Lip Smackin’ Ribs from The Next Food Network Star
Did anyone watch The Next Food Network Star last year? 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 2007 issue of Bon Appetit 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. Recently, I bought a pack of already basted ribs at Costco, which were pretty darn tasty, but when I went back 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, 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 Appetit 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.
