by Erik Merkow
(Lede)
Be careful with this recipe. If you make these ribs for friends and family, there’s a strong likelihood you’ll be asked to make them for years to come! Are you sure you want to take on this responsibility?
Cooking at 275 degrees for 4 to 5 hours is the foundation for all things falling off bones. But there is so much more to these FOTB ribs. We recommend you start with one pack of three racks of baby back pork ribs from (where else?) Costco.
Get the following for your rub and pan:
- 1 bag of brown sugar
- 1 shaker of Dave’s BBR spice
- 1 cup of your favorite coffee grinds
- 1 sack of cutie tangerines
- 2 cans of Huss Coffee Kulsh (or your favorite beer)
Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and generously rub on all surfaces of your ribs. If you can do this the night before (and leave in the fridge), even better. In your pan for ribs, make sure you have a way to elevate the ribs above the wet ingredients. Elevate the racks by slicing the tangerines in half and place them cut side up. Pour your beer into the bottom of the pan so it’s a little below the level of the rack. The ribs should not be submerged. Take your ribs and place them on the rack with the underside of the ribs facing down. Use tinfoil and tightly seal the pan to help lock in the liquid flavor, break down the meat and enhance the flavor. Your house will start to smell like a southern BBQ restaurant right about hour No. 2. Open the oven and remove the tinfoil and check for FOTB-ness. If the meat has pulled back from the bone, you should be there.
We recommend you take some out and leave as dry rub ribs and you also soak some in BBQ sauce (preferably Sweet Rays BBQ Sauce). We like to doctor it up a bit. Place all the ribs back in the pan (no tinfoil) after you’ve based half of them (or more), set the oven to broil and get a nice crispiness to them (baste a second time to kick it up a notch). Stay by the oven and watch closely.