Virginia Barbecued Spareribs Recipes

OVEN PORK RIBS WITH BARBECUE SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine the Rub ingredients and rub onto both sides of the ribs (most on meaty side). Set aside to marinate for 20 minutes (or overnight).
• Preheat oven to 160°C/320°F (all oven types).
• Place ribs on a tray in a single layer. Pour apple cider underneath the ribs, cover with foil then bake for 1 hour 30 minutes or until the meat is pretty tender (Note 5).
• Remove from oven, turn up to 180°C/350°F. Remove foil, drizzle with olive oil, then return ribs to oven for 15 minutes or until rub becomes nice and crusty.
• Line a new tray with foil then baking / parchment paper (you'll thank me later).
• Remove ribs from oven, transfer to lined tray. Pour any juices from tray over the ribs.
• Flip ribs so the bonier side is up. Slather with Barbecue Sauce, then bake 10 minutes.
• Remove from oven, then turn ribs over so the meaty side is up. Slather with Barbecue Sauce, bake 5 minutes. Repeat 2 or 3 more times until you've got a thick glaze on the ribs.
• Cut ribs into individual or multiple rib portions and serve with remaining Barbcue Sauce!

SWEET HEAT BARBECUE RIBS

Steps:

• If necessary, remove the thin membrane from the back of each rack of ribs; discard the membrane. Combine the paprika, brown sugar, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, garlic salt and black pepper in a small bowl. Rub the meat with the oil and then rub liberally with the spice blend. Leave at room temperature for 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, set the grill for indirect cooking at 250 degrees F, with wood chips for flavor if using. (I use bourbon barrel staves. Cherry and hickory would be good, but stay away from mesquite.) Wrap the soaked chips in a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place the foil-wrapped chips on the coals.
• Add the spareribs, meat-side up. Close the lid and cook, flipping occasionally, until the meat is smoky and just tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Brush the spareribs with the Sweet Heat Barbecue Sauce and continue cooking until the sauce is nicely caramelized and the meat is completely tender, about an additional 30 minutes. Serve with Sweet Heat Barbecue Sauce on the side.
• In a saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat; add the onions and simmer until soft and melted, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, black pepper, brown sugar, cayenne pepper and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, decrease the heat to low and simmer until the flavors have smoothed and mellowed, at least 10 and up to 30 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last for months.

EASY FALL OFF THE BONE OVEN-BAKED RIBS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 275° Fahrenheit (135C).
• If the ribs still have the thin membrane covering the back of the rack, remove it. See how in the notes section below.
• Season both sides of the ribs with a generous amount of salt and pepper. If you are using a spice rub, add season the ribs with it now. Place the ribs, meat-side up, into a large roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet. (It may be necessary to cut the ribs in half for them to fit into the pan).
• Cover the pan or baking sheet tightly with aluminum foil, and then bake until the meat falls easily from the bones, 2 ½ to 3 ½ hours. We like to check the ribs after 2 hours to see how they are progressing. The ribs are done when the meat is cooked through and tender.
• While the ribs bake, make the barbecue sauce. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the cumin and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
• Add the ketchup, hot chili sauce, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar. Stir to combine, season with salt then cook for 2 minutes. Set aside in preparation for the ribs to finish roasting.
• Remove the ribs from the oven, discard the aluminum foil and generously brush both sides with barbecue sauce.
• Optional: Move an oven rack near the top of the oven. Turn broiler to high and broil the ribs for 3-4 minutes, just until the barbecue sauce begins to caramelize. (Keep a close eye on the ribs while they broil so the sauce does not burn.)
• Store baked ribs, in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze, wrapped in foil or freezer paper and in an airtight container, for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, and then reheat.
• To reheat the ribs, wrap in foil or parchment paper and place into a 300°F oven until warmed through, about 30 minutes. If you have some leftover, slather some extra sauce that's been warmed over the ribs before serving.

