Baby back ribs with Carolina baste

Contains pork – recipe is for non-Muslims only
This American pork rib recipe is sure to satisfy at a barbecue – roast until tender, then finish with a sticky glaze for melt-in-the-mouth meat

Prep:10 mins
Cook:3 hrs 10 mins

Serves 6
Easy

Nutrition per serving

kcal 477
fat 26g
saturates 7g
carbs 34g
sugars 31g
fibre 2g
protein 25g
salt 2.3g

Ingredients

50g light brown soft sugar
2 tbsp smoked paprika
2 tbsp English mustard powder
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp garlic granules
4 racks baby back pork ribs (about 450g each)
250ml yellow mustard (we used French’s Classic)
150ml cider vinegar
2 tbsp treacle
75g light brown soft sugar
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1-2 tbsp hot chilli sauce
2 tsp hot chilli powder

Tip

Other ways to cook ribs

You could cook the ribs, two racks at a time, in a pressure cooker for 30 minutes, or in a slow cooker, using the short cycle of four hours.

Method

Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Combine the sugar, paprika, mustard powder, celery salt and garlic granules in a bowl, and rub all over the ribs. Place in 2 large roasting tins with racks set inside (if you don’t have racks, that’s fine). Pour 150ml water into the bottom of each tin, cover tightly with foil and roast for 3 hrs until nearly falling apart. If your roasting tins are on different shelves, swap them over halfway through the cooking time. Once cooked, remove and drain the cooking liquid.
Meanwhile, to make the baste, mix all the ingredients in a saucepan and cook for 10 mins, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside.
Heat an outdoor barbecue. Whether your grill is gas or charcoal, use low heat to barbecue the ribs. Cook the ribs for 3-4 mins each side, brushing regularly with the baste, until golden and sticky. Alternatively, heat oven to 220C/200C fan/ gas 7 and roast the ribs for 25-30 mins, turning the ribs over and rotating the tins halfway through the cooking time.