My oven baked, grill seared ribs

I have been working on my rib recipe and some asked me to share, so here it is! I have done a countless hours of research on ribs starting by cooking over lump charcoal for 4-6 hours and finally found a compromise that gives a great tasting, fall off the bone rib that is almost effortless to do at any skill level. I don't like spicy so I was going for a smoky, tangy flavor with maybe a hint of hot. My skill level at cooking is 0. I prefer a drive through, so anyone can do this! Times are estimated at the high end.

Besides the rib rub, you will need a rack of ribs, liquid smoke * and aluminum foil.

Step 1 (10 minutes): Prepare your ribs if needed. **

This includes removing the membrane and extra flap of meat. *** Cut the rack into 2 pieces.

Step 2: (10 minutes) Make the rub!

Here is my rib rub recipe for 1 rack:

1\2 teaspoon garlic powder
1\2 teaspoon of smoked paprika
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 teaspoon chipotle chile pepper
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 teaspoons salt (I like sea salt)
3 teaspoons brown sugar

Combine into a bowl, and then grind them until all the lumps are gone and the color is consistent.

Step 3: Rub the ribs (5 minutes)

Sprinkle the rib rub on the ribs and rub it in evenly, completely coating the ribs. (see photos) Flip the rib and repeat, then repeat on the other half.

Let the ribs sit out for 30 minutes.

Step 4: Cook in the oven (1 hour, 45 minutes)

After letting the ribs set for 30 minutes, preheat (and test) your oven to 290 degrees. ****

While preheating the oven, wrap each set of ribs in aluminum foil, shiny side out, meatier side down. Close the foil up tightly obviously without damaging the ribs. (see photos)

Cook them on the lowest rack (away from direct heat) and set a cookie pan underneath in case the ribs leak juice from the foil and saving you some cleanup.

Set the timer to 1 hour and 45 minutes. Walk away.

Turn on your gas grill 5 minutes before the time is up. Medium high should work well. (or any way you might have to sear the ribs)

Step 4: Remove, sear, cut and serve (10 minutes)

Take ribs out of oven and remove from foil. I usually remove them from the foil on the same cookie sheet I used to catch drippings, pour out the extra juice and discard the foil. Then transfer the ribs to a new pan that you can cut them on shortly.

Brush (or mop) the ribs with Sweet Baby Ray's original BBQ sauce (I also used Sweet Baby Ray's Hickory & Brown Suger which adds a great smoke flavor). A few drops of liquid smoke in regualr Sweet Baby Rays can add more smoke. Place them on the grill and brush the other side. After 2-3 minutes, flip them and wait 2-3 minutes.

Cut the ribs (I use a butcher knife, it's so much easier) and brush on a little more fresh Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce.

Serve and enjoy!

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Notes & tips:
** Look on Google for ideas on removing the membrane. Basically using a napkin or paper towel makes removing them easy.
*** I like to trim down and cook the "flaps" as well. They are tasty on their own, but don't care for it on the ribs. Flaps are the extra loose meat you can lift up and cut off.
**** Modern ovens tend to be very accurate. If you have an older oven please purchase a thermometer and be sure your oven temperature is accuarate.

Let me know if you do it and how it worked out. I find it to be a delicious smokey, tangy flavor with a touch of hot on the tip of the tounge. It should fall off the bone and maintain a chewiness as well. Most BBQ judges look for exactly this texture.

Photos: The rub, ribs after rub, ribs out of grill still in foil, ribs out of foil.

(Removed liquid smoke, it just didn't work. See note where you use BBQ sauce)

 

Final pictures: In the grill, out of the grill, cut and sauced.

 

Yum! Looks awesome, MA. I love me some ribs.

That is the absolute best method to cook ribs and I do the exact same... wrapping in foil individually and baking at 300 for 1 1/2 hour, then browning on the grill.

I use a bit different rub (from Cook's Illustrated):
1tablespoon sweet paprika
1 1/2teaspoons chili powder
1 3/4teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2teaspoons dark brown sugar
3/4teaspoon salt or 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4teaspoon oregano
3/4teaspoon ground black pepper
1teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2teaspoon cayenne pepper


I have a lot of different sauces I make, but always use the same method to cook them.

 

@ Auggie, I am unsure. I filled bottom of the tablespoon for each quarter and it wasnt enough. I suspect some of it burned off in the oven.

@ Laura: I started with a similar St. Lois style but didnt care for the hot peppers, hence the chipolte.

 

I'm a fan of hot peppers of most kinds. I generally pair the rub with a sweeter sauce. I've got a couple of recipes I use a lot...both with a soda base.

I've never removed the silver skin membrane. I'll have to give that a try.


