By far, my favorite way to prepare baby-back pork ribs is smoked low-and-slow on the grill. But tasty, tender ribs also can be made in the kitchen oven-and you don’t have to compete with the weather. Oven-baked ribs may not have the same woodsy, smoky flavor and aroma, but they’re still mouth-watering delicious, especially after spending time in a fragrant spice mixture and bathing in a slightly spicy, slightly sweet sauce with scrumptious homemade taste.

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

For the Ribs

  • 1 tsp each: chile powder, garlic powder, ground cumin, and dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp each: cayenne powder, paprika, and dried chile flakes
  • sea salt
  • 1 rack of baby-back pork ribs (about 2-1/2 lbs), halved, membrane removed

For the Sauce

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 jalapeno chile, finely chopped
  • 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp adobo sauce
  • 2 tbsp cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • sea salt

Preparation

For the Ribs

  1. Combine the chile powder through oregano and cayenne powder through chile flakes in a small bowl and season with salt. Rub the mixture all over the ribs and place in a heavy, sealable bag. Refrigerate at least 8 hours (or overnight).
  2. Preheat the oven to 200° F.
  3. Line a shallow baking pan with parchment paper and lay the rack halves on it meat-side up. Cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake 3 hours.
  4. Remove the foil and brush the ribs generously with barbecue sauce (recipe follows). Bake uncovered another 20 minutes, basting with sauce 2-3 times.
  5. Remove the racks to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes.

Cut each into single ribs and stack on a plate. Serve right away.

For the Sauce

  1. Heat a small saucepan over medium heat and add the oil. Add the chipotle, garlic, jalapeno, and onion and cook until the vegetables soften, about 4 minutes.
  2. Add the ketchup and next 5 ingredients (through mustard). Season with salt and bring to a light simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook slowly 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
  3. Place the sauce in a food processor and process until the vegetables are pureed. Scrape into a bowl and set aside until ready to use. (Or make the sauce a day ahead, cover, and refrigerate.)