BBQ Pork Ribs {gluten-free}

 
Before starting clean eating 4 1/2 years ago, I loved getting ribs at a certain chain restaurant. My husband and I would always laugh when they would bring out our meals and give him the ribs but they were always for me :)

It has been a LONG time since I have been able to enjoy ribs. I always check at the Carriage House Market, one of my favorite places for local, grassfed meats for pork ribs but I never seem to catch when they have them. FINALLY a few weeks ago they did! I was so excited!

Now came the tricky part of figuring out how to make them. I didn't have the ability (or patience) to smoke them and I didn't have hours to let them roast or grill at a low temp.

I came across this recipe for a faster cooking method and this one for the rub/sauce and decided to combine and see how it goes! They ended up being a little spicier than I normally like (and truth be told I did have heartburn) but would most definitely still eat it again, it was that good! The leftovers reheated wonderfully in the oven and the sauce was even better the next day. Perhaps adding a little honey would help tone down the heat for another try.

I want to try the BBQ sauce on other foods as well (maybe on organic hot dogs to mimic little smokies? or chicken? or cauliflower?) This recipe was for a little over 2 pounds or 2 racks.

Dry Rub

1 T Real salt
1/2 T red pepper flakes
1 T sucanat
1/2 T smoked paprika
1 T garlic powder
1 tsp ground mustard
1 tsp ground pepper

First step is to remove the membrane on the underside of the ribs (see the recipe links above for step by step pictures of this).

Mix together all of the ingredients in the dry rub and rub in on both sides of the ribs and place in glass dish for a few hours to overnight (as much time as you have, I put the rub on before going to work).

After letting the ribs hang out with the rub, wrap in foil and bake in 400 degree oven for one hour.

While the ribs roast, start on the BBQ sauce.

BBQ Sauce

3/4 c organic ketchup
1/4 c water
2 T sucanat
1/8 c dark molasses (not blackstrap)
1 T organic apple cider vinegar
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1/2 T red pepper flakes
1/2 T garlic powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp liquid smoke (find one without high fructose corn syrup)

Combine all ingredients in small saucepan over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer for the duration of the ribs roasting.Taste after cooking for a while to see if you need to add more heat and/or sweetness.

After one hour of roasting, open the foil and brush sauce on both sides of the ribs and return to oven for 15-20 minutes.

Brush with more sauce before serving if desired (we also added more sauce while eating, it was that good!)