If you are looking for a delicious and competition-worthy baby back ribs recipe, you have come to the right place. Baby back ribs are a popular cut of pork known for their tender meat and flavorful bones. In this article, we will take you through the steps of creating the perfect baby back ribs, from choosing the right ingredients to cooking them to perfection. Once you master the art of cooking baby back ribs, you will be able to impress your friends and family with your culinary skills. So get ready to fire up the grill or oven and let's embark on a journey of creating easy competition-quality baby back ribs.
Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!
AWARD WINNING COMPETITION RIBS RECIPE
If you want to produce award-winning ribs, here is a recipe to help you get it done. Once you have a few contests under your belt, feel free to make minor tweaks to make the recipe uniquely yours.
Provided by Kris Coppieters
Categories Dinner Lunch Main Course
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Prep. Remove the membrane from the slabs of ribs (read more on removing the membrane here).
- Season the ribs with Kosher salt. If you can, give the salt 1 to 2 hours to be absorbed. The process of salting in advance is called dry brining. The rule of thumb is 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt per pound of meat, but ribs consist of only about 50% meat, so use about 1/4 teaspoon per pound. You can simply eyeball it by sprinkling on the same amount of salt you would sprinkle on the ribs if they were served to you unseasoned.
- Fire up. Prepare a smoker for indirect cooking. Alternatively, you can set up a charcoal grill for 2-zone cooking by placing a chimney full of lit charcoal briquets on one side of the grill's charcoal grate in order to create direct and indirect cooking zones. Adjust the smoker or grill vents to bring the temperature to about 225°F (107.2°C) and add two to three chunks of your favorite smoking wood to the charcoal for flavor. On a gas grill, adjust the temperature knobs so that one half of the grill is off and the other half is heated enough to maintain a temperature of approximately 225°F (107.2°C) on the indirect side.
- Once the smoker or grill is ready, brush both sides of ribs with mayonnaise and season with Meathead's Memphis Dust dry rub.
- Cook. Place the slabs of ribs meat side up on the main cooking grate as far away from the heat source as possible. Cover the smoker or grill. Allow the ribs to smoke until the meat just begins to shrink back from the ends of the bones, about 3 1/2 hours.
- Lay out two double layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil approximately eight inches longer than the ribs. Cut the stick of butter into 1/2 tablespoon pieces and top each double layer of foil with two tablespoons of butter, one tablespoon of honey drizzled over the butter, and two tablespoons brown sugar sprinkled over the top. Lay the ribs meat side down on the butter, honey and brown sugar mixture. Place another two tablespoons margarine, a tablespoon of honey, and two tablespoons brown sugar evenly on top of the bone side of each slab of ribs. Fold up the sides of the foil to create a boat, pour in the apple juice, and loosely seal the foil.
- Place the foiled ribs sealed side up on the smoker or grill and cook until the ribs shrink back from the ends of the bones by 1/4 to 1/2 inch (6.4 to 12.7 mm), about 1 hour.
- Remove the ribs from the smoker or grill and cautiously open the foil packet to allow the steam to escape. Remove the ribs from the foil and set them back on the smoker or grill meat side up. Cover the smoker or grill and allow the ribs to cook until tender but not falling off the bone, about 20 minutes. We prefer to use the "bend test." Use tongs to pick up one end of the slab of ribs, then bend them slightly. If they are ready, the slab with bow until the meat starts to crack on the surface.
- When they are ready, brush sauce on both sides of the ribs and turn them meat side up on the smoker or grill. Cover the smoker or grill and cook until the sauce sets and becomes tacky, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Serve. Remove the ribs from the smoker or grill, and slice. For competition, set 4 to 5 ribs side-by-side in the turn in box and top with another 4 to 5 ribs.
PRIZE WINNING BABY BACK RIBS
A foolproof, simple recipe for the most tender, delectable ribs you've ever had. Follow the directions exactly, and success is guaranteed!
Provided by BONNIE Q.
Categories Meat and Poultry Recipes Pork Pork Rib Recipes Baby Back Ribs
Time 1h35m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Preheat a gas grill for high heat, or arrange charcoal briquettes on one side of the barbeque. Lightly oil the grate.
- In a small jar, combine cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Close the lid, and shake to mix.
- Trim the membrane sheath from the back of each rack. Run a small, sharp knife between the membrane and each rib, and snip off the membrane as much as possible. Sprinkle as much of the rub onto both sides of the ribs as desired. To prevent the ribs from becoming too dark and spicy, do not thoroughly rub the spices into the ribs. Store the unused portion of the spice mix for future use.