CHINESE-STYLE BARBECUED RIBS

Steps:

• In a food processor or blender, mince garlic and scallions. Add hoisin, ketchup, honey, soy sauce, rice wine or vodka, rice vinegar and five-spice powder. Process until well blended. Taste for sweetness; the mixture should be sweet like barbecue sauce, not candy. Adjust the taste with honey, soy sauce and vinegar.
• Set aside 1/3 cup marinade for basting. Transfer remaining marinade to a container or pan large enough to hold the ribs, or to large resealable plastic bags. Add ribs and turn until well coated. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, and up to 2 days, turning occasionally in the marinade.
• Heat oven to 300 degrees. Set up a rimmed baking sheet (or two) with an oven-safe wire rack that fits inside, the kind you'd use for cooling cookies. Line the bottoms of the pans with foil or nonstick baking mats. Place the racks inside the pans and place the empty pans on the bottom rack of the oven. Pour in hot water until it comes about halfway up the sides of the pan. (Do not skip the water: The steam helps cook the meat to the right tenderness.)
• When the oven is hot, remove the ribs from the marinade and place on the racks, meaty side up. Bake without basting, 1 hour for baby back ribs, 2 hours for St. Louis style ribs. Check the water level occasionally to make sure it hasn't cooked off.
• Remove ribs from the oven and raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees. Pour off any water from the baking sheet and return the ribs to the racks. (Alternatively, you can finish the ribs on a medium-hot grill; see below.)
• Return ribs to the oven and roast (or grill), basting 2 or 3 times with reserved marinade, for 20 to 30 minutes (less time for baby backs, more for spareribs). Watch the ribs carefully to make sure that the edges don't burn, and don't baste them too close to the end; they should be dry and sticky, not wet on the surface.
• Use a big knife to cut between the bones, making sure that each rib has meat on both sides. Mound on a platter, sprinkle with scallions and cilantro, and serve immediately.

BAKED BARBECUED SPARERIBS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, brown ribs in batches in oil. Place ribs, bone side down, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute onion and celery in butter until tender. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10-12 minutes or until slightly thickened., Drain ribs; brush with some of the sauce. Bake, uncovered, 1 hour longer or until the meat is tender, brushing frequently with remaining sauce.

BARBECUED SPARERIBS

Steps:

• Cut the spare ribs into 2 equal pieces. Remove any visible fat pockets. Lightly score the spareribs in the meat side and place them in a large, shallow bowl. Sprinkle sugar on both sides of ribs, using more on the meaty side. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes. Pour off any excess liquid. In a small bowl combine the thin and black soy sauces, hoisin sauce, bean sauce, rice wine, oyster sauce, sesame oil and pepper and stir to combine. Pour over the spareribs, making sure that the spareribs are well-coated. Loosely cover the ribs with plastic wrap and marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Just before roasting, use your hands to spread honey on the spareribs, especially on the meaty side. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Place a rack in a roasting pan and add enough water so that the water reaches a depth of 1/2- inch in the pan. Place the marinated spareribs meat-side up on the rack, leaving about 1-inch of space between the 2 pieces. Carefully place the pan in the oven and roast 30 minutes. Monitor the water level in the broiler pan to make sure it never falls below 1/4-inch. Carefully remove the roasting pan of ribs from the oven. Preheat the broiler. Place the roasting pan of ribs 4 inches from the heat and broil 5 to 10 minutes or until the spareribs have a sugar crust similar to the crust on a baked ham. Carefully remove the spareribs from the oven and set on a platter to cool 15 minutes. Cut the spareribs into individual ribs and serve immediately or at room temperature. Garnish with cilantro if desired.

BACKYARD BBQ'D SPARERIBS

Steps:

