Smoky BBQ Bacon Wrapped Ribs

These **bacon wrapped BBQ ribs** are the kind of thing people take a photo of before they take a bite. St. Louis spare ribs get a brown sugar spice rub, a full wrap of bacon, and a slow ride over indirect heat until the meat pulls clean from the bone. The bacon renders directly into the meat, adding fat and smoke where the ribs need it most. A bourbon-molasses glaze goes on during the last 20 minutes and sets into a sticky, caramelized shell. This is a Father’s Day showstopper that takes patience but very little hands-on work.

Why You’ll Love This Bacon Wrapped Bbq Ribs

• **The bacon does double duty** — It bastes the ribs from the outside as it renders, keeping the surface moist, and crisps into a smoky shell that shatters when you bite through.
• **Set-it-and-forget-it grilling** — Once the ribs are on the indirect heat, you close the lid and leave them alone for 2.5 hours. No flipping, no spritzing, no babysitting.
• **The bourbon-molasses glaze is addictive** — Sweet, smoky, slightly bitter from the bourbon, and sticky enough to coat every crevice. You will eat it with your fingers.
• **St. Louis spare ribs are the right cut** — They’re trimmed into a uniform rectangle, which means even cooking and a better meat-to-bone ratio than baby backs.
• **Leftovers reheat beautifully** — Unlike a lot of grilled meat, these ribs taste just as good the next day, cold from the fridge or reheated.

Ingredients

• 2 racks (about 2.5 pounds each) St. Louis spare ribs (Ask your butcher to trim the membrane off the bone side, or do it yourself with a paper towel and a butter knife.)
• 1 pound thin-cut bacon (Thick-cut bacon won't wrap cleanly around the ribs and takes too long to render. Standard grocery-store thin bacon works perfectly.)
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar brown sugar (Dark brown sugar has more molasses flavor, which amplifies the glaze.)
• 2 tablespoons smoked paprika (Not sweet paprika — you need the smoke. Spanish pimentón de la Vera is ideal.)
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder (Granulated garlic powder distributes more evenly than fresh garlic in a dry rub.)
• 1 tablespoon onion powder (Adds a savory backbone to the rub.)
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal. The coarse flakes adhere well to the meat surface.)
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (Freshly ground makes a real difference here — pre-ground pepper loses its volatile oils.)
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (Adds a low heat that builds over several bites. Omit if cooking for kids.)
• 1/2 cup bourbon (Same bourbon you'd use in a cocktail. Nothing below 80 proof.)
• 1/4 cup molasses (Unsulfured blackstrap molasses is too bitter. Use regular (unsulfured) molasses.)
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (Cuts the sweetness of the glaze and adds tang.)
• 1/2 cup ketchup (The base of the glue. Heinz or a similar standard ketchup — not a fancy small-batch variety that might have inconsistent sweetness.)
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (Adds umami depth to the glaze.)

Equipment

• Gas or charcoal grill with a lid — you need indirect heat capability, which means at least two burners on gas or a two-zone charcoal setup
• Heavy-duty aluminum foil — for wrapping the ribs during the first stage of cooking
• Basting brush (silicone) — for applying the bourbon-molasses glaze in thin, even layers
• Instant-read thermometer — to verify the ribs hit 190-195°F internally
• Kitchen twine or toothpicks — to secure the bacon wrap if it won’t stay in place on its own
• Spray bottle with water — for flare-ups if bacon fat drips onto the burners
• Sheet pan and tongs — for transferring the ribs on and off the grill

How to Make Bacon Wrapped Bbq Ribs

Step 1 — Apply the spice rub (10 minutes)

Pat both racks of ribs dry with paper towels. Mix the brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, black pepper, and cayenne in a bowl. Apply the rub generously to both sides of each rack, pressing it into the meat with your hands. Don’t be shy — use all of it. Let the rubbed ribs sit at room temperature for 30 minutes while you prepare the grill. This rest lets the salt start to draw out surface moisture, which then dissolves the sugar and spices into a tacky coating that the bacon will grip.

Step 2 — Wrap in bacon (10 minutes)

Lay out strips of bacon side by side on a cutting board, slightly overlapping, creating a sheet wide enough to cover the meaty side of one rack. Flip the rack meat-side down onto the bacon. Pull the bacon strips up around the edges and over the bone side, tucking the ends underneath. Secure with toothpicks if needed. Repeat with the second rack. The bacon doesn’t need to be perfect — gaps are fine. It will shrink and tighten as it renders.

Step 3 — Slow grill over indirect heat (2.5 hours)

Set up your grill for indirect heat at 275°F. On a gas grill, light only one burner and place the ribs on the unlit side. On a charcoal grill, bank the coals to one side. Place the ribs bone-side down on the cool side of the grill, close the lid, and leave them alone for 2.5 hours. Do not open the lid more than once or twice — every peek drops the temperature and adds 5-7 minutes to the cook. The internal temperature should reach 190-195°F when done. The meat will have pulled back from the bone ends by about 1/4 inch.

Step 4 — Make the bourbon-molasses glaze (10 minutes)

While the ribs cook, combine the bourbon, molasses, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened to the consistency of warm honey. It will coat a spoon and drip slowly. Remove from heat. The glaze can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated.

