Sweet-and-Sticky Baby Back Ribs
Yield
4
RECIPE Ingredients
- 1 package Berkshire Pork Baby Back Ribs, 2 racks, about 3½ lbs total
- 1 recipe Rib Rub #99, see below
- ½ cup your favorite barbecue sauce
- ¼ cup Sugar In The Raw
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup molasses
- ¼ cup Steen’s Cane Syrup
- ¼ cup cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Louisiana hot sauce
FOR THE RIB RUB
- ¾ cup Sugar In The Raw
- ½ cup salt
- ¼ cup paprika
- 2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon chile powder
- 1 tablespoon dry mustard
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
Recipe notes
In this perfect rib recipe, cane syrup - a sticky sweet syrup made from sugar cane - gives the barbecue sauce backbone, along with honey, molasses and cider vinegar.
RECIPE Preparation
- For the rib rub: Combine all ingredients, mix well.
- At least a half hour and up to 4 hours before you plan to cook the ribs peel the membrane off the back of the ribs and trim any excessive fat. Season the ribs liberally on both sides with the rib rub. Refrigerate.
- To make the sauce, in a medium saucepan over low heat, heat the barbecue sauce. Add the sugar and mix well. Cook for 1 minute, until the sugar dissolves. Add the honey, molasses, cane syrup, vinegar, and hot sauce. Mix well and cook for 3 minutes, stirring often. Divide the glaze equally between two bowls, one for serving at the table and one for brushing on the ribs as they grill. Set aside.
- Prepare the grill for cooking over indirect heat at 300 degrees F using apple or cherry wood for flavor. Place the ribs on the cooking grate, meaty-side up. Cook for 1 hour. Flip and cook another 30 minutes. Flip again and cook until they are nicely caramelized and golden brown, about another 30 minutes, but may vary depending on your grill.
- Transfer the ribs to a platter. Lay out two big double-layered sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil, each long enough to wrap a whole slab of the ribs. Transfer the ribs to the foil, meaty-side up. Fold the foil up around the ribs into a packet. Seal the packets snugly, being careful not to puncture the foil with the rib bones. Return to the grill for 45 minutes to 1 hour to reach your desired degree of tenderness. The best way to determine the doneness is to open the foil after 45 minutes and feel the texture of the meat. It should be very tender. Transfer the foil packets to a platter. Raise the temp of the grill to 400 degrees F. Remove the ribs from the foil and return to the cooking grate. Brush with the glaze and flip. Brush the other side and cook for 5 minutes. Flip again, brush, and cook for 5 minutes. Discard the glaze that you’ve been brushing with. Remove the ribs to a platter. Serve ½ slab to each guest with the second bowl of glaze on the side.
