250 and 300 degrees. So, if you want to get the most out of a butter and apple juice baste, check the ribs' moisture before the two-hour mark.

There are all sorts of tips and tricks for making better ribs, starting with simply choosing the right kind of ribs for you. Baby back and spare ribs were highly rated on our ranking of every cut of ribs from worst to best, but all that matters is what you prefer. It's also recommended to pick ribs that look meaty, with the bones covered as much as possible. Bones that poke out of the meat (called "shiners") blacken on the grill and aren't nice to eat.

You can start working towards a juicy end product before you even put your ribs on the grill. Precooking ribs is the key to achieving tender meat packed with flavor. You can precook ribs in a few different ways, including the boil-then-grill method where you boil ribs in seasoned liquid (you can use water, but stock will give them more flavor) before grilling. Braising your ribs is also an effective precooking technique.

Another moisture-maintenance tip to keep in mind while grilling is placing a pan of water in your grill. The steam it produces will moisten the air the meat is cooking in. Finally, consider using the "Texas Crutch" method, which is common for brisket and can also be used for ribs. Halfway through grilling, wrap your ribs in foil to prevent moisture from escaping, and get those perfectly tender ribs as a result.