Who Loves Ya Baby-Back?

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

Show: Good EatsEpisode: A Rib For All Seasons

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (818)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(818)

Cook Time:
3 hr 25 min
Level:
Intermediate
Yield:
2 slabs ribs

Times:

Prep: 1 hr 10 min
Inactive Prep: --
Cook: 3 hr 25 min
Total:: 4 hr 35 min

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Ingredients

2 whole slabs pork baby back ribs

Dry Rub:

8 tablespoons light brown sugar, tightly packed
3 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon jalapeno seasoning
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon rubbed thyme
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Braising Liquid:

1 cup white wine
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 cloves garlic, chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

In a bowl, combine all dry ingredients and mix well. Place each slab of baby back ribs on a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, shiny side down. Sprinkle each side generously with the dry rub. Pat the dry rub into the meat. Refrigerate the ribs for a minimum of 1 hour. In a microwavable container, combine all ingredients for the braising liquid. Microwave on high for 1 minute.

Place the ribs on a baking sheet. Open one end of the foil on each slab and pour half of the braising liquid into each foil packet. Tilt the baking sheet in order to equally distribute the braising liquid. Braise the ribs in the oven for 2 1/2 hours.

Transfer the braising liquid into a medium saucepot. Bring the liquid to a simmer and reduce by half or until of a thick syrup consistency. Brush the glaze onto the ribs. Place under the broiler just until the glaze caramelizes lightly. Slice each slab into 2 rib bone portions. Place the remaining hot glaze into a bowl and toss the rib portions in the glaze.

*This recipe makes several batches of dry rub. If more rub is needed, it can be extended by any amount, as long as the ratio of 8:3:1:1 remains the same.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Who Loves Ya Baby-Back?
elita mountain view, CA 11-04-2009
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i created a foodnetwork account just to comment on how AWESOME this was
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Results were unbelievable. I used apple vinegar instead, and just put in whatever dried herbs I had on my costco spice rack... for that last tablespoon of the rub. I actually used all the rub (sea salt) for the two slabs for our halloween party, and it turned out great. perfectly seasoned. Then I had an extra slab leftover, made it in the toaster oven (one of those bigger ones) tonight, and very glad I took Alton's advice on measuring oven temperature because my oven was 50 degrees cooler than indicated! Anyhow, the ribs were even better than at the party after I compensated for the temperature difference (probably because I got to have more pieces). My husband and I both think this is the best ribs we've ever had, and now have one less thing we can order when we go out to eat... lol.Read more
recipe Who Loves Ya Baby-Back?
Donna Waggaman, LA 10-27-2009
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The BEST Ribs ever!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I didn't make the rub, I had 2 dry rubs in my pantry that I had bought and I used them instead. And I didn't use either white... wine or white wine vinegar. The first time I used pineapple juice and white vinegar, and the second time I used apple cider and apple cider vinegar. I added some homemade habanero hot sauce to the brine for a little heat. And I didn't use honey either time, I used brown sugar instead, didn't make a bit of difference. It's a very versatile recipe, you can do as you please and it comes out WONDERFUL! I really love simple recipes!!Read more
recipe Who Loves Ya Baby-Back?
MARIA san francisco, CA 10-25-2009
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Great method for cooking ribs
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I must admit I changed the rub a bit. I added smoked paprika, coriander and cumin into the mix. I did follow the cooking... method and used the brining liquid. The result was amazingly tender, succulent and flavorful ribs. I shared my 4 slabs of ribs with my sister and her husband (who makes ribs regularly), and he said the ones I made were some of the best ribs he's had. Now he uses this recipe too whenever he makes his baby back ribs.Read more
recipe Who Loves Ya Baby-Back?
D Steilacoom, WA 10-23-2009
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What I've learned from making three batches of these ribs.
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I didn't know oven baked ribs could be this good. To answer the salt controversy, it is 3 parts salt, as the written... directions say. Here's the link to the youtube video of the episode. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ2nL7VGOFs The first time I made these I found they were way too salty. After I seasoned them I finally saw the note at the EVERY END of the recipe saying that it makes several batches. I just made my third batch and finally got it right (For my taste). Here's what I've learned. 1- A full batch of the dry rub should do approx. 8 racks of ribs. I made a half batch this time, did two racks, and have half the rub left. 2- If you found the rub too salty use 2 parts salt, instead of 3 parts. On my second batch I used 3 parts. Seasoned them correctly and still found them a little too salty. This time I used 2 parts salt and they came out perfect. 3- Like several others have said, I found I need to use more heat than what the written directions say to get the sauce to reduce. 4- Like a couple others have said, I found the dripping a little too fatty to reduce easily. By using a fat seperator before putting the liquid to heat, I found it reduced much easier this time. Last notes. -- I have some Alder smoked salt and it worked great in this recipe. --I also added Hungarian Paperika. Same amount as the pepper and other seasonings. Helped give it a nice zing. -- I used half the amount of habanero powder in place of the jalapeno seasoningRead more
recipe Who Loves Ya Baby-Back?
patricia Edgewater, FL 10-19-2009
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awesome baby backs
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

these were awsome, fingerlickin good ribs. I'm going to finsh them on the grill next time. Alton, where have you been all my... life? Read more
recipe Who Loves Ya Baby-Back?
Shari Thousand Oaks, CA 10-19-2009
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Two Sauce-Covered Thumbs Up!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I've been cooking up baby back ribs for my family for over two decades, and these were the best ribs I've ever served.... Seriously. I used an inexpensive California Pinot Grigio for the wine (it's the only dry white I had on hand), rice vinegar instead of white wine vinegar, and left out the jalapeno seasoning in the rub mix, increasing the other seasonings slightly to equal 1 TB total. In all other respects I followed Alton's directions to the letter. I did find it necessary to pour off the grease left behind from the ribs as the sauce reduced, toward the end of the reduction process (easily enough done). I was left with a fantastic glaze that I brushed on the ribs , not enough to roll them in after a minute under the broiler though. No loss; they were literally falling off the bone, and well worth the effort. Two sauce-covered thumbs way up for this recipe!Read more