It was touch-and-go for a while, but I was finally able to retrieve my last set of pictures for this recipe. It’s funny, you get so used to your computer, like a comfortable shoe. This one has been with me a long time, so I have to make this post the last one I’ll ever type on “Old Betsy” before I put her out to pasture.

Enough about me; let me tell you about my Sweet And Smokey Ribs With Caramelized Onions #sweetandsmokeyribs.

First, I’m showing you how to turn your oven into a makeshift smoker.

Second, here’s what you need to know when you buy ribs: what kind of rib, and that there is preparation you need to do before you spice up your ribs.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 2 hours (or overnight)
Cook Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 7 hours
Yields: 4 servings
Equipment: 2 rimmed baking sheet pans, aluminum foil, 2 large mixing bowls, 1 (3-quart) saucepan, chef’s knife, cutting board, meat-safe cutting board

Ingredients:
2 racks of St. Louis Ribs, each rack is 1 1/2 to 2 pounds
2 large sweet onions, thick slices
1 bag of Applewood chips, 3 cups for this recipe

Ingredients for the Dry Rub:
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons ground chipotle powder
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons ground mustard
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons Ancho chili powder
2 tablespoons dried oregano (optional)
1 tablespoon black pepper, freshly ground
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup sweet paprika

Ingredients for the Barbecue Sauce:
1 (28-ounce) bottle of barbecue sauce, Sweet Baby Ray’s
2 to 3 dashes of liquid smoke
1 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup apricot jam

Instructions:
First, turn the rack over. On the underside, remove the silver skin. It helps your spices penetrate the meat, and the silver skin is not appetizing.

Take your fingers at one corner and start separating it from the ribs, like you’re starting a piece of tape on a new roll. Once you grab a hold of it, it should peel right off, as you can see in the picture above.

Next, trim off a couple of the end rib pieces. This rectangular style that St. Louis ribs are known to have will ensure even cooking. Now, if you like those end pieces, you can, by all means, leave them on. It’s also a good idea to trim off some of that extra meat that’s on the backside, as seen in the above picture. I like the ribs to be as neatly trimmed of any excess fat as possible. The picture on the left side showing the rack of ribs (without the spice rub) is an example of how I like my ribs to look.

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.

To make my oven into a makeshift smoker. Add 3 cups of applewood chips to a large bowl. Add enough water to cover the wood chips and let them soak for at least 1 hour. Do this during the last hour the ribs are resting in the fridge.

While that’s happening, get the spices ready for the dry rub. In a bowl, add garlic powder, ground Chipotle powder, smoked paprika, chili powder, onion powder, ground mustard, cayenne pepper, Ancho chili powder, dried oregano (optional), light brown sugar, sweet paprika, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

I know that’s a lot of spices, but remember it’s for 2 racks of ribs. Whisk all the spices together, then rub them all over both sides of the ribs. Place the ribs on the pans and refrigerate for 2 hours; overnight is even better.

Preparing the ribs can be done in advance.

On each baking sheet, lay another piece of foil twice the length of the baking sheet. Spread 1  sliced onion on each pan. The onions will act as a bed for the ribs so the heat can transfer easily around them.

In the pictures following, fold the extra foil over the ribs and fold up all the sides around the rack to trap in the heat. This will allow the ribs to steam for 1 1/2 hours. Low and slow.

Adjust oven temperature to 230°F.

Next, uncover the ribs, place the wood chips in an oven-safe vessel, and set the wood chips on the lowest rack in the oven and the ribs set on the center rack. Continue to smoke the ribs for an additional 3 hours.

I like my ribs to be tender but not to the point where they will fall apart when you cut them. This means they are overcooked. If after 2 1/2 hours you see the rib bones exposed on one end, they are done. If not, continue smoking.

Use an instant-read thermometer to check the ribs for an internal temperature of 180°F. With the point of a paring knife, stick it between the bones; if the knife comes out easily, they’re done.

There are so many variables when cooking ribs; it just takes some practice. Getting to know your oven is important. The goal is to reach an internal temperature of 180-185°F because the barbecue sauce stage is next.

You can see in the picture above that the rib bones are exposed, and the ribs are still intact. Remove the foil pouches. Transfer the cooked onions to the bottom of the sheet pan and again place the ribs on top.

I’m not making barbecue sauce from scratch, but I am adding a few ingredients to my favorite bottled sauce.

In a large mixing bowl, add a bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce. To the sauce, add real maple syrup, liquid smoke for a smoky flavor, and apricot jam. In a saucepan over low heat, simmer, stirring occasionally, for 3-5 minutes. This allows the flavors to marry.

Remove the ribs from the oven. Brush this delicious sauce all over the ribs on both sides. Remove the wood chips; they’ve done their job. Set the oven to broil and put both racks back in, but leave the oven door cracked. The reason for this is that the sugar in the sauce will burn quickly, so it’s important to keep an eye on them; it doesn’t take long, maybe 10 minutes. Take the ribs out of the oven because they’re ready! Serve with some of that awesome barbecue sauce in case you want extra to dip your ribs in. Talk about finger-lickin’ good!

There you have it, my Sweet and Smokey Ribs With Caramelized Onions.

Note:
1) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value matter to you, I recommend running the ingredients through a preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.

https://lindalouhamel.com/2014/12/04/knowing-your-butcher/