Description
An authentic Kansas City BBQ ribs recipe celebrates low and slow cooking paired with a distinctively thick tomato and molasses sauce. This style of preparation uses either pork baby back ribs or St. Louis-style spare ribs as its foundation.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Ribs
- 2 racks baby back ribs or St. Louis-style spare ribs
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp yellow mustard
For the BBQ Sauce
- 1½ cups ketchup
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp yellow mustard
- 1 tbsp molasses
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the ribs: Preheat the oven to 275°F (135°C). Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs and pat them dry.
- Make the rub: Combine brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika.
- Season: Lightly coat both sides of the ribs with yellow mustard, then generously rub the seasoning mixture over the meat.
- Slow-cook: Wrap each rack tightly in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 2½–3 hours, until the meat is very tender.
- Make the sauce: While the ribs cook, combine all sauce ingredients in a saucepan. Simmer over low heat for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
- Glaze the ribs: Carefully unwrap the ribs and brush generously with barbecue sauce.
- Finish: Increase the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C). Return the ribs to the oven uncovered and cook for 10–15 minutes, brushing with additional sauce halfway through. For extra caramelization, broil for 2–3 minutes at the end, watching carefully.
- Rest and serve: Let the ribs rest for 10 minutes, then slice between the bones and serve with extra Kansas City-style BBQ sauce.
Notes
For the best Kansas City BBQ Ribs, let the ribs rest before slicing and serve them with extra tangy-sweet BBQ sauce. Classic sides like coleslaw, baked beans, and cornbread make the meal complete.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow-Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3–4 ribs
- Calories: ~650 kcal
Keywords: Kansas City style ribs, oven baked barbecue ribs, sweet and tangy pork ribs, sticky glazed ribs