- Place aluminum foil on lower rack to capture drippings and prevent flare-ups. Lay the ribs on the top rack of the grill (away from the coals, if you're using briquettes). Reduce gas heat to low, close lid, and leave undisturbed for 1 hour. Do not lift the lid at all.
- Brush ribs with barbecue sauce, and grill an additional 5 minutes. Serve ribs as whole rack, or cut between each rib bone and pile individually on a platter.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 440.6 calories, Carbohydrate 16.9 g, Cholesterol 117 mg, Fat 30 g, Fiber 1.2 g, Protein 24.6 g, SaturatedFat 11 g, Sodium 581.8 mg, Sugar 11.1 g
ONE-PAN BABY BACK RIBS RECIPE BY TASTY
You don't need a barbecue to make flavorful baby back ribs - in fact, all you really need is one sheet tray. After slowly roasting the ribs on it, load it up with corn and asparagus in the final ten minutes of cooking and dinner is done. The ribs will be falling off the bone, and the veggies will be perfectly tender yet crisp. The best part? You'll only have to wash one dish.
Provided by Tasty
Categories Dinner
Time 2h10m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 275°F (140°C).
- Place the half racks on a baking sheet lined with foil. Sprinkle evenly with cumin, chili powder, pepper, garlic powder, salt, and paprika. Rub in the seasoning evenly on both sides.
- Cover with the foil and bake for 2 hours.
- Increase oven temperature to 500°F (260°C).
- Remove the ribs from the foil and place on baking sheet. Spread the bbq sauce evenly on the top.
- Place the corn on one side of the pan, and the asparagus on the other. Drizzle the olive oil, salt, and pepper evenly over the veggies, and rub the seasoning in evenly.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Rest the ribs at least 10 minutes.
- Slice and serve!
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 719 calories, Carbohydrate 57 grams, Fat 44 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 24 grams, Sugar 29 grams
EASY COMPETITION QUALITY BABYBACK RIBS
You dont have to use a smoker or scratch ingredients to get competition quality babyback ribs. A pre-packaged rub & sauce, your oven and this recipe and you wont find better ribs. The butter is the magic ingredient and the water is the key to keeping the ribs moist and juicy. My son is a rib connoisseur and he eat's babyback ribs at every restaurant he can and he say's these are the best he's ever had. This my own recipe.
Provided by Lige68
Categories Pork
Time 3h50m
Yield 2-4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Remove membrane from ribs. Wipe ribs with papertowels to remove excess moisture (helps butter to stick). rub butter onto both sides of ribs. Rub until butter doesnt slide off easily. Sprinkle (dont rub) the sweet & smoky spice onto both sides of ribs until completely and generously covered.
- Take 2 pieces of foil approximately 6in longer than the ribs and fold/crease the long edges together. Place the foil in a roasting pan or baking sheet that is large enough for the ribs to lay flat and not be pushed up on the sides. Place ribs meat side up in foil and pull up edges leaving a small opening at the top. Pour water into foil around the ribs but not on the ribs and then seal top of foil so as to leave room between the ribs and the top of the foil.(This will allow the water steam to circulate throughout the ribs making them moist and juicy.).
- Bake at 300 degrees for 3 hours Open top of foil and brush BBQ sauce onto ribs and cook 20 more minutes with foil open. Remove from oven and top with extra BBQ sauce to taste.
COMPETITION BAR-B-Q RIBS
Provided by Food Network
Categories main-dish
Time 4h40m
Yield 8 to 10 servings
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Raw Preparation: Place slab of ribs bone side down on table. Slide knife under the membrane and against the end bone to separate the 2. With a dry paper towel, grasp the edge of the thin membrane and pull. The entire membrane should separate from the rib.
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Combine First Stage rub and mix well. Generously apply rub onto the front and back sides of ribs. Gently pat to ensure that rub will adhere. Place ribs meat-side up on a broiler pan and bake for 2 1/4 hours.
- Remove ribs from oven. Place each rib meat-side down on its own doubled aluminum foil square. Foil should be large enough to completely wrap rib. Mix the Second Stage juices. Pour 1 cup of liquid over each rib. At the same time wrap and seal each rib tight. Return to the oven for 1 hour.
- Remove wrapped ribs from oven. Remove from foil and apply a medium coat of the Third Stage rub to the meat-side of the ribs. Place uncovered in the oven meat-side up for 30 minutes.
- Remove ribs from oven and increase oven temperature to 350 degrees. Brush finishing glaze on both sides of ribs. Place ribs in oven for 10 minutes, or until sauce caramelizes.
