Oven-Baked BBQ Pork Ribs
The first step is the one almost everybody skips: peeling the silver skin off the bone side. It is tough, it lets neither seasoning nor moisture through, and as long as it stays on the meat never gets properly tender.
After that it is easy. The ribs cook for two hours sealed tightly in aluminium foil — in their own steam, which is why they fall off the bone at the end — and only get their glossy glaze at high heat right at the end, for that fall-off-the-bone texture.
The sauce really does go on only at the end. It contains a lot of sugar; applied from the start it would be black and bitter after two hours.
You will also need: aluminium foil.
Ingredients
- 1 rack of pork ribs, about 1 to 1.2 kg
- 2 tbsp brown sugar, for the rub
- 1 tsp smoked paprika, for the rub
- 1 tsp salt, for the rub
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder, for the rub
- 1/2 tsp onion powder, for the rub
- 200 ml barbecue sauce, shop-bought or homemade
Method
- 1
Preparing and trimming: remove the membrane (the thin silver skin) from the back of the rack; it is essential so the flavours penetrate and the meat comes out tender. Lift it at one edge with a knife, grip it with kitchen paper and pull it off in one piece. Pat the rack thoroughly dry.
- 2
Seasoning (the rub): mix the brown sugar, the smoked paprika, the salt, and the garlic and onion powder. Rub this mixture generously over the whole surface of the rack.
- 3
Slow cooking: wrap the rack in two layers of aluminium foil, sealing the edges well so no steam escapes. Bake at a moderate 160 °C for 2 hours. This lets the meat cook in its own juices.
- 4
The final glaze: take the ribs out of the oven, open the foil carefully (watch out for the steam!) and brush both sides generously with the barbecue sauce. Return them to the oven at 200 °C, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes. Brush every 5 minutes to build that characteristic caramelised, glossy layer.
- 5
Resting and serving: take them out of the oven and let them rest for 10 minutes before cutting. This helps the juices redistribute and the glaze set onto the meat.