Grilling Tips
If you don't have a chimney starter, pile the charcoal briquettes in a pyramid around a wad of newspaper in the center of the bottom grill rack. Ignite newspaper, carefully moving briquettes occasionally with tongs or a grilling spatula to heat evenly.

If your charcoal grill doesn't have a built-in thermometer, monitor its temperature by inserting a candy or deep-frying dial thermometer into one of the kettle's top vents.

Ribs for a Crowd
Barbecued ribs are ideal party fare, requiring very little effort and no utensils. Here, a few strategies that can make things even simpler.

Prepping in Advance
Refrigerating the sauce overnight -- or up to two weeks -- saves time and ensures the ingredients meld and develop complexity. Refrigerating the spice-rubbed ribs overnight lets the spices deeply flavor the meat.

Juggling Less at the Last Minute
When you don't want to tend to both grill and guests, cook the ribs the night before, and let cool completely. Wrap in parchment and then in foil, and refrigerate overnight. Reheat, uncovered, in an oven heated to 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Feeding the Multitudes
Most grills fit only two racks of ribs. To cook up to four racks at a time, you'll need a stainless steel rib rack (available at hardware stores), which holds ribs vertically. Coat metal rib rack with vegetable oil, and center it on grill rack over drip pan. Place one rack of ribs into each of the slots. The cooking time will remain the same. Be sure to double the spice rub and sauce.