Smoked Party Ribs on the Pellet Grill
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Viral recipe sensations tend to come and go, but party ribs, which took the BBQ world by storm in 2024, are here to stay—and for good reason.
What Are Smoked Party Ribs?
Smoked party ribs are ribs, usually pork, that instead of being cooked as part of a rack, are cut into individual ribs and then cooked. Why does this matter? For starters, there is more surface area for both seasonings and smoke to penetrate. The single ribs also take about half the time to cook, and as they do, the edges caramelize producing delicious, crisped bits. You also don’t have to cut them up after cooking, which means they can go right from the grill onto the party platter.
The kind of ribs you treat to this method is up to you. Many pitmasters prefer spare ribs, especially those trimmed to a St. Louis cut. Spare ribs are well marbled and so have a rich, deep flavor, and they can cook to fall-off-the-bone tenderness. But baby back ribs also have fans. Leaner than spareribs, these curved ribs pack a lot of meat and offer a pleasant chew similar to a pork chop.
While you could also cook beef ribs this way, their bigger size sort of defeats the purpose of party ribs, which get their name because they’re the perfect little finger food.
Why Party Ribs Are So Popular
One of the reasons party ribs have become so popular, aside from their great flavor and texture, is that they make entertaining easy and are an excellent choice for big parties. A slew of them will fit on the grill, especially with multiple racks, and there’s nothing to do to them after they come off the heat. Perfect for game day hosting they can also be cooked ahead and gently reheated at a tailgate.
How to Make Party Ribs on the Pellet Grill
Cooking party ribs is not all that different from cooking racks of ribs. The only real difference is cutting them at the start instead of at the end.
Pro tip: To easily see where to cut each individual rib, stand the rack up on its edge to make it easier to see where to slice between the bones.
Ingredients for Party Ribs
The ingredients for party ribs are the same as well. You basically just need to pick your rib, your rub, and your BBQ sauce. Some folks also like to include butter and brown sugar to give the ribs that sweet note.
Before you slice and season your ribs, decide if you want to remove the membrane on the back of the rack. Whether this is necessary is debated among pitmasters. Some say removing it helps seasonings penetrate and that if left on can add an unpleasant texture. Others say you won’t even notice it. If you want to pull off that membrane, it’s easier to do as a whole rack. Use a knife to get under it then get a paper towel, grab the start of the membrane, and peel it off.
Season the ribs on all sides. Since they’re sliced, this is easy to do in a bowl by tossing the ribs with the seasoning.
Best Pellets for Smoking Party Ribs
Once your ribs are seasoned they’re ready to be smoked on the pellet grill. But which wood pellet to use? If you want a pronounced flavor, reach for hickory or mesquite. Pecan, apple, and cherry offer more mild wood-fired flavors, while Signature, a blend of hickory, maple, and cherry hardwoods, falls somewhere between.
How to Smoke Party Ribs
To smoke party ribs, set the grill to between 180°F and 275°F, a range that delivers the most smoke. If your grill has Super Smoke™ use it for the utmost in wood-fired flavor; it works with temperatures up to 225°F.
Place the individual ribs directly on the grill grate meaty side up and smoke them until the ribs reach an internal temperature of about 170°F on an instant-read thermometer; this should take about 1 ½ hours and the ribs are not yet fully cooked yet.
At this point you have a few options:
For simple spice rubbed ribs, you can continue smoking the ribs until cooked through and tender with an internal temperature of about 207°F, 30 to 45 minutes.
For more BBQ flavor, you can occasionally baste those same ribs with BBQ sauce and a basting brush as they finish cooking.
Or you can gather the ribs into a large disposable foil roasting pan, add some butter, sugar, and BBQ sauce, cover, and cook until done, about another 45 minutes. This method gives you sweet, sticky, burnt-ends style ribs that are irresistible.
Party Ribs Internal Temperature
As noted, the final temperature for tender smoked ribs is around 207°F. Because they’re thin, you can’t use a leave-in meat thermometer like or the Traeger connected meat thermometer because it won’t stay in. (Save your MEATER for hands off monitoring of larger cuts.) Instead, you’ll have to check occasionally with an instant-read meat thermometer. But since these ribs are cooked up singly you can also test for doneness by simply trying one!
How to Serve Party Ribs
Because these are party ribs, they’re not exactly meant for serving up on a plate with mashed potatoes and collards, though you can certainly do that.
Instead, these are designed for game-day nibbling or for bringing to the tailgate. Here are some ideas on what to pair them with.
Serve these candied jalapeños on the side to dip the ribs into or toss the cooked ribs with it and add some crunchy bacon, too.
A good slaw will go with all kinds of game day foods from pulled pork sandwiches to hot dogs and, of course, party ribs.
Serve party ribs with other classic finger foods, including these wood-fired deviled eggs, which are a favorite in the Traegerhood.
Another tailgate favorite perfected by Traeger’s Nichole Dailey.
Smoked cream cheese could not be easier to make—and you can smoke it while you cook the ribs. Feel free to experiment with the recipe using your favorite rub and jelly.
Party Ribs
by Matt Pittman
Prep Time
15 Min
Cook Time
2 Hr
30 Min
Serves
6
Pellets
Meat Church
These party ribs are packed with flavor worth celebrating. Matt Pittman’s recipe is a cross between ribs and burnt ends—giving you deep, sweet flavor with crispy caramelized edges. The secret is cooking the ribs individually on your pellet grill for faster cooking—about half the time of regular rib racks. They’re also easier to serve as finger food at, you guessed it, a party.
Ingredients
main
| 2 | racks St. Louis-style pork ribs |
| Meat Church Hickory All-Purpose BBQ Rub or other favorite BBQ rub | |
| 4 Ounce | unsalted butter, cut into pieces |
| 1/2 Cup | light brown sugar |
| 1/2 Cup | agave syrup or honey |
| Traeger Texas Spicy BBQ Sauce or barbecue sauce of choice |
1
Trim away any excess fat from the rib racks. (For this speedy preparation, there’s no need to remove the membrane.) Cut between the bones to make individual ribs.
2
Season the ribs on all sides with the BBQ Rub. Let sit for 15 minutes and up to an hour at room temperature to allow the seasoning to adhere.
3
Preheat the Traeger with the lid closed to 275°F.
4
Place the ribs directly on the grill grate meaty side up and cook until the ribs reach an internal temperature of 170°F on an instant-read meat thermometer, about 90 minutes. The time will vary depending on the size of the ribs, the weather, and your grill.
5
Transfer the ribs to a large pan such as a disposable foil roasting pan or a rimmed baking sheet. Add the butter, sugar, and agave. Then add enough BBQ sauce to coat the ribs well, at least ½ cup and up to 1 cup. Mix and toss the ribs well to evenly coat.
6
Cover the pan with foil and place it on the grill grate. Continue cooking the ribs until tender with an internal temperature of about 207°F, another 30 to 45 minutes.
7
Toss the ribs once more with the sauce, transfer to a serving platter, and let them rest briefly before serving. Enjoy!
