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Fall-off-the-Bone Baby Back Ribs

Source of Recipe


From "Fresh Every Day" by Sara Foster



List of Ingredients



• 2 slabs (about 3½ pounds total) baby back ribs
  
• 1 large onion, sliced
  
• 1 (12-ounce) bottle of beer
  
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  
• 2 cups Chipotle Maple Barbecue Sauce (recipe follows), or your favorite bottled sauce
  






Instructions



1. Preheat the oven to 325° F.
   
   
2. To remove the membrane from the back of the ribs, slip the tip of a small, dull knife (such as a table knife) in between the membrane and bone anywhere along the edge of the slab of ribs. Lift the knife to separate the membrane from the bone, then grab the membrane with a paper towel (the towel helps keep the membrane from slipping), and rip it off.
   
   
3. Spread the onion slices evenly on a rimmed baking sheet. Place the ribs, bone side down, on the onion. Pour the beer over the ribs, season with salt and pepper, and cover tightly with foil. Bake, undisturbed, for 2 hours.
   
   
4. Prepare a fire in a charcoal grill and let the coals burn to a gray ash with a faint red glow, or until you can hold your hand 3 to 4 inches above the fire for no more than 6 seconds.
   
   
5. Brush both sides of the baby back ribs with the barbecue sauce and place the ribs, meat side down, over the coals. Grill the ribs, basting the top side several times, until slightly charred, 10 to 15 minutes. Turn the slab of ribs and liberally baste the cooked side. Close the lid of the grill and cook the ribs, basting often, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Cut the slabs into individual ribs, pile them onto a large platter, and serve warm.
   
   Serves 4 to 6
   
   .............
   
   CHIPOTLE MAPLE BARBECUE SAUCE
   
   • 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
   • ½ cup maple syrup
   • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
   • 3 chipotle peppers in adobo, diced
   • 1 cup white vinegar
   • ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
   • ½ cup apple cider or unfiltered apple juice
   • Juice of 2 lemons
   • 4 cloves garlic, minced
   • 2 Tbsp Colman's dry mustard
   • 2 tsp sea salt
   • 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
   
   Combine all of the ingredients in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and stir to combine. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce is thick and reduced by about a quarter, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool slightly. The sauce will keep, refrigerated, in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.
   
   Makes about 4 cups.
   
   






Final Comments


If you don't want to make the barbecue sauce from scratch but you still want the smoky heat of the chipotle peppers, use a blender to purée 3 chipotle peppers in adobo with your favorite bottled sauce.