My dad is an amazing cook. He’s the kind of cook who bikes to the farmer’s market, picks out what looks fresh, and picks up quality meats to go with his food. Organic, wild, etc. He rarely uses recipes, and is the legit kind of cook who just does what looks right and feels right. This is great for him, but not so great for me, because when I try to get recipes from him, his measurements are approximate and instructions general. It’s a rare feat that I actually have a recipe from the man with numbers and measurements so I can attempt it on my own.
But I have at least one. And it’s a really good one. Tasty, simple, and little prep. One of those perfect recipes that you’ll find yourself going back to whenever you feel like eating something tender and meaty but don’t want to do much cooking.
This recipe is for my dad’s baby back ribs. They are so, so good, and I would have never guessed the secret ingredient in a million years, so it’s a good thing I now have this one written down for posterity!
They turn out sweet-salty, super tender, and people always asks what kind of sauce I used. It is succulent and tasty and begs for your fingers to be licked in between bites.
You can probably play around with this recipe a bit to yield different results:
- Before baking, marinate overnight, wrapped in foil, for tastier results.
- Bake at a lower temperature for longer (300ºF for 2 1/2 hours) for fall-off-the-bone ribs.
- Edited on 1/27/2015: Bake at a higher temperature for shorter (375ºF for 45 minutes with foil tent, then 15 more minutes sans tent) if you’re short on time. Ribs require some more teeth-pulling action to get off, but still tasty and delicious.
- Reserve some marinade to baste in the end for a thicker, stickier coating.
- Consider these tips to see when your ribs are done (who knew that “ribs should not fall off the bone”? Whaat?)
I usually baste my ribs throughout baking, but one time I completely forgot and they still turned out really well, so it’s a very forgiving recipe. I changed the oven temperature (because I rarely think about dinner 3 hours ahead of time…) and doubled all the sauce ingredients, but otherwise kept the recipe the same. Enjoy with a side salad and mashed potatoes!
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My Dad’s Baby Back Ribs
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/3-1/2 cup sugar
- 1 rack of pork baby back ribs
Instructions
EDITED ON 1/27/2015: After experimenting with baking temperatures and times, I’ve decided I like fall-off-the-bone ribs better after all. Below are two options for cooking times and temperatures– I prefer the first, but will keep the second as a time-saving option.
- Preheat oven to 300ºF. Line a baking pan with foil and place ribs inside. If the whole slab can fit (try it diagonally), that’s great. If not, You can cut it in half and place them side by side like this:
- Mix hoisin, soy sauce, and sugar in a bowl to make sauce. Use a brush to coat ribs with sauce.
- Cover with aluminum foil tent and bake for 2 hours, basting periodically.
- After two hours, turn the heat up to 375ºF. Discard the foil, baste again, and bake for 15 more minutes to caramelize the tops.
- Let them sit for 5 minutes, then cut them up and enjoy!
In a hurry? Use higher heat and finish them in 1 hour:
- Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line a baking pan with foil and place ribs inside. If the whole slab can fit (try it diagonally), that’s great. If not, You can cut it in half and place them side by side like this:
- Mix hoisin, soy sauce, and sugar in a bowl to make sauce. Use a brush to coat ribs with sauce.
- Cover with aluminum foil tent and bake for 45 minutes, basting periodically.
- Discard the foil, baste again, and bake for 15 more minutes.
- Let them sit for 5 minutes, then cut them up and enjoy!
10 responses to “My Dad’s Succulent Baby Back Ribs”
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I requested ribs for every. single. birthday dinner for years, well into my teenage years. My husband was the same way and did, in fact, request them this year… we’re going to have to try this one! I love how simple it is!
Right?? I hope you like it!!
Love your dad’s cooking as well!! 😀
=D EBAC people know!
My dad is the same way! It’s impossible to get recipes from him. That’s how I learned to wing it when attempting to recreate his dishes.
I’m getting there 🙂 My dad didn’t start cooking for our family until I was in high school… so I was too busy by then to learn in the kitchen 🙁 I’m making up for lost time, now!
Made these, loved these!
Yay thanks for coming back to share that! =D
What kinds of sides do you serve with this? Bought ribs at the store today to give it a try – I’ve never made ribs before. 🙂
Ooh! I like to serve it with roasted veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, and/or root vegetables)- easy to pop into the oven right after ribs finish since the oven is hot already, anyway. I also do it with fresh bread or mashed potatoes, sometimes cornbread, sometimes mac ‘n cheese! Hope you enjoy it!