There’s no doubt that traditional barbecue ribs from smokehouses are amazing, but the craft that goes into them takes a lot of time and effort. Fortunately, you can produce tender and juicy ribs in less than half the time in your own oven.
Baby Back Ribs
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
2 pounds baby back ribs
¼ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 ¼ teaspoons garlic powder or 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ teaspoons salt
Mustard
¾ cup barbecue sauce
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.
2. Combine all dry ingredients to make rub.
3. Pat ribs dry and remove membrane (the white skin on backside of ribs).
To remove: Insert small knife between membrane and bone at one end of ribs and wiggle to loosen. Work your fingers under skin and gently pull off skin from one end to other, using paper towel for better grip if necessary.
Even easier: Ask your butcher to remove the membrane for you.
4. Spread enough mustard to coat both sides of ribs. +MASSAGE rub generously onto both sides of ribs.
5. Line baking pan with foil. Wrap ribs tightly with foil and place on pan, bone side down.
TIP 1: Place second pan lined with foil on bottom of oven to catch any drippings. You’ll need it.
TIP 2: Let the ribs come to room temperature before roasting to ensure even cooking through to the bone.
6. Roast for one hour. Remove ribs from oven, unwrap and slather with barbecue sauce. Return to oven unwrapped for 30 minutes.
7. Let rest for 10 minutes and serve.
Baked Barbecue Wings
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 3
Ingredients:
1 pound chicken wings
2/3 cup barbecue sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375˚F.
2. Remove tips of wings with shears or knife if they have tips. Find joint between wing and tip and cut right through it. Discard tips.
3. Season wings lightly with salt and pepper.
4. Bake in oven for 20 minutes on baking sheet lined with parchment paper or tin foil.
5. Remove and let cool for 1 minute. Toss in bowl with barbecue sauce.
6. Place back in oven and bake for 10 more minutes.
Homemade Barbecue Sauce
There are plenty of options for store-bought barbecue sauce, but many are laden with high fructose corn syrup and dull in flavor. Why settle for boring when you can whip up your own batch, customized to your taste? This basic recipe gives you all the right bold, sweet and tangy flavors.
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 1 cup
Ingredients:
1 cup Heinz ketchup
½ cup water
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon mustard
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in medium saucepan and bring to boil.
2. Simmer uncovered and stir frequently until sauce is nearly reduced by half and takes on rich brown color, about 20 minutes.
3. Let cool and store in refrigerator for up to 10 days.
Treating Your Meat
Quick, simple rubs can be the key to unlocking flavor in your meat.
Wet Rubs:
Brown Sugar Herb
½ cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons fresh
rosemary, chopped
Salt to taste
Margarita
1 lemon, juiced and zested
2 limes, juiced and zested
2 tablespoons tequila
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
Pinch of cayenne
Pinch of pepper
Salt to taste
Dry Rubs:
Coffee
½ cup freshly ground coffee
2 teaspoons pepper
1 ½ teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Salt to taste
Italian
½ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon pepper
½ tablespoon dried oregano
½ tablespoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon dried basil
½ tablespoon dried parsley
Salt to taste