How to Make Oven-Baked Pork Ribs

You don't need a barbecue to make delicious pork ribs. The secret is low heat and slow cooking. The dry rub and flavorful braising liquid ensure "fall off the bone" tenderness and a taste you'll want over and over again!

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• 1 rack pork spare ribs or baby back ribs
• Dry rub: brown sugar, salt, pepper, cajun seasoning, thyme (see text)
• Braising liquid: onion, garlic, butter, beer or wine, cider vinegar, Worchestire, cajun seasoning, liquid smoke, ketchup (see text)
• Roasting pan with lid or aluminum foil to cover

1. Trim the membrane from the back side of the rack

   Several hours or the night before, prepare the ribs. Most racks of ribs have a tough membrane, called the fell, across the back side. Use a butter knife or spoon handle to loosen this membrane and peel it off. This will make the ribs much more tender. If necessary, cut the rack in half to fit your pan or for smaller serving sizes.

2. Pat the dry rub into both sides of the ribs

   Mix a dry rub: 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning (see tips). Sprinkle this rub over both sides of the ribs and pat in. Place the ribs in a plastic bag and refrigerate until ready to cook.

3. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place the ribs in a roasting pan. In a saucepan, heat the oil or butter and cook the chopped onion and garlic until soft. Add 1 cup of beer or wine (see tips), 1/2 cup vinegar, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce and 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning. Bring to a boil, cook 5 minutes to reduce slightly. Remove from heat, add 1 teaspoon liquid smoke. Stir and pour the liquid into the roasting pan. The ribs should not be covered; only about 1/4" of liquid is needed in the pan. Cover the pan with a lid or aluminum foil and place in the oven.

4. Start checking the ribs for tenderness after about 2 hours. "Fall off the bone" tenderness may take up to 3 hours. When ready, carefully lift the ribs onto a plate and pour the braising liquid into a saucepan. Replace the ribs in the roasting pan and place back into the warm oven.

5. Apply thickened sauce generously to ribs before browning under the broiler

   Bring the liquid to a rolling boil and reduce by half (about 5 to 7 minutes.) Stir in 1-2 tablespoons of ketchup to thicken the sauce. Brush the sauce generously over the ribs and place under the broiler until brown and crispy on the edges. Serve and enjoy!

Tips & Warnings

• Vary the dry rub ingredients to suit your taste. Use more brown sugar if you like sweeter ribs, or none at all if you don't. Try garlic and/or onion powder instead of cajun seasoning. For spicier ribs, add a bit of cayenne pepper. The more you make these, the better your own dry rub will be.

• The same is true of the braising liquid. If you don't want to use beer or wine, try apple cider, perhaps diluted with water. Add some soy sauce and ginger for an Asian flair. I once had some delicious ribs that had been cooked in Dr. Pepper!