The star of these dark, lacquered baby back ribs is a barbecue sauce rich with molasses and cola. The ribs get coated in a dry rub, baked until tender, then coated with the cola barbecue sauce. Baste and bake the ribs until caramelized and sticky-sweet.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 2 hr 30 min |
| Active: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 6 to 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 3 racks baby back ribs (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds each)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon ground allspice
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 12-ounce can cola (1 1/2 cups)
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
- 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- Freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Make the ribs: Season each rack of ribs with salt and pepper. Stir together the brown sugar, paprika, allspice, garlic powder and coriander in a small bowl. Season the ribs on both sides with the spice mixture. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Put the ribs on a rack set on a rimmed baking sheet, meat-side up. Bake until browned and slightly tender, rotating the baking sheet every 30 minutes, about 1 1/2 hours.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce: Combine the cola, ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce and 1 teaspoon pepper in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, 20 to 25 minutes (you should have about 1 3/4 cups sauce).
- Brush the cooked ribs all over with about half of the sauce. Bake until the sauce caramelizes slightly and the ribs are tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush with more sauce, reserving some to serve on the side. Let the ribs rest for 10 minutes, then slice and serve with the remaining sauce.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 679 |
| Total Fat | 39 g |
| Saturated Fat | 14 g |
| Carbohydrates | 39 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 33 g |
| Protein | 46 g |
| Cholesterol | 161 mg |
| Sodium | 785 mg |