Everyone is certainly familiar with smoked ribs. But you don’t know how to smoke ribs in a charcoal grill to enjoy the best taste?
There are numerous ways to cook and enjoy ribs. In the oven, pressure cooker or on a gas grill, I have done it all. Believe me, they are all good. But if you are looking for a great dish with ribs, you should enjoy smoke ribs on a charcoal grill.

Today, I am pleasure to give you the ultimate guide to smoke a delicious dish of ribs with charcoal grill. Right here, let’s find out this special kitchen guide below.
How To Smoke Ribs On A Charcoal Grill?
Ingredients and Tools
For one person, you might need:
- One or two rack of spare ribs
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup barbecue sauce
- ½ cup vinegar
If you need to prepare for more than one person, just multiply them.
Besides, here are some must-have tools for your smoking:
- Wood chips and charcoal briquettes (around 20-30 briquettes)
- A small heat-resistant pan
- Aluminum foil
- Coal tongs

Preparation
With a full rack of spare ribs, cut off the fatty part around until you see the top of bones. Place the bone side-down and continue to trim off the spare fatty edge to get a smooth rib all around. Wash it off.
Combine paprika and brown sugar in a bowl. Coat the ribs so that both sides are fully covered with this mixture.
On the grill nearby the grate, set up 20-30 charcoal briquettes into a pile. While smoking, try to keep the grill at an even temperature, about 250 – 275°F. Light 10 briquettes first by using the wood chips. Then you might add charcoal during the process.
Tips: You don’t need to light charcoal when adding them as they can ignite from the living charcoal.
Smoking ribs on a charcoal grill
Now let’s start smoking ribs.
Firstly, put the prepared ribs on a grill meat edge up. Between the ribs and the coals, place a small pan with water on the grill. Then put the lid on and cook.
2 hours later, open the grill and check the ribs’ color. Spray water into the ribs to take the smoke away and you might see if the color turns into the deep red-brown or not. If not, keep smoking and check every 30 minutes to ensure the ribs turn to deep red-brown all around.
Cover the ribs with thin layers of barbecue sauce on then cook in 15 minutes. Then flip the ribs and repeat for the other side.
Grab the aluminum foil which is able to entirely wrap the ribs. Dilute 2 TB of bbq sauce with water so that it is runny a bit. This might help the ribs from being burned by the sauce. Spray the foil with vinegar.
Spread a thin layer of bbq sauce over the ribs. Put the ribs so that the sauce is down, then spray and sauce the top before wrapping the foil.
Keep cooking at 275°F for 2 hours more.
Use pot holders or gloves to grasp the full rack in your hand to know whether it is done. If the rack bends easily, it is a sign of being overcooked. But if the rack is still stiff, it needs some more time.
Before serving, put the ribs at room temperature in 20-30 minutes.

To Sum Up
How to smoke ribs on a charcoal grill is not a difficult problem, but the distance between ‘good’ and ‘great’ lies on the processing as well as the recipe.
That’s why we are here and give you some information that might help you to create delicious smoke ribs.
I hope that these steps above might help you have an enjoyable meal. If you find it interesting, share it to your friends. Feel free to add your own contribution in the comment section below!
Many thanks for spending time on my article! Enjoy your dish!