Step 5 — Glaze and finish (20 minutes)

Open the grill lid and brush a thin layer of glaze over the bacon-wrapped side of each rack. Close the lid and cook for 5 minutes. Repeat: brush, close, wait 5 minutes. Do this 3-4 times total. The glaze will build up in layers, caramelizing between applications. Watch for flare-ups — if the bacon fat ignites, move the ribs to a cooler zone and close the lid to smother the flame. The ribs are done when the glaze is deeply caramelized and the bacon is crispy in most spots. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing between the bones.

Pro Tips

**Remove the membrane from the bone side.** If you skip this step, the membrane turns chewy and prevents the rub from penetrating. Slide a butter knife under one corner, grab it with a paper towel for grip, and peel it off in one sheet.

**Don’t rush the indirect heat stage.** The collagen in spare ribs needs time to convert to gelatin. Pulling them off at 170°F gives you tough, chewy ribs. Wait for 190-195°F. A probe thermometer slid between the bones should meet almost no resistance.

**Apply the glaze in thin layers, not one thick coat.** Thick glaze drips off, causes flare-ups, and burns before the sugar caramelizes properly. Four thin coats over 20 minutes gives you a lacquered, professional-looking finish.

**If the bacon isn’t crisping,** move the ribs directly over the heat source for the last 2-3 minutes, watching constantly. The direct heat finishes rendering the remaining fat and crisps the surface.

**Let the ribs rest before slicing.** Five minutes lets the juices redistribute. Cutting too early means dry ribs and a mess on the cutting board.

Variations & Substitutions

**H3: Coffee-Chile Rub
Add 2 tablespoons finely ground coffee and 1 teaspoon chipotle powder to the spice rub. The coffee adds a dark bitterness that plays against the sweet glaze, and the chipotle brings a slow, smoky heat. This version pairs well with a cold beer and works for any cookout, not just Father’s Day.

**H3: Honey-Bourbon Glaze
Replace the molasses with 1/4 cup honey and add 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard to the glaze. The honey caramelizes faster than molasses, so reduce the glaze time to 6 minutes and watch it closely. The mustard adds a subtle tang that cuts through the richness of the bacon.

**H3: Oven-to-Grill Method
If you don’t want to babysit the grill for 2.5 hours, wrap the bacon-wrapped ribs in foil after applying the rub and bake at 275°F in the oven for 2 hours. Then transfer to the grill for the glazing stage. The oven is more consistent for the long cook, and you still get the smoky grill finish at the end.

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate leftover ribs in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in foil. They keep for up to 4 days. The bacon fat solidifies in the fridge — this is normal and actually helps preserve the meat.

For the freezer, wrap individual portions (2-3 ribs each) in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag. They’ll keep for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

To reheat, place ribs in a single layer on a sheet pan, cover with foil, and warm in a 300°F oven for 15-20 minutes until heated through. Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes to re-crisp the bacon. You can also brush on a fresh layer of glaze during reheating to refresh the flavor. Avoid the microwave — it makes the bacon rubbery.

What to Serve With Bacon Wrapped Bbq Ribs

Classic coleslaw with a tangy vinegar dressing to cut through the richness

Grilled corn on the cob with chili-lime butter

If you love the bourbon theme, a [Bourbon Old Fashioned](/1303) is the natural pairing

For a full spread, these ribs sit perfectly alongside [Smoky BBQ Ribs with Homemade Bourbon Glaze](/1287) if you want to offer two rib styles

Cold potato salad — the acid and cream balance the sweet smoky glaze

Nutrition Information

Per serving (half a rack with bacon wrap and glaze). These are indulgent — the bacon and glaze add significant calories and fat. This is a celebration meal, not an everyday dinner.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use baby back ribs instead of St. Louis spare ribs?

Yes, but reduce the cook time by about 30-45 minutes. Baby backs are smaller and leaner, so they finish faster and have less fat to render. The bacon wrap helps compensate for the lower fat content. St. Louis ribs are preferred because the uniform shape cooks more evenly and the meat-to-bone ratio is higher.

My bacon keeps unraveling. How do I keep it in place?

Toothpicks are your friend. Insert them at 2-inch intervals along the bone side. Remove them before serving. You can also use kitchen twine looped around the rack every 3 inches. As the bacon renders and shrinks, it tightens around the rack and usually stays put on its own after the first 30 minutes of cooking.

How do I know when the ribs are done without a thermometer?

Use the bend test: pick up one end of the rack with tongs. If the rack bends easily and the surface cracks slightly, it’s done. If it barely flexes, keep cooking. Also check that the meat has pulled back from the bone ends by at least 1/4 inch, and that a toothpick or probe slides into the thickest part of the meat with almost no resistance.

Can I make the glaze ahead of time?

Yes. The glaze keeps in the fridge for up to a week in a sealed jar. Reheat it gently in a saucepan or microwave before brushing. It thickens as it cools, so you may need to add a tablespoon of water to thin it back to brushable consistency.

What if I don't have a grill?

Bake the bacon-wrapped ribs on a wire rack set in a sheet pan at 275°F for 2.5 hours, then broil on high for 3-4 minutes per side to crisp the bacon and caramelize the glaze. You’ll miss the smoky flavor, but a teaspoon of liquid smoke in the rub helps bridge the gap.

These ribs are a project, but they’re a forgiving one. The long indirect cook does the heavy lifting, and the bacon wrap means you don’t have to worry about the meat drying out. The bourbon-molasses glaze goes on at the end and turns the whole thing into something that looks like it came from a competition pit. If you’re cooking for Dad this year, start the ribs 3 hours before dinner and let the grill do the work.

For more recipe inspiration, see the Allrecipes collection and Bon Appétit.