If you’re looking for something a little different from your traditional BBQ rib, these Chophouse-Style St. Louis Ribs are worth a try. Instead of going with a sweet rub, BBQ sauce, and glaze, we’re taking these ribs in a completely different direction with rich, savory flavors that remind me more of a good steak.

We’re starting with Prairie Fresh All Natural St. Louis-style ribs and seasoning them with Heath Riles BBQ SPG Rub & Seasoning and Heath Riles BBQ Steak & Chop Rub & Seasoning. Then, instead of using a traditional sweet wrap, we’re adding beef consommé to give the ribs even more deep, savory flavor.

There’s no sauce or glaze at the end, either. We’re letting the pork, seasonings, smoke, and beef consommé do all the work. The result is a tender, juicy rib with a rich flavor that’s completely different from your traditional BBQ ribs.

Chophouse-Style St. Louis Ribs | Heath Riles BBQ

I love a good traditional BBQ rib, but that doesn’t mean every rack has to taste the same. For this recipe, I wanted something that had more of that traditional steak flavor while still giving you everything you love about a tender rack of ribs.

That starts with the seasoning. SPG gives us that simple salt, pepper, and garlic base, while Steak & Chop builds another layer of bold, savory flavor on top. Then we bring beef consommé into the wrap to keep that same flavor profile going.

We’re cooking these ribs at 300°F, so you don’t have to spend all day waiting on them, either. The entire cook takes about three hours, followed by a good rest before we slice them up and see what we’ve got.

Why This Recipe Works

What I like about this recipe is that we commit to the chophouse-style flavor from beginning to end. We’re not putting a sweet BBQ rub underneath everything, adding a sugary wrap, or covering the finished ribs in sauce.

Instead, Heath Riles BBQ SPG Rub & Seasoning gives us a simple savory foundation. Then Heath Riles BBQ Steak & Chop Rub & Seasoning takes that steak-inspired flavor even further.

Beef consommé is what really changes things up during the wrap. The ribs finish cooking in that rich, savory liquid, which adds moisture while staying right in line with the flavor we’re trying to build. Once the ribs are tender, we don’t need to add anything else. No extra seasoning and no sauce. Just rest, slice, and serve.

The Ingredients

• Prairie Fresh All Natural St. Louis-Style Ribs. I used two slabs for this recipe. St. Louis-style ribs give us a nice, meaty rib that works great for this cook. We’re going to do a little trimming to square them up, but there’s no need to go overboard.
• Heath Riles BBQ SPG Rub & Seasoning. This is our base layer. A light coat gives us the salt, pepper, and garlic flavors that work so well with the chophouse-style direction of the recipe.
• Heath Riles BBQ Steak & Chop Rub & Seasoning. This goes right over the SPG. You don’t need to go super heavy with it. Season the ribs to your liking and let those two layers work together.
• Beef Consommé. Instead of using a traditional sweet rib wrap, we’re adding beef consommé before wrapping the ribs. It gives us that deep, rich, savory flavor we’re looking for while adding moisture during the wrapped portion of the cook.

Smoker Setup

For this recipe, I fired up the Yoder YS640S YFi Pellet Grill to 300°F using Royal Oak Charcoal and Hickory Blended Pellets.

I’m cooking the ribs on the top rack and keeping the grill at 300°F throughout the cook. Since we’re cooking a little hotter, you want to pay attention to the ribs rather than relying completely on the clock. You can always give them a few more minutes if they need it, but you can’t fix an overcooked rack.

The Process

Trim the St. Louis Ribs

Start by placing the ribs on a cutting board. I like to work with them while they’re still partially cold because they’re a little easier to handle.

Using a knife from the Heath Riles BBQ Signature Knife Set, straighten up the knuckle side and square off the ends. If there’s a little rib tip or cartilage on there, it’s completely up to you whether you remove it. You can eat that part. I’m just squaring these racks up to make them a little more uniform.

Flip the ribs over and feel along the meat for any hard pockets of fat. I’m not trimming a bunch off these ribs. I just want to remove the hard fat that isn’t going to render well.

One little trick you can use is taking the back of your knife and poking a few small holes into some of the remaining fat. This can help that fat render and cook down a little better.

Remove the Membrane

Turn the ribs over so the bone side is facing up and remove the membrane. A paper towel can help you get a better grip once you get underneath it.

Don’t worry if every little piece doesn’t come off perfectly. These aren’t competition ribs. We’re making a good eating rib at home, so get them cleaned up and move on.

Season the Ribs

Once the racks are trimmed, start with a light coat of Heath Riles BBQ SPG Rub & Seasoning.

Come back over the SPG with Heath Riles BBQ Steak & Chop Rub & Seasoning. I’m not going super heavy with either seasoning. Put on enough to get the coverage and flavor you like without burying the meat.

Once the ribs are seasoned, set them over a sheet pan and let those seasonings sweat into the meat for a few minutes while you clean up your prep area and get ready to cook.

Smoke the Ribs

Place the seasoned ribs on the top rack of the Yoder YS640S YFi Pellet Grill running at 300°F with Royal Oak Charcoal and Hickory Blended Pellets.

