Sweet, Smoky & Sticky Ribs

We’re celebrating the last day of August with some good ol’ ribs.

If COVID hadn’t hijacked summer events and festivals, I would be feasting at the Capital Ribfest immediantly. My family and I have definitely attended a few different rib festivals in the past and it’s always a treat to walk around, taste-test the different booths, and then settle down at a picnic table with a smorgasbord of bbq musts — pulled pork, baked beans, cornbread, smoked chicken, but of course — the ribs are always the * star *.

These make at home ribs are sooo tender from being slowly baked in the oven. THEN, you slather them with a layer of smoky bbq sauce and broil until sticky and delicious. Many napkins will be required!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 rib rack, small to medium sized
• 1/4 cup of OJ
• 1/2 cup of your fav bbq sauce – I’m using Montana’s Bold BBQ sauce

Dry Rub

• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp salt

Mix together and set aside. This recipe is intended for a small to medium sized rib rack, however if you have multiple racks or a medium to large rib rack, double the recipe.

Set your oven temp to 275°F. We’re going low and slow!!

To prep the ribs, you will need to remove the silver skin on the underside of the ribs. I had to use a small pairing knife to scrape the membrane away from the rack at first, but once you pull up one corner or section, you can slowly pull it away from the ribs until it comes off in one piece. You Discard, and then wash and pat the ribs dry with paper towel.

Next, coat the ribs liberally with the dry rub on both sides and pat it into the meat.

Wrap the rib rack in aluminum foil and disperse the OJ around the sides of the rib. This will ensure that the ribs don’t dry out while in the oven. Tightly seal the foil and set on a baking sheet or a large roasting pan so that they lay flat. Pop them into the oven they go for about 2 hours for a small-medium sized rack.

After the 2 hour mark, check to see if the meat has pulled away from the bone OR is fork tender. If the meat has not pulled away from the bone just yet, put back in the oven and check every 20 minutes until ready. Pull out and discard the foil.

Lastly, in order to get that sticky, messy rib that we all crave — slather the bbq sauce over top of the ribs and set your oven to broil.

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Be sure to watch to ensure the sugar within the bbq sauce does not burn and pull from the oven when they achieve that ” glazed rib look”, or about 3 – 5 minutes. Repeat once more with an additional layer of bbq sauce if necessary and serve hot…. right next to some crispy sweet potato wedges and sweet corn.

Peace and good eats, y’all. -A❁