• Trim the membrane off the back of the ribs and rub ribs all over with spice blend. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours. Soak wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes before grilling.
• Prepare an outdoor grill with a medium fire for indirect grilling. Place a drip pan, half-filled with water, under the cooler side of the grill grate. Open bottom vents of the grill.
• Set the ribs over the drip pan. (If you have a rib rack, use it.) Toss 1 cup of the drained wood chips onto the coals and cover the grill. Rotate the lid so that the vent holes are directly over the ribs. Add about 1 cup of hardwood charcoals to the fire about every hour during the cooking time to maintain a medium to medium-low fire (a temperature of about 250 degrees F to 275 degrees F is ideal). After 3 hours the meat should pull back from the bones and will have turned a reddish brown. Baste the ribs with some of the barbecue sauce of your choice and cook over direct heat until lightly glazed. Cut the racks into ribs and serve with extra sauce on the side.
• Whisk paprika, brown sugar, oregano, garlic, ancho powder, salt, and celery salt in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 2 months.
• Makes about 3/4 cup
• Mix brown sugar, oregano, parsley, garlic, onion powder, paprika, thyme, black pepper, salt, celery salt, white pepper, cayenne, and bay leaves in a bowl. Pulse in a spice grinder in two batches to a medium-fine grind. Seal in an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place for up to 2 months.
• Makes 1 cup
• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, chili powder, paprika, red pepper, allspice, and cloves and cook, stirring, until paste is dark brick red, about 3 minutes. Add the ketchup, water, vinegar, molasses, brown sugar, salt, soy sauce, Worcestershire, mustard, black pepper, and bay leaf. Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the flavors come together, about 30 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf before using.
• Makes about 1 quart
• Split, stem, and seed the chiles. Toast the chiles in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, turning and flattening with a spatula, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Put the chiles in a heatproof bowl, cover with very hot water, and set aside until soft, about 30 minutes. Drain, reserve soaking liquid, chop chiles roughly, and set aside.
• While the chiles soak, char the onion and garlic in the same dry skillet over medium heat until the onion blackens slightly and garlic softens in the skin, about 8 minutes. Cool, squeeze the garlic out of the skin, and put in a blender with chiles and onion. Puree to a paste, adding soaking liquid as needed (about 3/4 cup) to help the mixture break down.
• Heat the oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chile mixture and cook, stirring, until thick and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato puree, coffee, sugar, 1 tablespoon salt, oregano, cloves, and cumin. Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.
• Stir in vinegar and season with salt to taste.
• Makes 1 quart

BARBECUED SPARERIBS

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, place ribs and onion; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add enough water to cover ribs; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours or until meat is tender; drain. , Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine sauce ingredients. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. , Arrange ribs on a rack in a broiler pan. Brush with sauce. Broil 5 in. from the heat for 5 minutes on each side, brushing frequently with sauce.

FALL-OFF-THE-BONE STICKY BARBECUE RIBS

Steps:

• If there's a thin membrane on the back of the ribs, peel this off as best you can. The length of the ribs will be determined by the size of your roasting tin and barbecue - leave them whole or cut in half or thirds. Tip the ribs into a large, deep roasting tin. Whisk the rest of the ingredients together in a bowl until completely combined, then pour this over the ribs. Toss the ribs in the sauce using your hands to ensure they're completely coated. Cover the tin with foil, shiny-side down. To cook straightaway, simply leave to marinate while the oven heats up, or chill the ribs overnight.
• Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and bake the ribs for 2 hrs 30 mins-3 hrs, turning once or twice until the bones are exposed and the meat is pull-apart tender. When the ribs are cooked, leave to cool a little, then lift onto a tray using tongs. Pour the sauce from the tin into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 25-30 mins, stirring occasionally until thickened. Leave to cool. The sauce and ribs can be prepared up to two days ahead and chilled.
• Light the barbecue and wait until the coals are ashen, or set a gas barbecue to medium. Put as many ribs on the grill as you can fit, then brush generously with the sauce. Working quickly, grill the ribs, basting with more sauce and turning every minute or so until the ribs are well-coated, charred at the edges, caramelised and sticky. Repeat with any remaining ribs and sauce if they didn't all fit on the grill at once. Serve piled high on a platter with the reserved sauce on the side for slathering on top. Any leftover sauce will keep chilled in the fridge for up to a week.

VIRGINIA BARBECUED SPARERIBS

Steps:

• About one hour before smoking, make the dry rub. Combine salt, sugars, black pepper, chili powder, garlic powder and cayenne in small bowl; mix well. Generously coat both sides of ribs with rub. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce. Whisk together all ingredients in bowl.
• Heat charcoal or gas grill for indirect cooking at 250 degrees F.
• Place the ribs, meaty side up, over a drip pan and cook for 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours until very tender, basting with barbecue sauce every hour. Add about 12 coals to a charcoal grill every 45 minutes or so to maintain the heat.
• Serve ribs with remaining barbecue sauce.

OVEN-BARBECUED SPARERIBS

Steps:

• Cut ribs into serving-size pieces; place on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes., Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine the remaining ingredients. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain ribs; pour sauce over all. , Cover and bake for 30-40 minutes or until tender. Uncover; bake 30 minutes longer, basting several times with sauce.