Trimming the Membrane

• You may need to trim your ribs to ensure that you can season and cook them evenly. The underside of the rack may still have a thin semi-opaque membrane that’s difficult to bite through if it’s still intact on fully cooked ribs. To remove the membrane, lay the rack of ribs meat-side down on a clean work surface. Slip the tip of a long, thin knife such as a boning knife under the membrane to start separating it from the bone and flesh. Trim tough raw meat with a very sharp knife to prevent injuries. Move the knife in a sawing motion with the sharp edge pointed away from your body. Pull loose membrane taut with your opposite hand as you trim it.

Seasoning with Dry Rub

• All meat needs seasoning to bring out its flavor. When seasoning ribs, the best option is a dry rub, which is a blend of herbs, spices and salt that you apply directly to the meat. Dry rubs typically include brown sugar, to balance flavors and aid in browning. Many grillmasters also include ground black pepper, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, sage or rosemary to their dry rubs. Apply the rub to both sides of the rack, then cover the ribs with plastic wrap. Allow the meat to rest for 1 hour up to 1 day. If you rest the ribs longer than 2 hours, you must refrigerate them to ensure food safety.

Braising to Ensure Tenderness

• Some cooks braise beef ribs before grilling them to ensure that they are tender. While it is traditional to braise meat in the oven, you can braise ribs directly on the grill. To braise ribs on the grill, place the ribs in a long metal baking or roasting pan -- a disposable aluminum pan is ideal. Place the ribs in the pan, then pour about 1 cup of beer or beef stock in the pan. Transfer the pan to a grill preheated to 250 degrees Fahrenheit, which is about medium heat on many grills. Braise the ribs on the grill for 1 to 2 hours, basting the meat in the pan juices periodically.

Slow-Roast and Mop

• Preheat the grill to about 300 F. Turn off half the burners in a gas grill or bank the preheated coals in a charcoal grill to create direct and indirect heat zones. Place the ribs directly on the grill grate on the side that isn’t directly over the heat source. Back ribs roast in about 1 hour, if you braised them first, or 2 hours if they were not braised. Braised spareribs roast in about 2 hours, but they need three or four hours if you did not braise them first. You can build flavor and keep the ribs moist by applying a mop sauce periodically while the ribs cook. A mop sauce is a thin, tomato and vinegar-based barbecue sauce. Grill the ribs until they have an internal temperature of at least 145 F according to a meat thermometer.

Remove and Rest

• Remove the rack from the grill. Cover the meat with aluminum foil and rest it at room temperature for at least 5 minutes before cutting the ribs apart. Resting the meat allows the juices to thicken so they don't pour out when you cut the ribs.