Best Barbecued Ribs Recipes

BEST-EVER BARBECUED RIBS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Place each rack of ribs on a double layer of foil; sprinkle rub all over ribs. Wrap racks individually and divide between 2 baking sheets.
• Bake ribs until very tender but not falling apart, about 2 hours for baby backs and 3 hours for spareribs. Carefully unwrap ribs; pour any juices from foil into a 4-cup heatproof measuring cup; reserve juices. Let ribs cool completely. DO AHEAD: Ribs can be baked up to 3 days ahead (the flavor will be more developed, and the cold ribs will hold together better on the grill as they heat through). Cover and chill juices. Rewrap ribs in foil and chill.
• Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to high. Add broth or water to rib juices, if needed, to measure 1 1/2 cups. Whisk in barbecue sauce to blend.
• Grill ribs, basting with barbecue sauce mixture and turning frequently, until lacquered and charred in places and heated through, 7-10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board; cut between ribs to separate. Transfer to a platter and serve with additional barbecue sauce.

CHINESE-STYLE BARBECUED RIBS

Steps:

• In a food processor or blender, mince garlic and scallions. Add hoisin, ketchup, honey, soy sauce, rice wine or vodka, rice vinegar and five-spice powder. Process until well blended. Taste for sweetness; the mixture should be sweet like barbecue sauce, not candy. Adjust the taste with honey, soy sauce and vinegar.
• Set aside 1/3 cup marinade for basting. Transfer remaining marinade to a container or pan large enough to hold the ribs, or to large resealable plastic bags. Add ribs and turn until well coated. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, and up to 2 days, turning occasionally in the marinade.
• Heat oven to 300 degrees. Set up a rimmed baking sheet (or two) with an oven-safe wire rack that fits inside, the kind you'd use for cooling cookies. Line the bottoms of the pans with foil or nonstick baking mats. Place the racks inside the pans and place the empty pans on the bottom rack of the oven. Pour in hot water until it comes about halfway up the sides of the pan. (Do not skip the water: The steam helps cook the meat to the right tenderness.)
• When the oven is hot, remove the ribs from the marinade and place on the racks, meaty side up. Bake without basting, 1 hour for baby back ribs, 2 hours for St. Louis style ribs. Check the water level occasionally to make sure it hasn't cooked off.
• Remove ribs from the oven and raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees. Pour off any water from the baking sheet and return the ribs to the racks. (Alternatively, you can finish the ribs on a medium-hot grill; see below.)
• Return ribs to the oven and roast (or grill), basting 2 or 3 times with reserved marinade, for 20 to 30 minutes (less time for baby backs, more for spareribs). Watch the ribs carefully to make sure that the edges don't burn, and don't baste them too close to the end; they should be dry and sticky, not wet on the surface.
• Use a big knife to cut between the bones, making sure that each rib has meat on both sides. Mound on a platter, sprinkle with scallions and cilantro, and serve immediately.

BARBECUED RIBS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Cut ribs into 6 serving pieces. Place ribs, meaty sides down, in shallow roasting pan, about 13x9 inches.
• Bake uncovered 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, heat sauce ingredients over medium heat, stirring frequently, until butter is melted. (Or microwave sauce ingredients in 1-cup microwavable measuring cup on High about 30 seconds or until butter is melted.)
• Brush sauce over ribs, using pastry brush. Turn ribs over, using tongs, Brush meaty sides of ribs with sauce.
• Bake uncovered about 45 minutes longer, brushing frequently with sauce, until ribs are tender and no longer pink next to bones. To serve any remaining sauce with ribs, heat sauce to boiling, stirring constantly, then continue to boil and stir 1 minute.

BETH'S MELT IN YOUR MOUTH BARBECUE RIBS (OVEN)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with two layers of foil, shiny side out.
• Peel off tough membrane that covers the bony side of the ribs.
• Season the ribs on both sides with salt and pepper. If using, divide the Hickory liquid smoke evenly over the ribs.
• In a medium bowl, combine the light brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder and ground red pepper. Apply the rub to all sides of the ribs.
• Lay ribs on the prepared baking sheet, meaty side down. BONE SIDE DOWN FOR GRILLING!
• Lay two layers of foil on top of ribs and roll and crimp edges tightly, edges facing up to seal.
• Transfer to the oven and = bake for 2-2 1/2 hours or until meat is starting to shrink away from the ends of the bone.
• Remove from oven.
• Heat broiler.
• Cut ribs into serving sized portions of 2 or 3 ribs.
• Arrange on broiler pan, bony side up.
• Brush on sauce.
• Broil for 1 or 2 minutes until sauce is cooked on and bubbly.
• Turn ribs over.
• Repeat on other side.
• Alternately, you can grill the ribs on your grill to cook on the sauce.

MOM'S BEST BARBECUED RIBS

Steps:

• Note: you may use Splenda brown sugar blend in place of brown sugar.
• Cut the ribs into sections of 3 or 4 ribs each.
• Place on rack in roasting pan; pour boiling water in bottom of pan. Cover tightly with foil and bake in preheated 300° oven for 2 hours.
• Prepare sauce by melting margarine in a saucepan. Add chopped onion and simmer until tender but not brown.
• Add catsup to onions.
• In a 2-cup measure, mix remaining ingredients, stirring well to dissolve brown sugar.
• Add this to catsup, stirring as you bring it to boil. Turn heat very low and let sauce simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened.
• Remove ribs from roasting pan, place on large foil-lined cookie sheet (for easier cleanup). Brush both sides generously with sauce.
• Turn oven up to 375° and return ribs to oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
• BONUS: Sauce recipe may be doubled or tripled, and remaining sauce can be stored in air-tight jar or bottle in the fridge. It keeps well for up to a month. Mine never lasts that long because I use it on everything.