Shake things up this holiday season and replace your Christmas ham with Christmas ribs slathered with triple pomegranate flavor. First, we brush the ribs with sticky pomegranate molasses and rub them with a smoky warm spice blend. Second, we slow-roast them with pomegranate juice to keep things moist, along with some jalapeño for heat. After roasting, we use the pan juices to make a sticky-sweet and slightly spicy BBQ sauce. Finally, we garnish the ribs with fresh pomegranate seeds, for jewel-tone flecks of color and a tangy crunch in every bite.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 4 hr 45 min |
| Active: | 40 min |
| Yield: | 8 to 10 servings |
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 4 hr 45 min |
| Active: | 40 min |
| Yield: | 8 to 10 servings |
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 racks baby back ribs (about 2 1/4 pounds total)
- 3/4 cup pomegranate molasses
- 1 cup pomegranate juice
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
Instructions
- Combine the dark brown sugar, chili powder, allspice, cayenne, smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon salt and a generous amount of black pepper in a medium bowl.
- Brush the baby back ribs all over with 1/4 cup of the pomegranate molasses. Sprinkle evenly with the spice mixture, pressing it over both sides of the ribs. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and preferably overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
- Add the pomegranate juice, balsamic vinegar and jalapeño to a roasting pan. Place the ribs on top and tightly cover the roasting pan with foil. Bake until the ribs are juicy, and tender and the meat easily pulls away when pierced with a fork, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
- Set the ribs aside on a baking sheet to rest, about 30 minutes. Position an oven rack in the top third of the oven. Turn the oven heat to broil.
- Meanwhile, place the roasting pan over 2 burners on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and remaining 1/2 cup pomegranate molasses to the pan and whisk to combine. Simmer the sauce until reduced by half and thick like syrup, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Brush the ribs with 1/2 cup of the barbecue sauce. Broil the ribs on the top rack, rotating the baking sheet halfway through if necessary, until nicely caramelized, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Slice the ribs and transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with the pomegranate seeds and serve with the remaining barbecue sauce on the side.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 10 servings |
| Calories | 641 |
| Total Fat | 35 g |
| Saturated Fat | 12 g |
| Carbohydrates | 41 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 37 g |
| Protein | 42 g |
| Cholesterol | 148 mg |
| Sodium | 713 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 10 servings |
| Calories | 641 |
| Total Fat | 35 g |
| Saturated Fat | 12 g |
| Carbohydrates | 41 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 37 g |
| Protein | 42 g |
| Cholesterol | 148 mg |
| Sodium | 713 mg |
Reviews
I made these for Christmas and they were really good. I made a test batch before hand because I wasn’t sure how they would taste. Things I changed the second time – I found it much easier to pour the drippings into a pan and make the sauce rather than putting the baking dish across 2 burners. I also doubled the amount of ketchup and molasses for the sauce because after I cut up the ribs I like to have all 4 sides sauced, especially since these would be kept warm in a crock pot for a few hours and I didn’t want them to dry out, Just my preference. I also did not add the pomegranate seeds. It looked good for presentation but I liked the ribs better without them.
Excellent, excellent, excellent. Everyone loved them at Christmas. Highly recommend.