The World's Best BBQ Ribs
About this recipe
These BBQ ribs are touted as the best you'll ever make, delivering perfectly juicy meat with a crispy crust and competition-worthy flavor. This recipe from Nick's Kitchen breaks down the process into manageable steps, ensuring you achieve that ideal balance of tenderness and texture.
From removing the membrane to creating a rich barbecue sauce, each step is designed to enhance the flavor and texture of the ribs. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned cook, this method guarantees mouthwatering results.
Ingredient notes
- The recipe uses 1 rack of pork ribs, but you can substitute with any rack of ribs you prefer.
- Mustard is used as a binder for the rub; if you dislike mustard, you can skip it and still achieve great results.
Tips from Nick's Kitchen’s video
- Removing the membrane from the ribs is crucial; it prevents a chewy texture and allows the rub to penetrate better.
- Letting the ribs sit with the rub for at least 1 hour or overnight in the fridge enhances the flavor significantly.
- Baking the ribs at a low temperature (275°F) for 3 hours helps break down tough connective tissue, resulting in tender meat.
- Wrapping the ribs in foil with butter, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and apple juice creates steam that keeps the meat juicy during the second baking phase.
Good to know
- How long does it take to make these BBQ ribs?
- The total time for this recipe is 5 hours, including baking and resting time.
- What temperature should I bake the ribs at?
- Bake the ribs at 275°F (135°C) for the first 3 hours, then increase to 425°F (220°C) for the final 10 minutes.
- Can I skip the mustard in the rub?
- Yes, you can skip the mustard if you don't like it; the ribs will still turn out great.
- How should I cut the ribs after cooking?
- Flip the ribs bone side up and slice straight down for clean cuts.
No life story here — the video and the recipe are the whole point. All credit to Nick's Kitchen: watch the original on YouTube.
The recipe
Ingredients
Steps
- 1
Remove the membrane from the pork ribs using a knife and a towel for grip.
- 2
In a bowl, combine salt, brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. Whisk together.
- 3
Paint the ribs all over with mustard to act as a binder for the dry rub.
- 4
Sprinkle the dry rub evenly over the ribs, pressing it in to ensure it sticks.
- 5
Let the ribs sit for 1 hour at room temperature or overnight in the fridge for better flavor development.
- 6
Preheat the oven to 275°F (135°C).
- 7
Bake the ribs in the oven for 3 hours.
- 8
After 3 hours, wrap the ribs in foil, adding butter, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and apple juice before sealing.
- 9
Return the wrapped ribs to the oven and bake for another 1.5 hours.
- 10
While the ribs cool, prepare the barbecue sauce by combining ketchup, chicken stock, brown sugar, molasses, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, kosher salt, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and a bay leaf in a pot. Cook over medium heat for 20-30 minutes until thickened.
- 11
Add the cooking liquid from the foil to the barbecue sauce and stir to combine.
- 12
Paint a light coating of the sauce over the ribs, then flip and coat the other side.
- 13
Increase the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C) and bake the ribs for an additional 10 minutes.
- 14
Optionally, broil the ribs for a few minutes to achieve a charred effect.
- 15
Remove from the oven and add another splash of barbecue sauce for extra flavor before serving.
- 16
Slice the ribs bone side up for clean cuts.
Heads up — we had to guess a little:
- Estimated quantities for some ingredients based on common usage in barbecue recipes.
Credit where it’s due: this recipe was transcribed from Nick's Kitchen’s original video on YouTube. Follow them there — it’s their dish.
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