Can You Smoke Ribs on a Gas Grill?

On this page (8 sections)

1. How do you set up a gas grill for smoking?
2. Which burner should you light for low and slow ribs?
3. How do you add smoke on a gas grill?
4. What temperature and time do ribs need?
5. How do you know the ribs are done?
6. Can you finish ribs on the grill with sauce?
7. What about a balcony or small-space grill?
8. Is a gas grill good for smoking ribs?

Yes, you can smoke ribs on a gas grill. Light one burner, keep the ribs over the unlit side at 225 to 250°F, and add wood chips in a foil pouch to make the smoke a smoker would give you.

A gas grill gives you steady, adjustable heat, which suits a long rib cook better than many people expect. You control the temperature with a knob instead of chasing charcoal, and the lid traps smoke once the chips start to smolder.

How do you set up a gas grill for smoking?

Set up a gas grill for smoking with one lit burner, the ribs on the cool side, and a small source of smoke. That three-part setup is the whole method.

Start with a clean grill and full propane tank. Open the lid, light only the burner at one end, then close the lid and let the temperature settle for 10 to 15 minutes.

Put a drip pan under where the ribs will sit, so fat doesn't flare up on the burner. When the lid reads 225 to 250°F, you're ready to cook.

Keep the area around the unlit burner clear of tools and foil, so it stays a true cool zone. Set a timer for the first check rather than opening the lid out of habit.

If you want the broader steps for low heat on gas, our guide on whether you can smoke food on a gas grill covers chicken, pork and fish with the same setup.

Which burner should you light for low and slow ribs?

Light one burner at the far end and cook the ribs over the unlit burners. This gives you indirect heat, which is what keeps ribs from drying out.

On a 3 or 4 burner grill, the unlit half is a wide, cool cooking zone. Check the lid thermometer above that zone, since the reading near the lit burner runs hotter.

If your grill only has 2 burners, light one and set the ribs on the far side of the opposite grate. Rotate the rack halfway through so both ends cook evenly.

The Weber Spirit E-325 uses 3 burners with one set low for this kind of cook. Its Snap-Jet Ignition lights each burner individually with one hand, so you can fire the far burner alone without cycling the others.

For a bigger cookout, a 4 burner model like the E-425 or a Monument gives you more cool-zone room. If you're still deciding on size, our 2 burner vs 3 burner gas grill comparison lays out the trade-off.

How do you add smoke on a gas grill?

Add smoke by soaking wood chips, sealing them in foil with holes poked on top, and setting the pouch over the lit burner. The chips smolder instead of catching fire.

Use 1 to 2 cups of chips for a rack of ribs. Hickory and oak suit pork, while apple and cherry give a milder flavor.

Put the pouch on the grates right above the burner. Once it starts to smoke, close the lid and let the ribs take on color.

Swap the pouch every 45 to 60 minutes for fresh smoke. If you prefer a tidier setup, a smoker box holds chips and sits on the grates the same way.

Stainless steel Flavorizer Bars like the ones on both Weber Spirits do part of the same job. They catch and vaporize dripping juices and send that flavor back up at the meat, while funneling grease away from the burners to prevent flare-ups.

Your foil pouch adds the wood smoke on top of that.

Which gas grill suits a rib cook?

A grill with a wide, adjustable low range makes a rib cook easier, and these three cover that job at different sizes.

The Weber Spirit E-325 has 360 sq in of cooking area and porcelain-enameled, cast-iron grates that hold heat evenly. Snap-Jet Ignition lights each burner on its own, which helps when you only want the far one going.

Its cast-aluminum cook box resists rust and peeling, a plus for a grill that sits outdoors through wet weather. Weber backs it with a 10-year limited warranty.

The Weber Spirit E-425 gives you 428 sq in and 4 burners, so you can keep two racks going with a clear cool zone between them. It carries the same 10-year limited warranty and the same cast-iron grates, and a cabinet with door hides the propane tank and your grilling accessories.

Its warming rack keeps a finished rack warm while the next one finishes below.

The Monument Grills 4-Burner reaches 500°F in about 5 minutes on full blast, though for ribs you'll run one burner low. Its 304 stainless steel burners and enameled cast-iron grates suit steady, even heat, and the flip-up warming rack gives you a spot to rest a finished rack.

