I can unabashedly claim that these baby back ribs are the best. I have a crew of family and friends to vet for that. Juicy and tender on the inside with a caramelized outside, these baby backs are finger licking delicious. Eat one and you’ll keep going for more, they are that addictive.
The key to these amazing ribs is that I bake them first until they are very tender and almost falling off the bone. Then I slather them with my homemade barbecue sauce and grill them. The moist ribs get crispy edges and a smoky flavor from the grill.
The double flavor components of these delicious ribs are the dry spice rub and the barbecue sauce. The spice rub boosts them with so much flavor while they are slowly baking in the oven.
And then the barbecue sauce seals the deal. This sauce is luscious and absolutely divine. The list of ingredients seems like a lot but this one is fairly easy to make. All those ingredients come together to make this sauce sweet, smoky, spicy and just the right amount of tangy. In other words this is the perfect barbecue sauce. Pass it around to dip in with those delicious baby backs.
Recipe
Baby Back Ribs
| Ingredients | |
|---|---|
 | 1 whole rack baby back ribs (4 lbs) |
| 1 tablespoon kosher salt |
| 1 tablespoon brown sugar |
| 1 teaspoon garlic powder |
| 1 teaspoon onion powder |
| 1 teaspoon chipotle powder |
| 2 teaspoon chili powder |
| 1 teaspoon paprika |
| 2 tablespoons olive oil |
Dry Rub Mix Dry Rub Sprinkled Out of the Oven On the Grill
| Instructions | |
|---|---|
| In a bowl, mix together the salt, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, chipotle powder, paprika, and chili powder |
| Preheat the oven to 350 degree F. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil |
| Pat the ribs dry with a paper towel. Peel off the tough membrane that covers the underside or bony side of the ribs |
| Place the ribs on the pan meat side down. Generously sprinkle the ribs with the spice mixture on both sides. Drizzle olive oil all over the ribs. Cover the ribs loosely with aluminum foil |
| Bake the ribs in the 350 degree F oven for 1 ½ hours until the meat is very tender when tested with a fork |
| As soon as the ribs are out of the oven, brush them generously with some barbecue sauce |
| Heat a grill to medium-high heat. Brush the cooking grates with oil to prevent the ribs from sticking |
| Place the ribs on the grill rib-side down, brush them with some more barbecue sauce, put the lid down and grill for 5 minutes |
| Turn the ribs meat-side-down, brush with barbecue sauce, put the lid down and grill for additional 5 minutes, until nicely browned |
| Place the ribs on a cutting board, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and allow the ribs to rest for 10 minutes |
| Cut into the ribs and serve hot with extra barbecue sauce on the side |
Barbecue Sauce
| Ingredients | |
|---|---|
| 1 medium onion, minced |
| 2 tablespoons vegetable oil |
| 3 garlic cloves, minced |
| ½ inch peeled ginger, minced |
| 1 dried Ancho chile |
| 15 ounce tomato sauce (1 can) |
| ¼ cup soy sauce |
| ¼ cup apple cider vinegar |
| ¼ cup worcestershire sauce |
| 1 teaspoon salt |
| ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper |
| ⅓ cup packed dark brown sugar |
| 1 teaspoon cumin powder |
| 1 teaspoon coriander powder |
| Instructions | |
|---|---|
| Heat a dry heavy skillet, preferably cast-iron, over moderately high heat until hot. Toast chili, turning and pressing with tongs, until slightly darker , about 1 minute. Remove stem and soak chile in hot water until softened, about 5 minutes. Lift out and coarsely chop the chile |
| Heat oil in a heavy saucepan over moderate heat |
| Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes |
| As soon as onion gets translucent, add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes |
| Add the remaining ingredients and the chopped chile |
| Bring the sauce to a simmer |
| Simmer the sauce, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes |
| Turn off the heat and with an immersion blender puree the sauce until it is nice and smooth |
| Use sauce immediately or pour into a container and refrigerate |
Note: The barbecue sauce can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 weeks.
If you make these Baby back ribs with homemade barbecue sauce, please leave a comment. I would love to hear from you! And if you do make this recipe, please don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or your favorite social media platform! I would love to see pictures of your creations.
Inspiration: To create really good barbecue at home
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