Dad Ribs
A well-tested recipe for tender, unctuous pork ribs cooked on a grill (not smoked) and slathered in a sticky-sweet homemade barbecue sauce.
Nutrition· per serving · estimated
Ingredients15 items
Instructions
- 1
Place the St. Louis style ribs on a cutting board. Use a dull knife to lift the membrane from the back of the ribs, then use a paper towel for grip to pull it off. Repeat for the second rack.
- 2
Cut each rack of ribs in half at the halfway point.
- 3
In a small bowl, combine kosher salt, garlic powder, and ground black pepper. Stir to combine.
- 4
Place each rib section on a tray. Liberally sprinkle about a quarter of the dry brine mixture over each side of the ribs, pressing it in to ensure full coverage.
- 5
Place the seasoned ribs on a wire rack set over a baking sheet in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, preferably 12-18 hours, to dry brine or cure.
900:00 timer - 6
Preheat your oven to 135°C (275°F).
- 7
Lay out a double layer of aluminum foil for each rib section. Place a rib section top-side down (rib-side facing up) onto the foil. Fold the bottom and top of the foil over the ribs, then seal the ends to create a tight package. Repeat for all rib sections.
- 8
Place the foil-wrapped ribs on a baking sheet into the preheated oven. Bake for 3 hours.
180:00 timer - 9
After 3 hours, remove ribs from the oven. Carefully unwrap one package and use two forks to gently pull laterally on the meat to check for tenderness. The meat should be tender but still hold its shape. Re-wrap the package.
- 10
Allow the wrapped ribs to rest for at least 20 minutes to allow juices to resettle.
20:00 timer - 11
Grate the onion into a pulp. Run a knife through it a couple more times to ensure it's finely minced.
- 12
In a small saucepan over medium heat, add oil. Slide in the grated onion and minced garlic. Stir and cook until the onion is soft and translucent, about 3 minutes.
3:00 timer - 13
Add ketchup, molasses (or brown sugar), Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, yellow mustard, chili powder, and cayenne pepper to the saucepan. Stir to combine.
- 14
Cook the sauce over medium to medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, or until the sauce is reduced by about 20% and the onion is fully melted into the background. Place a lid slightly ajar to minimize splattering.
10:00 timer - 15
Preheat a grill to high heat. Liberally spray or wipe the grill grates with cooking spray or olive oil.
- 16
Lightly spray each rib section with cooking spray. Place the ribs on the hot grill, bone-side down, to get a char on the meat without sauce. Grill for about 1.5-2 minutes per side.
2:00 timer - 17
Brush a generous layer of the prepared BBQ sauce onto the top side of the ribs. Close the lid and let the sauce get sticky and reduce for about 60 seconds.
1:00 timer - 18
Flip the ribs to the sugar-side (sauced side) down. Brush another generous layer of BBQ sauce on the newly exposed side. Close the lid and cook for about 90 seconds.
1:30 timer - 19
Flip the ribs again so the second sauced side is now exposed. Brush a final generous layer of sauce on this side. Close the lid and cook for about 90 seconds.
1:30 timer - 20
Remove the ribs from the grill. Brush one more time with any remaining sauce for an extra sticky glaze. Cut between the bones and serve immediately.