Crazy Delicious Baby Back Ribs

Valentine's week. The seared ribeyes, third year running, with the smoked gouda mac and cheese that is now officially a tradition and therefore cannot be removed from the menu without a vote, and the only voters are Rosetta and me, and we vote unanimously to keep it forever. Dollar General candles. The kitchen table. The dance. "Thirty-four years, Earl." "The best thirty-four." "They better be."

This year I tried something new for dessert: a chocolate lava cake, which is not in my wheelhouse — I am a savory cook, a smoke-and-salt man, and chocolate is a foreign language I speak with an accent. But I watched a video and followed the recipe and produced two small cakes that, when broken open with a spoon, released a river of molten chocolate that pooled on the plate like dark, sweet lava. They were good. Not great — the centers were slightly over-set, the result of my uncertainty and the oven's unreliability — but good, and Rosetta said, "Earl, you made dessert," with the same tone of wonder she'd use if I announced I'd taken up ballet. I said, "Don't get used to it." She said, "I won't. But I'll remember it." And that's the point, isn't it? Not perfection. Memory.

I made a chocolate lava cake for Rosetta and I’m proud of that — I’ll say it once and not again. But I am a smoke-and-salt man, and after stepping outside my territory, the thing I wanted most was to come back home to the recipe that has never let me down, never asked me to watch a video, and never came out with an over-set center. These baby back ribs are me: a good dry rub, low heat, patience, and nothing to prove. If the lava cake was a memory, these ribs are the reason we’ve got thirty-four years worth of them.

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 3 hrs | Total Time: 3 hrs 20 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

2 racks baby back pork ribs (about 4–5 lbs total)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 cup BBQ sauce (for finishing, optional)

Instructions

Prep the ribs. Remove the silverskin membrane from the back of each rack by sliding a butter knife under the membrane, gripping it with a paper towel, and pulling it off in one firm strip. Pat the ribs dry with paper towels.
Mix the dry rub. Combine brown sugar, smoked paprika, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, dry mustard, and dried thyme in a small bowl. Stir until evenly blended.
Season the ribs. Brush both sides of each rack lightly with apple cider vinegar, then coat generously with the dry rub, pressing it into the meat. For best results, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
Preheat the oven. Heat oven to 275°F. Place each rack bone-side down on a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Wrap tightly, sealing the edges.
Low and slow. Place foil-wrapped racks on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until the meat is tender and beginning to pull away from the bones.
Finish with heat. Carefully open the foil. If using BBQ sauce, brush the tops generously. Raise oven temperature to 425°F (or move to a preheated grill over medium-high heat) and cook uncovered for 10–15 minutes until the surface is caramelized and slightly charred at the edges.
Rest and serve. Let the racks rest 5 minutes before slicing between the bones. Serve with extra sauce on the side.

Nutrition (per serving)

Crazy Delicious Baby Back Ribs — The Recipe That Reminds Me Who I Am