Pork Ribs Low and Slow

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If you ever want to stir up a passionate debate with an American, just ask them what the best style of Ribs are. Much like a College Football team allegiance, what Ribs you love really is as much a representation of where you grew up and where you call home. Now being foreigners living in the US we aren’t here to preach which ribs are best. However, In our opinion some good quality Spicy Kansas Style Ribs must be up there with some of the best. The best technique, there’s only one – Pork Ribs Low and Slow

What got me hooked on the Kansas Style of Ribs is how saucy they are. I love a good slathering of quality BBQ sauce, and this preparation is not shy on the sauce! The ribs are coated in a delicious BBQ sauce (recipe here) as a baste, then finished off with more delicious BBQ sauce just before serving

Best way to cook a Rack of Ribs?

The best way, hands down, to prepare a good rack of ribs is slow cooking. You cannot rush the rib cooking process. The objective is to have that meat super tender and almost falling off the bone. This simple cannot be achieved if you are cooking on a high heat, fast. So cooking Pork Ribs Low and Slow is the way to go

The second step is optional, however any good BBQ purveyor around the USA will tell you this is a must. That is, cooking the ribs on a grill or an open fire. You simply cannot replicate that amazing smoky, charred taste that the open fire provides. To keep things simple for this recipe we’re cooking indoors on a regular oven however, as many people don’t have the access to a large outdoor space for grilling Democratizing ribs is what we’re about!

Patience is the key to great Pork Ribs

If you are hoping to have this dish completely started and finished within a few hours unfortunately I have some bad news for you. The secret to great Pork Ribs is patience. The cooking process takes time, as does the marinade time. Both are critical steps in the process to get the most flavor and tenderness from the Ribs

Marinade the Ribs in the dry rub overnight for the best results

By liberally coating the ribs with the dry rub and leaving it overnight to marinade infuses as much flavor into the meat as possible. It is a slow process, so you do not want to rush it. The more time you give the marinade to sit with the pork, the deeper that flavor will get into the ribs. This is a critical step to get the most flavor our of the Pork, as we want that marinade to get down to the bone in the ribs for maximum flavor!

So, prepare the ribs the day before you are ready to cook. Give the ribs a thorough coating of the marinade and leave it in the refrigerator overnight. It’s always a great feeling when you open up the fridge for the first time the next day and see a beautiful full rack of Ribs in there, just waiting to be cooked to perfection!

Slow Cooking the Ribs ensures optimal tenderness when it’s time to eat

There’s nothing worse than eating tough ribs. If the ribs aren’t falling off the bone with each bite then are clearly not cooked for long enough. There’s a reason why this recipe is called ‘Pork Ribs Low and Slow’ – it is the optimal cooking technique to ensure the ribs are super tender and delicious

Rib meat is notoriously quite tough, so benefits from a slow cooking process. Much in the same way that cuts of Beef like Brisket, Chuck, and Short Ribs. If you cook them fast at a high temperature it will be like eating the soles of your shoes! Cooking the Ribs slowly while covered in the Oven allows the meat to slowly break down and transform into beautiful, tender Ribs

So patience is key, as is preparation. Get those Ribs into the oven at least 4 hours before you are preparing to eat, and allow a little bit more time for resting. You’ll be guaranteed some amazing Ribs with a little bit of patience!

Kansas Style Pork Ribs Low and Slow Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 full rack of Pork Spareribs (4 to 4 ½ lbs.)
• 1 tbsp. Onion Powder
• 1 tbsp. Garlic Powder (or finely chopped Garlic)
• 1 tbsp. Paprika
• 1 tbsp. Black Pepper
• 1 tbsp. Salt
• 1 tbsp. Cayenne Pepper
• 1 tbsp. Chili Powder
• 2 tbsp. Brown Sugar
• 2 cups Kansas Style BBQ Sauce (recipe here)
  
  

Instructions

1. Prepare the Spareribs by trimming any excess fat and removing the tough outer membrane from the back of the Ribs. We’ve got a great video link at the bottom of this recipe to show how to best prepare the ribs
2. In a small bowl combine the Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Salt, Paprika, Cayenne Pepper, Chili Powder, and Brown Sugar. Mix together well
   
   

3. Rub the spice mixture liberally over the Ribs. Try to get about 80% of the spice mixture onto the meaty side of the ribs, the remainder on the bones. Place on a large tray or cutting board and refrigerate overnight
4. Remove the ribs 2 hours before cooking to get them back up to room temperature. Place Ribs on a large baking tray, cover with foil then place in a pre-heated oven set to 300 degrees
5. After 2 hours apply a generous coating of BBQ Sauce to the Ribs. Repeat this process every 30 minutes and cook for a further 2 hours until beautifully tender. The internal temperature should read about 180 degrees
6. Once cooked, remove from the oven, and apply a final cost of BBQ sauce baste. Cut the ribs and you are ready to serve (alongside a lot of paper towels)
   
   

There are copious amounts of amazing sides that go well with a good rack of Pork Spareribs. Check out our sides page here for our full list of tasty sides. Our favorites to pair with Pork Spareribs are the classic Mac and Cheese (recipe here) and our homemade Apple Slaw (recipe here)

Happy Cooking!