Ribs (Houston’s restaurant inspired)

Made this last week and loved how they came out. After this I’ll also post the coleslaw I made/had with it.
I made everything on the grill, I find it simpler.

OpineAway - Ribs

First we cook the ribs with spices in water. I used a disposable aluminum pan that can hold the ribs and deep enough to cover them in water. Make your own BBQ sauce (it’s really good, so if you have leftovers you won’t regret it, keep it in the fridge).

Pre cooking the ribs:

  1. Place spices in a pan, add a little hot tap water and mix.
  2. Place ribs in pan, add hot tap water to cover ribs.
  3. Place pan on grill set to medium and bring to lite boil. Lower heat to maintain lite boil. Alternative way is in an over set to 220f
  4. Carefully (it’s hot) cover pan with aluminum foil to minimize water evaporation while cooking.
  5. Let cook for at least 2-3 hours. 6-8 hours even better (more tender).

While they cook, make your BBQ Sauce, you can multiply the quantities to make more and save:

  • 1/3 cup Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 cup Ketchup
  • 1/2 cup cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup Mustard
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 tsp. Onion Powder
  • 1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
  • Pinch or more to taste Cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. Beet Powder (optional, write to me if you need some, I make it myself, ads great flavor and color).
  • 1 tsp. Corn Starch
  1. Put everything but corn starch in a pot on a low-medium flame and stir until bubbles a bit.
  2. Mix well corn starch with some cold water (about 1/4 cup).
  3. Add cornstarch to the pot, mix well, reduce flame to low, cover, simmer for 30 minute.
  4. Take off the stove and let cool.

When you get too hungry and decide you can’t wait any more, i.e. the ribs cooked enough, grill’m:

  • note – while I grilled them I had a small pan on the side with hickory smoking woodchips, so they got some smoky flavor. You can do that or add some liquid smoke to the BBQ sauce (I’ll call that “cheating” but still will taste good…). Not a must, but adds great flavor.
  1. Carefully (as they are hot and might fall apart now) take ribs out of the pan and place on the grill.
  2. Remove pan with water from grill (careful again, it’s full of hot water), you can dispose of the water or keep as broth for whatever.
  3. Brush the top side of the ribs with a very generous amount of the BBQ sauce that you made, like a really good amount.
  4. Grill heat on medium-low with grill closed for 10-15 minutes, let bottom side brown and the sauce stick and thickens on the top. Watch it every few minutes and give it more time as needed. If sauce get thick fast, brush on some more, the more the merrier.
  5. Flip ribs carefully and brush what was the bottom side with BBQ sauce, reduce flame to low and cook for 5-8 minutes with grill closed. Gotta be on low to prevent burning the sauce!
  6. Take’m off the grill already!

These are so good…

  • Telling by the color, Houston’s is using molasses in their BBQ sauce. If you want, you can replace some of the sugar with molasses, makes it darker color and adds some of its flavor.

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