Donzii's Signature BBQ Ribs

I remember in my second year of university, my best friend reported me to the director of the school, and not for the reason you think. Our sub-division, the school of tourism, only had one hundred students and because of this, the administration had close-knit relationships with us. My best friend was concerned about my poor eating habits because I would often have my first meal at 6 p.m. This was always unintentional, but she felt that an authority figure needed to intervene and help me with my eating dilemma. It seemed like an odd choice, as though the admin team genuinely cared for the students, I'm not exactly sure what the director could have done to make me break this personal habit.

The truth is, I just wasn't very good at feeding myself. However, I was very good at feeding others. From potlucks to private birthday dinners for my friends, I just could not get enough of my kitchen. I was probably seven years old when I cooked my first meal. Granted, it was nothing fancy, but I was quite proud that I had gained some independence in the kitchen. That was when my long-term relationship with cooking began, and nineteen years later, we are still going strong.

Food has always been an ideal way to bring the people in my life together, whether family or friends. Over the years, there has been one particular dish that is always a hit and constantly requested. You guessed it! My bbq ribs! The first time I made it was in 2014 for a Sunday dinner with a few of my classmates. I decided to play by ear and did not use a recipe as its customary in my culture to cook without recipes. As such, I relied on my memory of when I had ribs at a restaurant and recreated the dish.

Unfortunately, my dining experience did not include the preparation of the meal, and so I missed a key step, removing the membrane. It was a hoot watching my friends struggle to chew the ribs but refusing to give up. Luckily the flavours were on point, so they were willing to overlook this oversight. Learn from my mistake and always remove the membrane! It will only take an extra minute or less which will be worth the tender fall-of-the-bone ribs that you (and your guests) will be able to enjoy.

As cheesy as this sounds, I would like to share the love in the form of my bbq ribs recipe. This recipe is ideal for potlucks, date night, barbecues and just about any occasion that involves food!

If you try this recipe, let me know how it is!

Recipe

Prep Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes (or overnight)

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 3 hours and 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 rack baby back pork ribs

3 tbsp yellow mustard

Dry rub:

½ tsp ground cumin

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp onion powder

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp salt

2 tsp Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb Seasoning (optional)

Homemade barbecue sauce:

2 cups ketchup

1/3 cup of apple cider vinegar

5 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp honey

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp lemon juice

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C).

2. Trim excess fat and remove the membrane from the underside of the ribs.

3. Coat both sides of the ribs using yellow mustard. The mustard binds the dry seasoning to the ribs, and the flavour will not be present in the end product.

4. Combine all the dry rub ingredients listed above and generously season the ribs. Let the ribs marinate for one hour then wrap with foil, meat side facing down.

5. Place the wrapped ribs on a baking tray and bake for a total time of two hours.

6. While the ribs are baking, place all the ingredients for the homemade barbecue sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil then lower the heat and let it simmer for eight minutes or until the sauce begins to thicken.

7. When there are approximately 30 minutes of cooking time left, remove the ribs from the foil and brush all sides with the homemade barbeque sauce. Return the ribs to the oven and continue to bake uncovered. If you prefer your ribs to be extra saucy, then add another layer of barbeque sauce when there are 15 minutes of cooking time left.

8. Once the ribs are done, you should be able to pierce them with a knife or fork easily. Let the ribs rest for ten minutes then serve with additional barbecue sauce.

Notes

1. The ribs can be soaked overnight in coca-cola. This should impart a nice flavour into the meat as the sugar in the soda caramelizes during the baking process. Soaking the ribs overnight also helps with tenderizing the meat. I do not notice a significant difference when I use this method, but it is worth a try if you have the time to spare.

2. I have made bbq ribs many times, and lately, it has been for the same crowd. As such, I try to prepare different sides each time. Some of my favourite side dishes include mashed potatoes, warm or classic potato salad, boiled corn, coleslaw, baked macaroni and cheese, jalapeno cheddar cornbread, green beans and potato wedges. Can you tell that I really love potatoes?

3. If you happen to like wine, these ribs pair well with Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Reisling (dry) or Rosé (dry).

4. Any leftover ribs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. However, it is highly unlikely that there will be leftovers!

With this easy and delicious recipe, fingers will inevitably be licked, and tummies will be happily satisfied. I know my other half can’t get enough of these ribs as it happens to be his second favourite thing for me to make, my homemade chicken burger being the first. On that note, I think I will head to the supermarket so I can make us some bbq ribs. After all, the only thing better than talking about food is eating!