Grilled Kansas City-Style BBQ Beef Ribs
Tender beef ribs marinated in a smoky, sweet Kansas City-style barbecue sauce, then grilled to caramelized perfection. This American-inspired barbecue recipe, ready in about 255 minutes, pairs beef ribs, brown sugar, paprika for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 650 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds beef ribs
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp molasses
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: In a bowl, combine 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp paprika, 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tbsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp onion powder, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper to create the dry rub.
- Step 2: Rub the 3 pounds beef ribs evenly with 2 tbsp olive oil, then coat thoroughly with the dry rub. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight for best flavor.
- Step 3: For the sauce, whisk together 1 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp molasses, and 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce in a saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes until slightly thickened and fragrant.
- Step 4: Preheat a grill to medium heat (about 350°F). Place the ribs bone side down and grill for 45 minutes, turning every 15 minutes and basting with the prepared sauce to build a sticky glaze.
- Step 5: Remove ribs when the internal temperature reaches 195°F and the meat is tender and pulling away from the bone. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing between the bones and serving with extra sauce.









