Delicious Baby Back Ribs

When you get ribs just right, there’s nothing quite like them. I like my baby back ribs to be tender enough to fall away from the bone when you cut or bite into them, but not so sloppy that you can’t even pick the bone up. Good news – it’s really very simple to achieve this. This recipe for baby back ribs with blackberry bbq sauce takes about two and a half hours, but it’s very, very easy.

How to Prepare Baby Back Ribs

Start by preparing the baby back ribs. When you get the ribs home, look for the membrane on the back of the ribs. Although the membrane is barely noticeable when the ribs are raw, when cooked it makes the ribs a little tougher and also prevents flavor absorption. So, it’s best to take it off. Use a knife to pry up the edge of the membrane (sometimes this is easier part way down the ribs) and then use a paper towel to get a grip on the membrane and pull it away from the ribs.  

Spice Rub for Baby Back Ribs

A simple spice rub on the ribs helps give it flavor from the onset of cooking. You can rub this on the ribs ahead of time if you like, storing the rubbed ribs in the refrigerator overnight, or do this right before it goes into the oven. Then, place the ribs on a large baking sheet, wrap tightly with foil and bake at 300˚F for 2 hours. That gives you plenty of time to make the BBQ sauce.

BBQ Sauce for Baby Back Ribs

This blackberry BBQ sauce is delicious on ribs. The blackberries breakdown and leave you with a lumpy sauce that you can slather all over the ribs. I use a little chipotle pepper in adobo in this sauce, but you can substitute ketchup (2 tablespoons) if you prefer something less spicy. 

Blackberry BBQ Sauce

Let the sauce simmer on the stovetop for 20 to 30 minutes to thicken. If you really wanted to, you could put the reduced sauce into a blender or chopper and make it completely smooth, but I like the chunky blackberries and how they gather in the crevices of the ribs when you slather it on.

Finishing the Ribs

Once the ribs have cooked at 300˚F for 2 hours, the meat should be tender. You can poke your paring knife between the bones to test the tenderness. Cover both sides of the ribs with the blackberry bbq sauce and then decide how you are going to proceed – broil, grill or bake. If you plan on broiling the ribs, drain away the fat from the baking pan before you do that so that the grease doesn’t spit up towards your broiling elements. The blackberry bbq sauce will burn easily if you don’t pay attention, so stick around while you’re broiling or grilling – it’s only 5 minutes or so.

How to Serve Baby Back Ribs

Then cut the ribs into two- to three-rib sections and stack on a serving plate for people to grab. You could serve this with coleslaw, potato salad, or any number of grilling side dishes. This grilled parmesan corn and zucchini is a favorite of mine. 

Baby Back Ribs with Blackberry BBQ Sauce