Foil Boat Ribs with Old School BBQ Mop Sauce | Heath Riles BBQ
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 3 min
Servings: 4
Tender, smoky St. Louis-style ribs cooked low and slow in a foil boat, basted with a tangy old-school vinegar mop for classic backyard BBQ flavor—no sauce, no wrap, just bark, bite, and boldness.
Ingredients
- 2 slabs St. Louis-style ribs (membrane removed, lightly trimmed)
- Yellow mustard (optional, for binder)
- Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Jalapeño Rub
- Heath Riles BBQ Competition BBQ Rub
- 1 bottle Heath Riles BBQ Tangy Vinegar BBQ Sauce
- 1 bottle Apple cider vinegar (use the sauce bottle to measure)
- ½ bottle Water (use the sauce bottle to measure)
- Juice of 2 lemons
- ½ tbsp Ground cayenne pepper
Directions
- Preheat pellet grill to 275°F using hickory-blend charcoal pellets.
- Trim and remove the membrane from ribs. Apply mustard (optional), then season with Garlic Jalapeño Rub followed by Competition BBQ Rub. Let sit while grill heats.
- Place ribs meat-side up on grill grates and cook for 1 hour without opening the lid.
- Begin mopping with prepared mop sauce every 30 minutes for the next 1 hour (2 hours total unwrapped).
- Transfer ribs into a foil boat made from heavy-duty aluminum foil. Mop top and bottom. Return to grill uncovered.
- Continue cooking, mopping and lightly seasoning every 30 minutes for another 1–1.25 hours, until internal temp reaches ~200–205°F.
- Remove from grill, tent loosely with foil on a sheet pan, and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Slice and serve with your favorite BBQ sides.