Barbecued Baby Back Ribs in the Oven

From inthekitchenwithkath.com

(Adapted from a recipe in Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything the Basics)

Serves 3 – 4 (Doubles easily to serve 6 - 8)

1 rack pork baby back ribs (mine was 2½ pounds)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Barbecue sauce

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

1 cup ketchup

¼ cup water

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1½ teaspoons chili powder

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, pressed

Tabasco sauce, optional

1. Preheat the oven to 250˚.

2. Generously salt and pepper both sides of the ribs, and put them bone-side down on a large rimmed baking sheet.

3. Roast for 3½ hours.

4. Make the barbecue sauce while the ribs are roasting. Combine all of the barbecue sauce ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to simmer for about 20 minutes. Taste, and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and/or Tabasco sauce to your taste. Set the sauce aside until the ribs are done.

5. When the ribs are done, put them on a cutting board. Cut them into individual ribs.

6. Increase the oven temperature to 400˚.

7. Pour off most of the fat on the baking sheet and return the ribs to the pan.

8. Brush the ribs on all sides with the barbecue sauce.

9. Roast at 400˚ for 5 minutes. Turn the ribs and roast for another 10 minutes. Turn them one last time and roast for an additional 5 minutes.

Enjoy!