Rubbed Ribs

I love barbecued ribs! I used to boil them before I finished them off on the grill but then I discovered the rub and slow bake method and now it’s the only way I make them.

Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 & 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 & 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dry coriander
• 1 tsp dry oregano
• 1 tsp dry thyme
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• I bay leaf, crumbled
• 4 TBSP brown sugar
• 2 racks of baby back pork ribs
• Your favorite BBQ sauce to finish

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300f/150c, get out a roasting pan with a rack and a lid or enough foil to cover the pan. The roasting pan needs to be just big enough to hold all the ribs once they are cut in half. It is fine to slightly overlapping the ribs in the pan but the lid/foil cover most not touch the ribs.
2. Put everything except the ribs and the brown sugar in a food processor or mini chopper, process until fine and dust like. Add the brown sugar and pulse until well mixed.
3. With a small sharp knife cut each rack of ribs in half, trying to make each half as equal in weight as you possibly can. Take one of the halves and turn it so the back is facing upwards then with the knife taking care not to cut through the whole rib, cut the sinuet between each rib leaving a around 1/2 an inch (1.25 cm) at the top and the bottom. Repeat with the other 3 halves.
4. Place the rib halves into the roasting pan and sprinkle each top and bottom with the rub, then massage it in. Make sure to get some into the cut sinuet and around all the edges. It may seem like to much rub but just keep working on rubbing it into the meat and getting it evenly coated.
5. Once the ribs are well coated, put them into the roasting pan (it’s ok if they are overlapped a bit) then put on the cover or cover tightly with foil.
6. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 2.5 hours, or until very tender.
7. Remove from the oven, take off the lid or foil and cool until just warm.
8. Slather with your favorite BBQ sauce and finish off on the BBQ or grill/broiler.

Makes 1 scant cup of rub – which is enough for 2 racks of ribs

Notes

• You can store the ribs in the fridge after step 7 and then let them sit out at room temperature for half an hour before step 8.
• Don’t BBQ the ribs raw with this rub, the sugar in the rub will burn long before the ribs are cooked enough to eat.