The double-layered lid helps hold heat through a long cook, and the funnel-style grease management system with a removable drip pan makes the cleanup after a greasy rib session simpler.

What temperature and time do ribs need?

Smoke ribs at 225 to 250°F for 3 to 5 hours, depending on the cut. Baby backs finish faster than spareribs.

Check the grate temperature with a probe or oven thermometer on the cool side instead of trusting the lid dial alone. A lid thermometer sits in the metal and often reads hotter than the grate, so trust the probe at cooking height.

Keep the lid closed as much as you can, because each opening drops the heat.

Wrap the ribs in foil for the last hour if the surface darkens too fast. That trap keeps them moist while the meat finishes.

A rough guide:

• Baby back ribs: 3 to 4 hours
• Spare ribs: 4 to 5 hours
• Country-style ribs: 2 to 3 hours

Start checking at the early end and lean on the bend test below.

How do you know the ribs are done?

Ribs are done when the meat pulls back from the bone and the rack bends without breaking. Pick the rack up with tongs at one end and look for a bend with a slight crack on top.

A probe should slide into the meat between the bones with little resistance. If it fights back, give the ribs another 20 to 30 minutes and check again.

The bone ends show more when the meat is ready. Dried-out ribs look shrunken, so pull them earlier rather than later.

Rest the rack for 10 minutes before slicing. Cut between the bones, not through them.

Can you finish ribs on the grill with sauce?

Brush sauce on in the last 15 to 20 minutes only, because sugar in the sauce burns over a long cook. Move the rack over the lit burner briefly to set the glaze.

Turn the heat up slightly and watch the surface. Move the ribs back to the cool side if the sauce starts to bubble hard.

Serve straight off the grill with extra sauce on the side. A foil tray on the warming rack keeps the second rack warm while you slice the first.

What about a balcony or small-space grill?

Ribs can smoke on a small grill, but check your building and fire rules before lighting any gas grill on a balcony. Many leases and local codes limit or ban open-flame cooking on balconies.

Our post on whether you can use a gas grill on a balcony walks through the safety and permission questions to settle first.

If the balcony is allowed, a 2 or 3 burner grill still gives you one lit burner and a cool side for ribs. Keep the tank upright and away from railings.

Smoking makes more smoke than a quick burger cook, so think about neighbors and ventilation before a 4-hour rib session.

Is a gas grill good for smoking ribs?

A gas grill is a good rib smoker if you want steady, easy heat without tending charcoal. Set one burner, keep the lid shut, and add wood chips for flavor.

It won't match a dedicated offset smoker for deep bark or heavy smoke. But for a weekend rack at home, the control is worth more than the extra smoke a stick burner gives.

Fold-down side tables help on the balcony or a tight patio, since you can drop them out of the way between checks. The Weber Spirits use hammertone metal side tables that fold down to fit smaller spaces.

Clean the grates and drip pan after a long cook and check your propane level beforehand. A tank that runs out two hours in ruins the schedule.

If you're watching the budget for a new grill, read about the best time to buy a gas grill before you shop.

In short, can you smoke ribs on a gas grill? You can, with one burner, low heat, and a foil pouch of chips.

Start with a rack of baby backs, keep the lid closed, and check for the bend before you sauce.

Frequently asked questions

Can you smoke ribs on a gas grill with no smoker box?

Yes. Wrap dry wood chips in heavy foil, poke a few holes in the top, and set the pouch on the cooking grates over the lit burner.

The chips smolder once the grill reaches temperature, so you get smoke without buying extra gear.

What temperature should you keep a gas grill at for ribs?

Aim for 225 to 250°F at the grate above the unlit side. Dial the lit burner low and check with a grill thermometer, since lid thermometers often read high near the metal.

Adjust the burner in small steps rather than chasing the number.

How long do ribs take on a gas grill?

Baby backs usually take 3 to 4 hours and spareribs 4 to 5 hours at 225 to 250°F. Cook to feel and bend rather than the clock, because wind, outside temperature and how often you open the lid all change the timing.

How many burners should you light when smoking ribs?

Light one burner and cook the ribs over the unlit zone on a 3 or 4 burner grill. One lit burner holds low heat well and gives you room to move the rack.

If you only have 2 burners, light one and use the far half of the opposite grate as the cool side.