baby back ribs with tangy bbq sauce

Serves 2

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Marinate Time: 3 to 24 hours

Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes plus marinating time

  • for the rub
  • 2 tablespoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  •  
  • 2 pounds baby back ribs
  • 1 cup chicken broth or water
  • 2 cups Tangy BBQ Sauce

Cut your prep in half by making the BBQ Sauce up to two days ahead of time. Feel like skipping this step? Tessemae’s makes a Whole30-compliant BBQ sauce. See Resources for where to buy.

Make the rub: Mix the oregano, mustard powder, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Set the ribs flesh-side up on a large piece of foil and coat evenly with the rub. Marinate in the refrigerator for 3 to 24 hours (the longer the better).

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Place the ribs in a casserole or glass baking dish. Pour the chicken broth or water into the dish and cover with foil. Bake for 1 hour, or until the meat pulls back from the rib bones.

Preheat a grill to medium heat (350°F). Place the ribs directly over the heat and grill until nicely charred, 6 to 8 minutes on each side. If you don’t have a grill, increase the oven temperature to 475°F and cook the ribs for 10 minutes on each side.

Remove the ribs from the grill or oven and immediately baste generously with the BBQ sauce. Serve with the remaining sauce.

Make It a Meal: This recipe goes great with a serving of Butternut Squash with Kale and Swiss Chard, Green Cabbage Slaw, or Roasted Sweet Potatoes.

✪When Are the Ribs Done? While you should cook ribs to 180° to 190°F, a meat thermometer is not much help here: It is very hard to get an accurate reading because the bones get in the way of measuring the temperature. A few ways to test whether your ribs are done: Pick up the slab with a pair of tongs and bounce them slightly. If they are ready, the slab will bow and be close to breaking. You can also poke a toothpick into the meat between the bones. When it slides in with little or no resistance (like with baked goods) your ribs are ready.