Braised Baby Back Ribs

Author Notes

I recently impulse purchased some mighty fine looking ribs from Flying Pigs Farm at the Union Square Greenmarket in New York City. It wasn't the warm, wonderful day we're having now and I wasn't willing to brave the arctic temperatures and fire up the grill, so I decided there must be a way to capture that finger-lickin', meat fallin' off the bone experience in my kitchen.

You'll find more than a few recipes online, but don't be fooled. The golden rule of low and slow for traditional barbecue, holds true when adapting to an indoor technique. An easy-to-make dry rub and slow braise in a 250°F oven yielded results to satisfy my craving. —Jennifer Perillo

Test Kitchen Notes

The recipe title doesn't lie: these ribs are seriously delicious. Jennifer Perillo's low and slow cooking method ensures tender meat, and broiling the ribs at the end caramelizes the glaze beautifully. After all, low-and-slow cooking is a staple of good barbecue. The more patience you have, the better the meat will taste. Here’s how to make low-and-slow ribs: First, marinate them in a dry rub made from of laundry list of ground spices including brown sugar, sweet paprika, garlic powder, freshly ground black pepper, kosher salt, instant espresso powder, allspice, and chipotle powder. Let them sit for a full hour, uncovered, in the refrigerator which will not only allow them to absorb all of those wonderful flavors, but also dry out a bit on the outside so that the skin gets crispy and crackly. Next, cook them in the oven for 2½ hours until the meat is just nearly falling off of the bone.

As for the glaze, we love the addition of Prosecco, which gives the glaze a faintly boozy flavor that's hard to put your finger on. A little bit of apple cider vinegar brings some much needed acid that offsets the sweet, fatty flavors. And the combination of instant espresso and chipotle in the rub lends smoky depth. We reduced the glaze until it was very thick and syrupy, and found that it really clung to the ribs. We made these ribs twice, using both a grill and a broiler for the last step, and both work equally well. We’re partial to finishing them off under the broiler though, since the oven’s already turned on. Cook them for just 1 to 2 minutes, until the glaze begins to caramelize (watch carefully, or all your waiting will be spoiled by burned ribs!).

As for what to serve with the ribs: An old-fashioned made with Eagle Rare single barrel bourbon is the perfect partner, along with potato salad, cornbread, collard greens, and macaroni and cheese? Looking for the best sides to serve with barbecue? We’ve got you. —Food52