Sticky BBQ Ribs

No one will be able to resist these sticky BBQ ribs. Glazed with easy, homemade barbecue sauce, they are a guaranteed crowd pleaser.

Ingredients

• Pork ribs. You can use either spare ribs or baby back ribs for this recipe.
• Apple juice. 
• Salt.
• Smoked paprika. 
• Garlic powder.
• Tomato ketchup.
• Worcestershire sauce. 
• Cider vinegar / Balsamic vinegar.
• Brown sugar. 

How to make BBQ ribs

1. Season and bake: These ribs are baked until tender before transferring to the grill to finish. To prepare the ribs, make sure the silver skin/membrane on the back of the racks of ribs has been removed (your butcher can do this for you). If it hasn’t, it’s easy to do yourself. Loosen the skin with a knife until you can grab it with a piece of paper towel. Pull the membrane off and discard. Combine the salt, sugar, smoked paprika, garlic and onion powder then generously season the ribs on both sides. Place in two baking dishes or foil trays. Pour in the apple juice, cover with foil and place in the oven. Allow to bake for 2½-3 hours or until the ribs are tender.
2. Make the barbecue sauce: Combine the tomato ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, sugar, salt, smoked paprika and garlic powder in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes until the sauce is thick and smooth and the sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool to room temperature.
3. Grill and glaze: Once the ribs are tender, remove from the oven and set aside while you prepare the grill. Preheat the grill for at least 5 minutes. Heat should be medium-high as you don’t want the barbecue sauce to burn before the ribs are glazed. Brush the ribs with the barbecue sauce then place on the grill. Allow to cook for 4-5 minutes per side, brushing the ribs regularly with the barbecue sauce to allow the sauce to glaze and create almost a shellac coating on the ribs. You want them to be super sticky and glossy. Remove the ribs from the grill, allow to rest for 5 minutes then slice and serve.

Serving suggestions

1. Creamy potato salad with an easy dressing
2. Easy creamy curried macaroni salad
3. Grilled corn avocado salad

Grilling recipes

1. Grilled Pizza Margherita
2. Sirloin steak with caper herb sauce
3. Easy grilled chicken thighs

Sticky BBQ Ribs

No one will be able to resist these sticky BBQ ribs. Glazed with easy, homemade barbecue sauce, they are a guaranteed crowd pleaser.

4.68 from 25 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: BBQ Ribs, BBQ ribs in oven, BBQ Ribs recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours 50 minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 654kcal

Author: Alida Ryder

Ingredients

• 2 kg (4lbs) pork ribs (spare ribs / belly ribs / baby back ribs)
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp salt
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 4 cup apple juice (you can substitute with stock or water)

For the barbecue sauce

• 1 cup tomato ketchup
• ½ cup worcestershire sauce
• 3 tbsp cider / Balsamic vinegar
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 1-2 tsp salt

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F.
• If your ribs still have the membrane/silver skin on the back of the rack attached, remove it by loosening the skin with a knife until you can grab it with a piece of paper towel. Pull the membrane off and discard.
• Combine the salt, sugar, smoked paprika, garlic and onion powder then generously season the ribs on both sides. Place in two baking dishes or foil trays. . 
• Pour in the apple juice, cover with foil and place in the oven. Allow to bake for 2½-3 hours or until the ribs are tender. 
• To make the barbecue sauce, combine the tomato ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, sugar, salt, smoked paprika and garlic powder in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes until the sauce is thick and smooth and the sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool to room temperature.
• Once the ribs are tender, remove from the oven and set aside while you prepare the grill. Preheat the grill for at least 5 minutes. Heat should be medium-high as you don't want the barbecue sauce to burn before the ribs are glazed.
• Brush the ribs with the barbecue sauce then place on the grill. Allow to cook for 4-5 minutes per side, brushing the ribs regularly with the barbecue sauce.
• Remove the ribs from the grill, allow to rest for 5 minutes then slice and serve

Nutrition

Calories: 654kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 2331mg | Potassium: 1038mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 762IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 118mg | Iron: 3mg