Community Pick
Best Baby Back Ribs in Town
"When Damon's Restaurant left our area, I had to re-create their delectable, sweet, hickory-flavored ribs because we all loved them so much. These tender, juicy, melt-in-your-mouth ribs live up to their name and are my family's #1 favorite. Although this recipe takes a while to prepare, the steps are easy, and the results are well-worth the trouble. The sauce recipe came from my cookbook, "True Southern Family Recipes". It can be prepared ahead and refrigerated indefinitely."
photo by Food.com
- Ready In:
- 2hrs 30mins
- Ingredients:
- 12
- Yields:
-
2 9x13 casserole full of ribs
- Serves:
- 6-8
ingredients
-
RIBS
- 3 lbs baby back ribs (pork)
-
SAUCE
- 1⁄4 cup molasses
- 1 cup ketchup
- 6 tablespoons vinegar
- 3⁄4 cup brown sugar
- 4 teaspoons liquid smoke
- 1⁄4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 1⁄4 teaspoons chili powder
- 1⁄2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder (not garlic salt) or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (not garlic salt)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
directions
- Make one recipe of Rib Sauce (above) and set aside.
- Pre-cook ribs by EITHER Baking (preferred method) OR Parboiling.
- MAKE-AHEAD TIP: After pre-cooking (baking or parboiling) ribs, they may be vacuum sealed and frozen for up to 3 months OR glazed with Rib Sauce and refrigerated or given their final baking immediately.
- ** BAKING RIBS (preferred method): Cut rack of ribs in half. Place 1 1/2 pounds ribs in each of two 9x13-inch casserole dishes.
- Add 1/4 cup vinegar to each casserole. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Drain all liquid.
- ** PAR-BOILING RIBS: Cut rack of ribs in half. Fill large pot with water; heat to boiling. Add all ribs to boiling water (should be enough to just cover top of ribs).
- Simmer ribs about 45 minutes until just tender but meat is not falling off the bones. Remove ribs from boiling water. Rinse and drain.
- **** RIBS (Final Baking): Cut ribs in sections. In two 9x13-inch glass casserole, place ribs in SINGLE layer in casserole.
- Pour about 1/3 of Rib Sauce over one dish of ribs to glaze them.
- Repeat with second half of ribs, using another 1/3 of sauce or enough of the remaining sauce to glaze all the ribs.
- MAKE-AHEAD TIP: At this point you can cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 48 hours.
- If frozen, thaw before baking.
- Place UNCOVERED ribs in preheated 350 degree oven.
- Bake for 45-60 minutes until most of sauce has been absorbed by the ribs and meat is "melt-in-your-mouth" tender.
- If you have any remaining sauce, serve it with the ribs, along with plenty of napkins.
- These are finger-licking good and messy to eat-- but is there any other way to eat ribs?.
- *** RIB SAUCE: Mix cornstarch and water together to make a slurry Set aside.
- Mix remaining dry ingredients together.
- Place in saucepan.
- Mix remaining wet ingredients together.
- Pour half of wet ingredients into dry ingredients, stirring to mix well.
- Add remaining half of wet ingredients, stir to mix well, and simmer mixture, uncovered, for about 10-20 minutes to thicken sauce a bit.
- While mixture is gently boiling, pour in slurry while stirring.
- Return mixture to a slow boil and cook until sauce thickens a little.
- Sauce should be thick enough to cling to ribs, yet pourable.
- Cool sauce and store in air-tight glass or plastic container.
- Refrigerated it keeps indefinitely.
Questions & Replies
-
When baking the ribs, should the vinegar be poured in the dish first and then place the ribs in the dish OR should the vinegar be poured over (on) the ribs in the dish? Seems Beachgirl isn't answering questions... so, anybody's good advice would be welcome. -
What exactly does the vinegar do while you pre bake in the oven?
-
Could you bake in oven in smoker bag ?
Reviews
-
I didn't make any changes to the recipe & the ribs were definitely FINGER LICKIN GOOD!!!! I only wish that I had bought more ribs when they were on sale. Thanx Beachgirl!! -
We tried this recipe on the grill, and it was YUMMY! Next time I would try it with a little less liquid smoke, as I like a mild smokey flavor...I give it a 5! Also, I will add a little hot sauce to give it a little zing!
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These are Fabulous! We love ribs, and our favorite rib restaurant closed. I have tried many recipes to replace them, and these are the best! The prep is simple, and the results well-worth the time.
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Oh so delectable! Ribs...Chicken...Pork...Coconut Shrimp! Great straight from the sause pan! I can't wait to try this baked beans and bacon! Heavenly. Just Heavenly! Thank you. -
Fantastic! Any doubts about how authentic the taste was were quickly dispelled after making the sauce. Wonderful.
see 68 more reviews
Tweaks
-
I used to work at Damon’s, they use Cattlemans sauce.
-
This is an excellent recipe! I did substitute honey in place of molasses and hickory chips in foil on the grill in place of liquid smoke. FABULOUS RAVES FROM FAMILY. WILL BE MY GO TO RIB RECIPE ! Thank you beach girl... -
Have made these 3 times, and we absolutely love them!! The sauce tastes every bit as good as the wonderful aroma that wafts from the kitchen while the ribs are baking! My only substitution is 1 Tablespoon of Bourbon in place of the liquid smoke, and we use the baking pre-cook method.By far the best ribs we've ever had! The
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
BeachGirl
Edisto Island, South Carolina
I am a retired computer programmer, teacher, and cookbook author. Hubby and I have a grown daughter & SIL, son & DIL and 2 grandgirls. My favorite hobbies: cooking, Silhouette crafting, sewing, embroidery and wearable art, quilting, genealogy research, reading,
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