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BABY BACK RIBS
The sauce in this recipe has always been our "mother" competition sauce--the base we use to make the sauces we serve for competition judges. It is very forgiving for tweaking, so use it as a palette with which to add your favorite flavors. One of my favorite variations is to add a cup of peach or mango puree to 2 cups of the sauce for a fresh taste. When cooking competition chicken, I leave out the diced onion and substitute 1 tablespoon of onion powder, as I like a smoother finish on chicken.
Provided by Food Network
Categories main-dish
Time 13h35m
Yield 6 to 12 servings
Number Of Ingredients 29
Steps:
- For the basic BBQ rub: Using a coffee grinder, grind the turbinado sugar with a few "pulses" until it is lightly powdered. Combine with the granulated sugar, salt, onion powder, granulated garlic, cayenne, black pepper, mustard, chili powder, cumin and paprika in a bowl and hand stir until well incorporated. Store in an airtight container.
- For the BBQ mother sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low if the onion is cooking too fast--you don't want it caramelized or browned. As the onion is getting close, add the garlic and cook until lightly golden, about 2 minutes longer. Add the ketchup, honey, tomato paste, vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire, dry mustard, cayenne and black pepper and stir well. Slowly add up to 1/2 cup water until the sauce reaches the consistency you like. A slightly thick consistency is best. Add about 3 tablespoons of the basic BBQ rub, stir well and taste. The sauce should have a good, well-rounded flavor. Add more of the basic BBQ rub in 1-tablespoon increments until your desired flavor is achieved, up to about 1/2 cup total. Cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
- For the ribs: Rinse the ribs and remove the membrane from the back. Trim any excess fat from the tops of the slabs. Trim 1 bone from the large end of the ribs and 2 bones from the small end. This will give you a much more consistent slab for cooking.
- Starting on the backs, sprinkle the slabs of ribs with approximately 1/2 tablespoon of the basic BBQ rub each, then add 1/2 tablespoon yellow mustard each and massage into the meat. Flip the ribs over and repeat. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. For a contest, I marinate ribs like this for 12 to 16 hours.
- Prepare a smoker to run at 225 degrees F with around 4 chunks of apple wood and 4 chunks of cherry wood so that the wood will smolder throughout the cooking. Remove the ribs from the refrigerator, unwrap and repeat the basic BBQ rub and mustard procedure, massaging them in. Don't get it too thick or paste-like, as this will give you a dark appearance when cooked. Place the ribs in the smoker meat-side up and cook for 2 hours. Remove the ribs from the smoker and increase the temperature to 250 degrees F. Apply the basic BBQ rub and mustard to both sides of the ribs as before. On the top sides, slather approximately 1 tablespoon of honey over the surface of each slab, then sprinkle heavily with the turbinado sugar. Lay each slab of ribs meat-side up on a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil and fold up the edges. Pour approximately 1 to 2 ounces of the grape juice into the bottom of each foil package, then finish wrapping the ribs but don't crimp the edges--you want steam to be able to escape.
- Return the ribs to the cooker for 2 hours, then test for tenderness. (I cook ribs in this stage until they look overdone and too tender. Don't worry, they'll tighten up. If they still have too much texture, leave them in for 20 to 30 more minutes.) Remove the ribs from the cooker, open the foil and drain off the liquid. Using the foil as a tool, "roll" the ribs over so the bone side is up, glaze with the BBQ mother sauce, then roll them back over and glaze the tops. Using long tongs, carefully remove the ribs from the foil and place them back in the smoker for 15 minutes. This will let the glaze cook onto the ribs and let the ribs tighten back up. Remove from the cooker and allow to rest for 5 minutes, apply a very thin coat of sauce to "glisten" the ribs, then lightly sprinkle with chipotle powder before serving.
Tips:
- Use a good quality baby back rib. Look for ribs that are meaty and have a good amount of marbling.
- Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs. This will help the ribs to cook more evenly.
- Season the ribs liberally with a rub of your choice. Be sure to get the rub into all of the nooks and crannies.
- Cook the ribs low and slow. This will help the ribs to become tender and fall off the bone.
- Baste the ribs with a sauce of your choice during the last hour of cooking. This will help to keep the ribs moist and flavorful.
- Let the ribs rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. This will help the juices to redistribute throughout the ribs.
Conclusion:
Baby back ribs are a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Whether you are cooking them for a special occasion or just a weeknight meal, these tips will help you to make the best baby back ribs possible.
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