My friends make fun of me because they think oven-cooked ribs can never taste as good as smoked ones, but I’ve proven them wrong by serving them oven-cooked ribs and they now agree with me. The secret to tender ribs is a long baking time at a low temperature. I know how trying it is on your patience!
My sister-in-law taught me how to make ribs, and she really did make it look easy. The aroma of barbecued ribs is intoxicating. I enjoy cooking these ribs and appreciate not having to go out to a restaurant every time we get a ribs craving.
Potato salad, cole slaw, mac and cheese, baked beans, and fries are some of our go-to sides for ribs. Make the condiments your loved ones can’t get enough of, and you’ll have a fantastic meal.
Is it just me, or does it seem like you can’t break out the grill until the weather warms up and the days get longer in order to enjoy some delicious ribs whenever you want? We hate missing out on things because they aren’t in season, so we decided to come up with a way to cook some fantastic short ribs without having to fire up the grill. To do this, we use our slow cooker. Indeed, our trusty slow cooker will allow us to “whip up” (not literally, as low and slow is the way to go with these bad boys) some perfectly tender and flavorful short ribs that will practically fall off the bone.
These ribs will fool even the most discerning meat eaters into thinking you spent hours in the kitchen perfecting them. Before putting the ribs in the slow cooker, we seared and browned them on all sides and applied an easy, flavorful rub. The ideal amount of flavor (which can be easily adjusted to suit your tastes) is added by some spiffed-up BBQ sauce and a splash of beer, and then you simply let it cook. Served with mashed potatoes and a green vegetable, this dish makes a hearty dinner; any leftovers can be frozen and used in a stew later in the week. If you have this recipe on hand, you won’t even bother firing up the grill.
INGREDIENTS:
Rib membrane removed from 1 rack of baby back ribs
Blended Ingredients for Dry Rubbing
2 Tablespoons paprika
Black pepper, 1 tablespoon 3 tablespoons brown sugar
Two teaspoons of coarse salt
Sprinkling of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon
Onion powder, 1 teaspoon
You’ll need 1 teaspoon of cumin.
a pinch of chili powder
A half of a teaspoon of dry mustard
Sauce for Barbecue
One-half cup of dark sugar Use your preferred brand of barbecue sauce.
About a tablespoon and a half of honey.
Parsley
Instructions:
Set the oven to 300 degrees.
Using heavy-duty aluminum foil, line a large baking sheet.
Put all of the dry ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine. Blend ingredients together thoroughly by whisking.
Spread the spice mixture liberally over the ribs. Coat the ribs with the spice rub.
Align the ribs meat-side up on the pan and cover it tightly with aluminum foil.
Bake the sheet for 2.5 to 3.5 hours in a preheated oven. After 2 hours, check the ribs to see if they’ve healed yet. Take care not to get burned by the steam as you peel back the aluminum foil.
When the meat is fully cooked, tender, and falling off the bone, the ribs are ready.
Take the ribs out of the oven and carefully peel away the foil. Adjust the oven temperature to broil.
Combine the honey and barbecue sauce in a tiny bowl. Mix thoroughly, then use a pastry brush to cover all of the ribs.
Return the ribs to the oven under the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and caramelized to your liking.
When cooking ribs in a broiler, pay close attention to them. If you leave the barbecue sauce under the broiler for too long, it will burn.
Take them out and bask them in more barbecue sauce.
After 15 minutes, sprinkle with parsley and set aside.
Prepare and savor the meal!
Notes
• BARBEQUE SAUCE: If you don’t like the brown sugar kind, feel free to use whatever sauce you prefer. As an added bonus, don’t be shy about using homemade barbecue sauce.
• VARIOUS TYPES OF RIBS: While baby back ribs are called for, other rib cuts, such as country style, St. Louis-style, and spareribs, will also work well in this dish.
Take off the thin membrane that’s covering the rack; it’s vital. Once it’s gone, the ribs will be so tender that the meat will practically fall off the bone. Additionally, the membrane makes the ribs chewier if left on.
Take care to completely close the aluminum foil around the ribs.
• Even if the ribs reach the right internal temperature, you should not consider them cooked until the meat is very tender.
To keep the ribs fresh in the fridge for up to three days, transfer them to an airtight container.
For STORAGE IN THE FREEZER, WRAP THE RIBS TIGHTLY IN FOIL OR FREEZER PAPER, THEN PLACE THEM IN The maximum recommended freezing time is three months. Refrigerate to defrost, then microwave to reheat.
Wrap the ribs in foil or parchment paper and reheat them in an oven preheated to 300 degrees for about 30 minutes. Reheat any sauce left over and brush it liberally over the ribs before serving.