I remember growing up, my mom used to parboil them. Sorry to anyone who still does this but uke

 

@ Fred_G: I found the recipe online. Problem with doing on the grill, then oven is that the BBQ tends to burn off or so I was told. If memory serves, it is the sugar. As mentioned, I am a bit obsessive compulsive so I did a ton of research on it. Basically if you cook in the oven you get that fall off the bone that people love. By searing them, it retains a chewiness that BBQ judges look for, in other words the holy grail.

Finally, I did start by long and slow on the grill using lump charcoal, the hardest way. 4+ hours. Theres a picture on our Facebook page of those, you can see they look different. That said I tried to be a purest and do it that way but my research showed it can be done a few different ways and most won't notice. The liquid smoke is just water over a fire, so that's cool. 2 things got me away from low and slow; The time and the carcinogens believed to be in there from the wook or charcoal. O.k, motly the time, lol.

@ LauraR, I love spicy and hot as well but on my ribs I prefer tangy, smoky and a hint of heat but it's all personal, right? Always remove the membrane. Cut into it a bit then pull it back with a napkin so you can get a grip on it. Try my rub sometime, it has a tangy smoke but the chipolte (which everyone loves) seems to leave a nice little burn on your tounge that isn't annoying. Interesting on the boil comment, I also read that was the worst possible thing.

Yeah, I overthought this, so what?

 

Yep, definitely personal and mostly all good to me. I've got to say, ribs are one of my most favorite things. In all the times I've cooked them I can't believe I haven't taken that membrane off. I'll definitely be doing that. I'll try your rub too. Half the time, I rely on store bought rub and make my own sauce.

 

Total novice as well Fred, my wife is happy about this so I can only tell you what I learned. If you wrap them in foil tightly on the grill (meat side down) it soaks in it's own juices for almost 2 hours and thats what you're after. The grill is simply to give the meat back a touch of chewiness, the BBQ sauce is just neat to burn in.

 

Also, I forgot meatier side down so modified the recipe, thanks Fred

 

My aunt cooks them as you mentioned above, as did my father...until they had them cooked by me (which is how MA described in his first post):-D I've cooked them every which way. I cook a ton and I've made ribs a lot. This is how you want to cook them...unless you are going to take all day long and smoke them on a bbq. I'm sure that is an awesome way to do it, but I don't have the time for that.

Agreed. Searing is good for steaks and other cuts of meat you aren't going to be cooking for long and you don't want to dry out. The ribs are basting in their own juices and ribs are pretty fatty. You don't have to worry about drying them out. The searing afterwards gives the outside the tougher bbq texture you want of them so they aren't like stew meat.

 

hmmm...well, I'm going to try it next time to compare.

 

Interesting. I was going to mention this to Laura but decided to leave it alone not knowing for sure...

First time I did it they were good but I didn't know about the membrane. I don't think I see a difference HOWEVER I have gotten the recipe closer to exactly what I want so, like Laura, I will do the opposite and leave it on next time. If I were to GUESS... The membrane is tough, almost like thin plastic but appears to burn off during cooking so where does the rub go? My suspicion is the rub gets into the meat better without it, but I am willing to test and report back next time around Thanks!

All I can say is MOST recipes I read said to remove it. Then again, every recipe is totally different from start to finish. Took me 8 tries to get my oven temperature right because everyone has different temps and times listed.

 

Sure, it's a real tool You use it so that you dont spread the rub around. My wife is thrilled that I grill now, it will pay off for you If you get the ribs done by a butcher it only takes about 5 minutes to rub the ribs, 5 minutes to sear them only taking you about 15 minutes of your actual time in preparation. If you do it let me know

 

Wow, totally forgot that and added a note. My oven is 2 years old with little use so afaik it is accurate. This also explains why everyones times vary on the interent. Some recipes are 10 years old out there.

 

K...I am trying your whole recipe (minus the liquid smoke which has somehow disappeared from my cabinet). I took the silverskin off and will give an opinion on the difference.

The rub is on and I'll be cooking them tonight.:-D

 

So, I made the ribs last night.

I've got to say, they were awesome. Removing the membrane was well worth it...just a better texture without it while eating.

The rub was really good and I've never had that Baby Ray's...that was awesome. I generally make my own, but this was a great store bought alternative.

Really worth making for anyone who is going to be doing ribs.

 

Glad to hear it Laura

 

*Drools and heads for the kitchen* Only ribs I have are the ones on me though :-D Damn. Those look tasty MA.

 

I left membrane and considering its the most difficult step in preparing, NO ONE complained or noticed so membrane removal is out for me. Making some now with cornbread, watermelon and corn on the cob.

 

Oddly enough though I used more it just didnt work. I am doing it now with Sweet Baby Rays Hickory & Brown Sugar and think I can skip the liquid smoke.