Baby Back Ribs

Bob Sokol

I like ribs, so I learned how to make them by combining stuff that sounded good from different sites on the Internet.

Make a dry rub using the following stuff:

About 1/2 c. brown sugar

About 1/4 c. paprika

2 big spoonfuls of kosher salt

1 big spoonful of black pepper

1 big spoonful of garlic powder

1 big spoonful of onion powder

1 big spoonful of chili powder

1 small spoonful of cayenne pepper (optional)

Take the membrane of the back of the ribs if it is there. Apply rib rub generously onto the ribs, wrap individual slabs in foil (shiny side out) and refrigerate over night (or at least a couple of hours).

When you are ready to begin cooking, open one end of the tin foil and pour in about 1 cup of braising liquid* and reseal them. Put the ribs (which are in the foil) on a cookie sheet and braise the ribs (bake them) for 150 to 180 minutes. Before removing the ribs from the oven, prepare a barbeque (preferably charcoal) grill.

Remove the ribs from the foil and sear them on the grill (5 to 10 minutes per side) and apply BBQ sauce as desired. If you don’t own a grill (or it is too cold to go outside) you can also finish them under the broiler.

I use store-bought Brisket sauce and liquid smoke in a 2 to 1 ratio. Some people use BBQ sauce, but I am not a fan of that. You can use just about anything; you just don’t want the meat to dry out.

I’ve never tried it, but here is Alton Brown’s braising liquid recipe:

1 c. white wine

2 T. white wine vinegar

2 T. Worcestershire sauce

1 T. honey

2 cloves garlic, chopped