Anyone watching The Next Food Network Star? One of the contestants’ challenge in the last episode was to make a summer grilling recipe, and the winner of the challenge got their recipe featured on the cover of the July issue of Bon Appetite magazine. Rory nailed it with her ribs, using a recipe she makes for her family that takes 5 hours in the oven. She scaled it down a bit, time-wise, for the challenge, and still managed to deliver the winning dish.
I tend to be a little picky about making ribs … most of the time, it just feels like an awful lot of work for little reward (meat), but I’ve been craving them lately. Last weekend, I bought a pack of already basted ribs at Costco, which were pretty darn tasty. When I went back this week to buy more, they were gone, and the only thing I could find were plain racks of ribs. I hemmed and hawed about buying them, not really wanting to mess with an involved recipe this week (too much packing to do), but when I saw Rory’s recipe, it was kismet.
A cinch to make, they produce tender, juicy, fall-off-the-bone, lip smackin’ good ribs. Do try it! Oddly enough, the recipe (both ingredients and directions) on both Food Network and Bon Appetite has been changed since I printed it, and if I didn’t have the original print-out, I would have thought I was going crazy. The below is the original way the recipe was posted, and how I made it.
Rory’s Ribs
Recipe courtesy Rory Schepisi, The Next Food Network Star contestant
Barbecue Sauce:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 1/4 cups ketchup
1 3/4 cups low-salt chicken broth
7 tablespoons soy sauce
6 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
4 1/2 tablespoons mild-flavored (light) molasses
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 large racks baby back pork ribs (each about 2 1/2 pounds)
8 tablespoons chili powder, divided
For Barbecue Sauce: Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Press garlic through garlic press into pan. Stir 30 seconds. Add the ketchup, broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, molasses, and vinegar. Bring sauce to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until reduced to 3 cups, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Transfer to bowl. This can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill. Sprinkle each side of each rib rack with salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon chili powder. Arrange 2 racks on each of 2 large rimmed baking sheets. This can be made 1 day ahead; cover and chill.
Position 1 oven rack in top third of oven and 1 rack in bottom third; preheat to 450 degrees F. Cover each tray with foil. Bake ribs for 2 hours, or until tender. Uncover; cool slightly. Cut each rib rack between bones into individual ribs. Brush ribs generously with sauce. This can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Serve.
I love ribs. My DH is not a big fan because of the “little reward” you mentioned. I only buy ribs when I find them with a lot of meat on the bone. I can’t wait to try this recipe.
Maria
MMMMMMM ribs! I didn’t get to catch this episode, but this recipe sounds really good. I haven’t had ribs in the longest time, I think it’s about time I broke my ribs dryspell. I love eating ribs and getting bbq sauce all over, hehe. But anyways, I actually work with Bon Appetit, and I was just wondering if any of you guys heard about this contest they have going on. You can enter to win a trip to NYC and tour the Food Network studios, or $1000 bucks in cookware. Pretty sweet huh? I love to cook so that cookware would be so great to have. Plus you can enter everyday. Here’s the link • http://condenast.eprize.net/bonappetit/index.tbapp?affiliate_id=1i check it out :D
When I saw this episode I thought that Rory should win that challenge, though I DID like the chicken and veggie dish. Must admit that I was glad to see what’s-her-name go…she just didn’t cut it. Glad to hear that the ribs really turn out. I’ll have to send this along to my mom. My brother would love this and she’s always looking for “things Philip will eat.”
That’s basically how I make my ribs too (and they always come out good). I don’t make them too often, though, I’m with you about the work vs. reward. Sometimes I make my own BBQ sauce but usually I just follow this recipe:
4 lbs. pork spareribs
Sauce:
4 oz tomato paste
1 tablespoon instant onion
3 cloves garlic pressed
1/3 cup Heinz 57 Steak Sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Put ribs in oven and cook slowly (250 degrees) until they brown and start to dry out. This should take 2 to 3 hours. Pour off the accumulated fat and brush on both sides with the sauce. Continue cooking another 4 to 6 hours, brushing on more sauce from time to time. If the ribs start to dry out too much turn down the heat and/or cover with foil. If the sauce starts to burn on the bottom of the pan the oven is too hot. When done they are very tender. They are excellent straight from the oven and even better heated or reheated on the BBQ. This recipe also works with chicken but cut the cooking time in half. The whole idea is to cook the ribs slowly enough to make them moist and tender and not to leave a burned mass of sauce in the bottom of the pan which is really difficult to clean.
Love ribs — and great to see I can make them in the oven since I don’t have a grill.
Are they supposed to be eaten at room temp — a bit confused since it says you can make two hrs in advance.
I will try it out. thanks
Sorry folks, but them ribs ain’t BBQ. They’re just oven steamed and sauced. While they may be tasty, they pale when compared to the slow cooked in wood smoke original.
i havent watched that show, but i’m heading over to my dvr right after to record it i love cooking competition shows.
these look beyond delicious! ribs take so long to cook i rarely make them, mmmmm!
I have been tempted to try this since my current issue of Bon Appetite came. Looks tasty!
Put me in the camp w/ WhiteTrashBBQ– those ain’t barbeque. I grew up eating similar ribs until I learned the difference.
I’m sure that’s a fine recipe, but shame on Bon Appetit for calling it barbecue in their magazine. After seeing what they look like when the emerge from a wood-fired pit, it’s a little hard to look at that picture….no offense intended whatsoever….
I, too, watch the TV Food Network Star. I was wondering how those ribs are. Glad to hear they were good — I’ll have to try them.
I’m going to be bummed, though, if Rory wins and we have yet another TV Food Network personality who wears lots of low-cut tops. Sigh…