Baby back ribs are a delicacy enjoyed in nearly every region and community in the United States. Ribs can be prepared in many different ways to give off different flavors. While you can parboil or grill ribs, baking them is another choice that will yield fall off the bone, tender deliciousness. Whether you want a sticky, sweet rib or a seasoned, dry rub rib, you can achieve the desired flavor in the oven.
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Purchasing Your Ribs
When you purchase your ribs, you want to make sure the meat is pink and the fat is white. If the fat is yellow or brown, the ribs are not as fresh. Additionally, you want to allow for a pound of meat for every person. So if you have three people, you want to have three pounds of ribs.
Prepping Your Ribs For The Oven
The first step to prepare the kind of ribs you want is examination. Examine your ribs to see if they hold too much fat or too little. If they have too much fat, use a knife to skim some of the fat off of the ribs. If there is not enough fat, you will need to add more flavor via marinade and seasoning. To prepare your ribs for the oven you can use two different methods. You can try a dry rub or a marinade. If you want to use a dry rub, then you need to find out which flavor you want to achieve. If you want a smoky rib, you can use mesquite flavors or liquid smoke. If you want a Memphis rib, you can use brown sugar and mustard. Similarly, you can create any of your favorite rib flavors by mixing different seasonings and rub mixtures. Next, you want to rub the meat down with the rub. Coat the entire surface of the ribs, and let them sit for a few hours. On the other hand, you can use a marinade. A marinade is a system of soaking your ribs, where they can absorb the flavor. Just as you use different mixtures of seasoning to create the flavor that you desire, you can use different ingredient mixtures in your marinade.
Directions For Baking The Ribs
You may choose to bake your ribs in one of two ways. You can preheat the oven to 450 degrees and bake them for 30 minutes uncovered; then, drain the excess fat and drop the heat to 350 and finish baking the ribs for about an hour. You could also preheat your oven for 400 degrees covered, and allow them to cook through until they are tender. The second option is the easier option if you are familiar with the internal temperatures that ribs need to be cooked through.
Sauce For The Ribs
You may choose to sauce your ribs midway through the baking process or you may want to wait until the end. If you do not drain the excess juices from the ribs and you sauce them, the sauce will water up and run off of the ribs. You want the sauce to stick, so you should either drain the extra fat or wait until the end to sauce your ribs. Just as you can use different mixtures of seasonings and marinades, you can use this method with the sauce. If you want to achieve a sweeter sauce, use brown sugar or honey mustard. If you want a basic red sauce, start with ketchup. A basic clear sauce starts with brown sugar and vinegar. However, you can also use store bought barbecue sauces to coat your ribs.
Add your own personality and style to your ribs and enjoy!
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