Close the lid and let the ribs start taking on smoke and building color.

After about 1 hour and 45 minutes, check the ribs. At this point, we’re looking for good color and caramelization on the outside. Remember, these aren’t supposed to look or taste exactly like a traditional sweet BBQ rib. We’re building a savory exterior before they go into the wrap.

Wrap with Beef Consommé

Lay out your aluminum foil and place the first rack meat-side down. Add about half of the beef consommé and wrap the rack securely in the foil.

Repeat the same process with the second rack, using the remaining beef consommé, then get both racks back onto the grill.

This is where we really start building that chophouse-style character. Instead of adding another sweet layer during the wrap, the beef consommé keeps everything rich and savory while giving the ribs moisture as they finish cooking.

Cook Until Tender

Keep the wrapped ribs on the grill at 300°F and begin checking them for tenderness as they get close to the three-hour total cook-time mark.

The two racks may not finish at exactly the same time. One of mine was thicker and meatier, so it needed a little longer than the smaller rack.

To check them, hold one bone down and gently push on the neighboring bone. When that bone starts wanting to push through the meat with very little resistance, the ribs are ready.

The smaller slab finished first, while the larger rack needed a few more minutes. That’s why I always tell people to use cook times as a guide. Pay attention to what the meat is telling you. If a rack still has some resistance, give it another few minutes and check it again.

The Results

After the ribs come off the grill, leave them wrapped and let them rest for about 45 minutes to an hour before slicing. That gives everything time to settle down and lets those juices stay right where we want them.

Once rested, unwrap the ribs and slice between the bones. You’ll notice right away that these don’t look like your typical sticky, sauced BBQ ribs. There’s still plenty of moisture on the outside from the beef consommé, and the seasoning has formed a great crust on the meat.

The first thing that hit me when I sliced into these was how much they smelled like a steak. They were juicy, tender, and packed with that rich, savory flavor we were going for. The beef consommé adds a deep flavor that works great with the SPG and Steak & Chop without covering up the pork.

If you’re looking for something different from a traditional BBQ rib, I highly recommend giving these a shot. They’re simple, they’ve got a ton of flavor, and this is definitely a recipe I’ll be making again.

Perfect Pairings

These Chophouse-Style St. Louis Ribs have plenty of rich, savory flavor, so you can build out the plate with some classic BBQ sides. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Mississippi Coleslaw. Cool, creamy, and crunchy, this coleslaw is a great way to balance out the richness of the ribs.
• Southern-Style BBQ Baked Beans. You can’t go wrong with baked beans alongside a rack of ribs. They make this feel like a complete BBQ plate while adding another hearty side to the meal.
• Smoked Mac and Cheese. Rich, creamy mac and cheese is a natural fit with these savory ribs, especially if you’re cooking for a crowd.
• Honey Hot Jalapeño Cornbread. A little sweet heat from this cornbread is a great contrast to the steak-inspired flavors in the ribs.

Storing Leftovers

If you have any ribs left over, let them cool before transferring them to an airtight container. Store them in the refrigerator and reheat only what you plan on eating.

When reheating, you want to warm the ribs gently so they don’t dry out. Wrapping them in foil before reheating can help hold in some of that moisture. Since these ribs aren’t covered in sauce, keeping them from drying out is especially important.

Tips for the Best Chophouse-Style Ribs

• Don’t over-trim the ribs. Clean up the hard fat, remove the membrane, and square up the racks, but there’s no reason to turn a backyard rack of ribs into a competition trim.
• Keep the seasoning balanced. You don’t need a super-heavy coat of either SPG Rub & Seasoning or Steak & Chop Rub & Seasoning. We want the seasoning to complement the pork instead of overpowering it.
• Cook for tenderness, not just time. Three hours was right for these ribs, but every rack is different. One of mine finished before the other because the second slab was thicker and meatier. Use the bone test to tell you when they’re actually ready.
• Give them a good rest. Once the ribs are done, leave them wrapped and give them about 45 minutes to an hour before slicing. There’s no need to rush them onto the cutting board.
• Skip the sauce. This is one recipe where I wouldn’t add BBQ sauce at the end. The whole point is to let that rich combination of pork, smoke, Steak & Chop, SPG, and beef consommé shine.

Final Thoughts

These Chophouse-Style St. Louis Ribs are definitely different from the ribs I normally cook, and that’s exactly what I like about them.

We took two racks of St. Louis-style ribs, kept the seasoning simple with Heath Riles BBQ SPG Rub & Seasoning and Heath Riles BBQ Steak & Chop Rub & Seasoning, and then wrapped them with beef consommé to take that savory flavor even further.

There’s no BBQ sauce, no glaze, and no extra seasoning at the end. Just a juicy, tender rib with a deep flavor that almost reminds you of eating a steak.

If you’ve cooked plenty of traditional BBQ ribs and want to change things up, give this recipe a try. I think you’ll be surprised at just how much flavor you can get out of such a simple cook.

Equipment & Tools

Yoder YS640S YFi Pellet Grill, Royal Oak Charcoal and Hickory Blended Pellets, Cutting Board, Heath Riles BBQ Signature Knife Set, Aluminum Foil, Sheet Pan