Description

Nana’s Fall-Off-The-Bone Ribs are slow-roasted to tender perfection and paired with a tangy, homemade ‘Barb’-ecue Sauce that balances sweet, spicy, and savory flavors. These ribs are generously rubbed with Applewood seasoning, wrapped tightly in foil to seal in moisture, and roasted low and slow in the oven, resulting in tender, juicy meat that falls off the bone effortlessly.

Ingredients

Scale

Ribs and Rub

7 pounds racks of ribs*
6 ounces Applewood rub** (you might need more!)
Heavy foil (enough to wrap the ribs)

Barbecue Sauce

2 cups ketchup
2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon celery seed
2 cups water
1/4 cup brown sugar
4-8 drops Tabasco sauce

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Prepare Ribs: Lay out a generous amount of heavy foil on a large rimmed baking sheet. Place one rack of ribs on the foil and rub it generously with Applewood rub, at least 1/3 cup per rack to ensure full flavor absorption.
Wrap Ribs: Fold the long edges of the foil over the ribs and seal by folding down tightly, creating a neat, sealed package. Fold the ends inward and upward to prevent any juices from leaking out during cooking. The ribs should be completely enclosed in foil.
Repeat: Repeat the wrapping process with each rack of ribs to ensure all are securely wrapped.
Marinate: Let the wrapped ribs sit for at least 30 minutes to absorb the flavors. For best results, refrigerate overnight. When refrigerating, place two racks per large half baking sheet to catch any drippings and keep your fridge clean.
Preheat Oven: When ready to cook, preheat your oven to 250°F (120°C) to prepare for slow roasting.
Roast Ribs: Place the foil-wrapped ribs on a baking sheet in the oven to catch any potential drips. Roast for approximately 3 hours, checking for fork-tenderness. Depending on thickness, ribs may need 4 to 5 hours to become truly tender and fall off the bone.
Prepare Barbecue Sauce: While ribs roast, combine ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, salt, celery seed, water, brown sugar, and Tabasco sauce in a saucepan. Simmer gently to blend flavors and thicken slightly, stirring occasionally.
Unwrap and Serve: Once ribs are tender, carefully unwrap them from the foil. Serve hot with the homemade ‘Barb’-ecue sauce on the side or brushed generously over the ribs for a perfect finishing touch.

Notes

Using heavy-duty foil ensures no tearing during cooking and better juice retention.
Applewood rub can be substituted with your favorite pork rub if unavailable.
Cooking times vary depending on rib thickness; start checking tenderness after 3 hours.
For even more flavor, marinate ribs wrapped in rub overnight before cooking.
Leftover ribs reheat well and taste great the next day.