Recipe: BBQ Ribs + Bonus Recipes!

BBQ Ribs

We love ribs in my house, so this is a recipe I use at least once a month.  The key here is seasoning up the ribs thoroughly, and then cooking the ribs for at least two hours to make sure they are fall-off-the-bone tender. Basting the ribs with barbecue sauce towards the end of cooking and bumping up the heat adds a nice color and glaze to the ribs.  I always serve a garlicky coleslaw alongside these ribs with sweet potatoes or apples cooked with cinnamon and brown sugar.  (Bonus recipes below!)

This recipe makes approx. 3-4 servings.

Ingredients:

• 3lbs Pork Ribs- approx. one rack

Note: You can score or completely remove the membrane if desired.

• 3-4 Tablespoons BBQ Dry Rub spice blend
• For saucy ribs, add 3-4 Tablespoons BBQ sauce of choice

Cooking process:

1. Remove ribs from refrigerator and let them get the chill off, approx. 30 minutes before cooking.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
3. Rinse and dry rack of ribs
4. Once dry, sprinkle and pat on BBQ Dry Rub spice blend all over the rack
5. Wrap the ribs in a foil packet, play on a baking tray and cook for 2- 2 ½ hours.

Note: You can also pressure cook the ribs for an hour.

6. Once ribs are tender, take out of the oven, open the foil and brush BBQ sauce of choice on top and side.
7. Increase heat to 400 degrees, return ribs to oven with the foil open and cook an additional 15-20 minutes.

Bonus recipes:

Homemade BBQ Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 c. Ketchup (preferably low sugar or no high fructose corn syrup)
• ¼ c. Brown Sugar
• 2 T. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 T. Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 T. Lemon Juice
• 1 T. BBQ Dry Rub spice blend
• Optional: 1 T. Hot Sauce

Cooking Process:

• Cook the BBQ Sauce. Whisk together all the ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Allow the sauce to bubble and then reduce the heat and allow it to simmer for 10 minutes. This helps to deepen the flavors and thicken the sauce.

Sides:

Garlicky Coleslaw

Ingredients:

• ¼ large head of cabbage, shredded
• 1 large carrot, shredded
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1 T. mojo garlic sauce
• 1 T. apple cider vinegar
• 1 T. granulated sugar

Cooking Process:

1. Shred cabbage and carrot (I find a knife easy for cabbage. For carrots I’ll use a box grater.)
2. Combine mayonnaise, mojo garlic sauce, vinegar, and sugar in a mixing bowl.
3. Add in shredded veggies and mix until thoroughly coated.
4. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for all the flavors to marinate.

Cinnamon Apples/Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 3-4 large apples or sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced.
• 2 T. cubed butter
• 2 T. brown sugar
• 1 T. cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

Note: If making apples, add 2 T. lemon juice; if cooking sweet potatoes, add a ¼ c. orange juice

Cooking Process:

If baking:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (or pop into oven with the ribs)
2. Add sliced apples or sweet potatoes to a baking dish
3. Coat the slices with the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt
4. Add in butter cubes, even dispersed in baking dish
5. Add orange juice and bake for an hour, mixing every 20 minutes, until done

If sautéing:

1. Melt butter, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a skillet over medium heat, until thoroughly combined
2. Add in the slices and thoroughly coat.
3. Sautee over medium-low heat, approximately 20 minutes or until fork tender and caramelized.