Spare Ribs Without Bbq Sauce: A Tasty Alternative

Spare ribs are traditionally cooked covered in barbecue sauce, but they can be just as delicious without it. The key to cooking them without sauce is to use a rub made from a variety of spices. The ribs are then cooked slowly in the oven or on the grill. This method allows the flavours to permeate the meat, resulting in juicy, tender ribs.

Characteristics of cooking spare ribs without BBQ sauce

Removing the membrane

To remove the membrane, start by flipping the ribs over so the curved side is facing you. You should see a thin, translucent layer of white tissue attached to the ribs. This is the membrane. Pull up a corner of the membrane at one edge of the slab of ribs. You can use a blunt knife to get underneath it, but you should also be able to pull it up with your fingers. Once you have a corner, loosen the membrane by lifting and peeling it away from the ribs. You can use a paper towel to help you get a grip on the membrane as it can be slippery. Continue to pull the membrane away from the ribs, working from the corner you started at. It should come away in one piece, but you may need to remove it in smaller pieces.

Once the membrane is removed, you will be able to see how elastic it is. This is why it is important to remove it before cooking, as you do not want to chew on a rubber band!

Using a dry rub

Firstly, choose your spices. A basic rub consists of dry mustard, garlic, salt, and onion powder. You can also add brown sugar, which should be packed and sealed tightly. For a Memphis-style rub, add cayenne pepper, or for Texas-style, add oregano. If you want to make Kansas City-style ribs, add chilli powder. You can mix and match these spices to your taste and store them in an airtight container until you are ready to use them.

Next, prepare your ribs. Fresh pork is best. Spare ribs are longer in length and have more bones than baby back ribs. They usually come in a single slab or in packages of two or three. A slab should have about 11 bones, and one slab will serve two to three people. Remove the thin membrane from the bone side of the ribs. This will allow the flavours of the rub to better permeate the meat. You can use a paper towel to hold the membrane as you peel it away.

Now, apply the rub. Mix your chosen dry ingredients together in a small bowl or dish. Coat the front and back of the ribs evenly with the rub. You can also add a light mop sauce of vinegar during this step, or apple juice for a sweeter flavour.

Finally, cook your ribs. You can cook them in the oven or on the grill. For the oven, use a large baking pan of at least 13-by-9-by-2 inches in size. Place the ribs bone-side down, cover with aluminium foil, and cut two or three slits into the foil. Bake for one hour to one hour and fifteen minutes, then remove the foil and cook for another hour, or until the meat is tender enough to pull apart easily. If grilling, use tongs to turn the ribs and cook them slowly for the best results.

Baking slowly

Slow-baking spare ribs is a great way to achieve tender, fall-off-the-bone meat with a delicious bark. Here's a step-by-step guide to doing it right:

Preparation

Start by choosing the right ribs. Look for ribs with a good amount of marbling, which is the flecks of fat within the muscle. This fat will render down during the long cooking process

Broiling to caramelise

Broiling is a great way to cook spare ribs without BBQ sauce and achieve a caramelised effect. The process is quite simple and can be done in an oven.

First, prepare a rub with a mix of spices. A basic rub consists of brown sugar, dry mustard, garlic, salt, and onion powder. You can also add cayenne pepper for a Memphis-style rub, oregano for Texas-style, or chilli powder for a Kansas City-style rub.

Next, remove the thin membrane from the bone side of the ribs. This will allow the flavours of the rub to better permeate the meat. Apply the rub to the ribs, coating both sides evenly.

Place the ribs in a baking dish, bone side down, and cover with aluminium foil. Cut a few slits into the foil. Broil the ribs in the oven for about 10 minutes on each side. After broiling, the ribs should be nicely browned and slightly charred.

For best results, cook the ribs slowly. You can also boil the ribs first to make them extra tender before applying the rub and broiling.

By following these steps and making adjustments based on your oven's performance, you can achieve delicious, caramelised spare ribs without BBQ sauce.

Serving with a mop sauce

Spare ribs are often cooked with a barbecue sauce, but they can be just as delicious without it. The secret is to cook them with a dry rub of spices.

A mop sauce is a thin vinegar-based barbecue sauce that is spiced with salt and black and/or red pepper. It is used to baste meat on the grill and can be used to add flavour and moisture to spare ribs.

Dad's Mop Sauce

This recipe was published on Destination BBQ and is designed to be used while cooking, not as a table condiment. It serves 24 and takes 25 minutes to make.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 tablespoon Kosher salt, or any coarse salt
• 1/2 tablespoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

Instructions:

Place all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir and reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature and then baste ribs every hour during cooking.

Another mop sauce recipe features the following ingredients:

• Light soft brown sugar
• Cayenne pepper
• Mustard powder
• Light soft brown sugar
• Worcestershire sauce
• Garlic cloves, crushed

Combine the sauce ingredients with 2 tablespoons of a rub mix of your choice, slowly bring to a simmer until slightly thickened, then allow to cool and refrigerate overnight.

Mop sauces are used to baste ribs during the cooking process, not as a table condiment. They are applied every 45 minutes or so during the cooking process, wherever the meat looks dry.

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