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 Needed
- Pork ribs. You can use either spare ribs or baby back ribs for this recipe.
- Apple juice.
- Seasoning: Salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder and onion powder. I like to keep things simple and just use these spices but black pepper, cumin, celery salt, mustard powder and cayenne pepper can all be added.
- Tomato ketchup.
- Worcestershire sauce.
- Apple Cider vinegar. Any vinegar of your choice can be substituted.
- Brown sugar.
How to make BBQ ribs
- 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 in a small bowl then generously season the ribs on both sides. Place in two baking dishes or foil trays. Pour in the apple juice, cover with aluminum foil and place in the oven. Allow to bake for 2½-3 hours or until the ribs are tender.
- 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.
- 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.
Can I make this ahead?
The ribs can be seasoned with the spice rub up to 24 hours before cooking. You can also bake the ribs then allow to cool completely, wrap with clingfilm and place in the refrigerator overnight before grilling. Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Serving suggestions
All your favorite barbecue sides will will be delicious served with bbq ribs. Creamy potato salad with an easy dressing, macaroni salad, cornbread and cowboy beans are all fantastic. For a fresher side dish, serve corn slaw, cucumber salad, corn on the cob or a wedge salad with buttermilk dressing.
Grilling recipes
Servings: 6
Calories: 654kcal
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
- 1 tsp onion 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
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
My sons said these were the best ribs hes ever tasted!!!! Really tender and full of flavour… Thank you will definitely cook again.
What temperature she’ll I cook for 2-3 hours?
Other than that it’s a great instructions to make a perfect ribs at home!
You’ll see the temperature listed in the recipe card.
Made these last night … Simply Delicious!! Will be making these again and again! Thanks for sharing the recipe Alida.
Lovely recipe !! do tou think the apple juice could be replaced with cider ?? and could the initial bake be done on the barbecue as well as finishing them off on the grill?
Yes, you can definitely use cider and yup, you can do the initial bake on the barbecue too if you manage the temperature well.
It asks you to add the onion powder on the step by step instructions but doesn’t mention onion powder on the ingredients.
Updated the recipe, thanks for letting me know!
Great recipe…quick and easy . Finishing on the BBQ with a delicious sauce. Just need a bib and hand/finger towel !
Do you pour the apple juice over them or prop them up and have the juice under them ?
I bake them in the juice to allow them to almost braise until tender.
I don’t have a grill because I don’t like to grill. Is there another way to finish off these ribs. Giving 4 Stars because they look so yummy & I like the ingredients. Of course haven’t tasted.
You can broil them while glazing regularly until they are glossy and sticky.
Sorry but I think you mentioned onion powder in your description but not listed in recipe?
Jeepers, my head is all over the place! Sorry, I’ve taken it out. The recipe doesn’t include onion powder. I think I wanted to type garlic powder but then typed onion and ugh, lockdown is messing with my head. 😉
Did I miss the temperature of the oven somewhere???
Just added it, thanks for letting me know!