Oven Ribs

I love ribs, but have never had a smoker. Thankfully this recipe works for even the smallest apartment kitchen, it’s easy and it gives you the time to make all the delicious sides to go with it. It started out as a recipe from Alton Brown and has been modified over the years, but watch his video to see exactly how to fold the foil around the ribs.   

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/who-loves-ya-baby-back-recipe-1937448

For rub: 

8 brown sugar

4 blackening 

3 salt

1 chili powder 

1 black pepper

½ pepper

½ cayenne 

½ onion powder

For braise 

24 oz can cider 

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

2 tsp worcester 

1tsp honey

2 cloves of garlic

2 racks of baby back ribs 

Start with making your rub. You want it to be saltier and sweeter than the traditional blackening, but you can alter it to your taste. 

Trim the ribs of any excess fat and then you’re going to want to place on a sheet of foil the cover generously with the rub on both sides. After covered in the rub, fold the foil carefully around the ribs so they’re wrapped up, but leave one side opened up. Place both racks of ribs on a cookie sheet and refrigerate overnight. 

When ready to cook, combine the ingredients for the braise and microwave for 30 seconds to a minute until honey is dissolved. Pour the braising liquid into the foil making sure that each rack gets half of it then close up the foil so the ribs are now airtight in foil. Slant the cooking sheet to make sure the liquid gets dispersed to all sides of the ribs. Cook at 125 degrees for 2 ½ - 3 hours. Check them for doneness the bone should wiggle but not come loose. 

After they’re cooked, open up the foil pouch and pour the liquid into a sauce pan, bring to a boil and reduce by ¾ or until it’s formed a barbeque sauce. When the sauce has thickened up and the ribs cooled you can either glaze the ribs and put under a broiler for 1-2 minutes, make sure they don’t burn. 

Note: Ribs are great, but they’re messy. An easier and cleaner way to enjoy this is to keep cooking the ribs for 4-5 hours until the bone easily slides out. Prepare the glaze the same way, but while that’s reducing debone and shred the meat. Then add the sauce to have the best pulled pork sandwiches ever.