By Tracey
Foolproof Ribs with Homemade Barbecue Sauce
just barely adapted from Barefoot Contessa Foolproof: Recipes You Can Trust by Ina Garten
(Note: After baking the ribs you can refrigerate them and grill later instead of grilling immediately, so this could be a good make-ahead option for a party.)
Ingredients:
Barbecue Sauce
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup tomato paste
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Foolproof Ribs
- 5 lb baby back or St Louis ribs
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
To make the sauce: Add the oil to a large saucepan and set over low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until they are translucent (they shouldn’t brown). Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, chili powder, cumin, and red pepper flakes and stir until well combined. Increase the heat to medium, and bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce for 30 minutes. (If you aren’t going to use immediately, allow the sauce to cool slightly then transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. The sauce will last for at least 2 weeks.)
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the ribs on the prepared baking sheet and season with the salt and pepper. Pour barbecue sauce over the ribs and spread (how much is up to you – I just used enough to cover them lightly). Cover the ribs loosely with aluminum foil.
Bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the ribs are fork tender (if you use less than 5 lb of ribs your baking time will be on the lower end of the range, if you are cooking over 5 lb, you’ll be on the top of the range). When the ribs are done, remove them from the oven and spread with additional barbecue sauce (again, how much is up to you).
Toward the end of the cooking time, preheat your grill to medium-high. Oil the grill racks generously to keep the ribs from sticking. Transfer the baked ribs to the grill, rib-side down. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until browned. Flip the ribs over and cook for another 4-5 minutes, or until browned. Transfer ribs to a cutting board and cover tightly with foil – allow to rest for at least 10 minutes. Cut and serve with additional barbecue sauce, if desired.
