Don’t you just love a good rack of ribs? All that tender, juicy meat just falling off of the bones and those lovely, gooey fingers while you eat? However, it seems that a portion of ribs is often the most expensive menu item. Here is an easy way to make them at home with a minimum of fuss and mess. I suggest you buy pork back ribs as these are often meatier than side ribs.

Tender Pork Back Ribs

1-2 racks of pork back ribs, depending on number of people eating

Homemade Rib Rub

Baking Sheet

Tin foil

Homemade BBQ sauce

I used to boil the ribs for over an hour then put them into the oven for a while with the sauce on them. But that meant I had a huge pot to wash as well as the sheet they baked on. Too many dishes to wash! So with this method, they cook slowly in the oven and come out really tender. Tin foil on the sheet makes clean up a breeze. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Layer at least 3 sheets of tin foil on baking sheet making sure you overlap the edges. Sometimes the cooking liquid from the ribs will drift under the tin foil which makes a sticky sheet to clean but at least it doesn’t take too long.

For the homemade rib rub, use any combination of spices you have on hand. Some of my favorite mixtures include: ground cumin, salt, pepper, chili powder, Old Bay Seasoning, ground ginger, paprika, ground onion powder, ground garlic powder, ground coriander, dry mustard and chipotle powder if you like the heat. I am not including amounts because I throw in whatever amounts I want and make a big batch to put in a spice jar for another time. However, if you are making this just for the ribs, anywhere from 1-2 tbsp each will work just fine. Adjust amounts to your own personal taste.

Remove ribs from package and dry off with a paper towel. Spray the foil lined sheet with cooking spray. This also makes clean up easier and helps ensure the ribs come off the tray more easily. Place the ribs on the tin foil lined baking sheet. Rub the ribs all over with the rib rub. Place in the 300 degree F oven and let cook slowly for two, to two and a half hours.

Homemade BBQ Sauce: Add any combination of the spices from rib rub, or the leftover rub itself to 2 cups of ketchup, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 2 tbsp lime or lemon juice. Stir to combine well.

After two, to two and a half hours of cooking in the slow oven, coat ribs with homemade sauce. Reserve extra sauce for serving. Let cook in oven for 15-20 minutes more.

Serve with rice and a salad.

Any discussion of ribs reminds me of Genesis 2:21-21. “And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man,”(NKJV). God did this because, “…for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him,” (V 20). I am so glad I am “fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well, (Psalm 139:14b)!