WEEK 11 WILDCARD WINNER

Seriously Delicious Ribs

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Photography by Sarah Shatz

    BY JENNIFER PERILLO | SERVES 4 TO 6

A&M: The recipe title doesn’t lie: these ribs are seriously delicious. Jennifer Perillo’s low and slow braising method ensures tender meat, and broiling the ribs at the end caramelizes the glaze beautifully. We love the addition of Prosecco, which gives the glaze a faintly boozy flavor that’s hard to put your finger on. And the combination of instant espresso and chipotle in the rub lends smoky depth. We reduced the glaze until it was very thick and syrupy, and found that it really clung to the ribs. We made these ribs twice, using both a grill and a broiler for the last step, and both work equally well.

    DRY RUB

    ½ cup light brown sugar

    2 teaspoons sweet paprika

    1 teaspoon garlic powder

    ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

    1 tablespoon kosher salt

    1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

    ¼ teaspoon allspice

    1 teaspoon chipotle powder (optional)

    2 slabs pork baby back ribs (3 to 3 ½ pounds total)

    BRAISING LIQUID/BBQ GLAZE

    1 cup sparkling white wine, like Prosecco

    2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

    2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

    1 tablespoon honey

  1. Heat the oven to 250°F.
  2. Add all the dry rub ingredients (from brown sugar to chipotle powder) to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the ingredients are combined, about two or three 1-second pulses. Rub the mixture evenly all over each rack of ribs, making sure to coat the top and bottom. Place the ribs, in a single layer, on 2 rimmed baking sheets or in a roasting pan and let sit, covered, in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
  3. Meanwhile, place the braising liquid ingredients in a small pot and cook over medium heat until just hot. Alternately, you can add them to a microwave-safe bowl and cook on high for 1 minute.
  4. Remove the ribs from the refrigerator. Pour the braising liquid over the ribs, wrap tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil, and place the pan(s) in the oven, side by side if possible. Cook for 2½ hours, or until the meat is very tender and easily pulls away from the bone. Rotate the pans halfway through if cooking on separate racks in the oven.
  5. Remove the pans from the oven, discard the foil, and pour or spoon the braising liquid into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a vigorous simmer and let cook until the liquid reduces by half and has a thick, syrupy consistency, 20 to 30 minutes.
  6. Heat the broiler. Brush the glaze on top of each rack of ribs. Place the ribs under the broiler until the glaze begins to caramelize, 1 to 2 minutes (watch carefully, or all your waiting will be spoiled by burned ribs!). Slice and serve with the remaining glaze on the side.

    TIPS AND TECHNIQUES

    Jennifer’s ideal drink pairing? “An old-fashioned made with Eagle Rare single-barrel bourbon is the perfect partner.”

    ABOUT THE COOK

    To learn about Jennifer Perillo, see her winning recipe for Sweet and Savory Tomato Jam.

    WHAT THE COMMUNITY SAID

    Blim8183: “Made these today and they were a huge hit with my friends. I will definitely be making these again … often …”