The Best Marinade For Pork Ribs
Use root beer as both a rib marinade and the base of a tangy barbecue sauce for the most juicy and flavorful baby back ribs you'll ever serve. My family and friends have raved about this recipe for years!
Ingredients
- 2 racks baby back ribs
- 1 bottle root beer 2 liters
- 2 tablespoons + 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- ½ small white onion finely chopped
- 1 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Place ribs in single layer in large baking dish or roasting pan. If necessary, cut rib racks into halves or thirds to fit into pan easier.
- Reserve 1 cup root beer and set aside. Pour remaining root beer over ribs. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons salt over ribs; cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to overnight, turning once if possible.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove ribs from marinade and pat dry with paper towel. Discard marinade in pan; wipe pan dry.
- Place ribs back into pan. Add 1 cup water to bottom of pan; cover tightly with foil. Cook 2 hours or until meat is nearly falling off the bone.
- In small saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onion; cook 3 to 4 minutes or until onion is soft, stirring frequently. Add ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, thyme, black pepper, chili powder, cayenne, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and reserved 1 cup root beer. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.
- Just before ribs hit the 2 hour mark in the oven, preheat grill for indirect grilling over medium-high heat. Put ribs on cooler side of grill, bone side down. Brush with some Root Beer Barbecue Sauce and cook 10 to 15 minutes, then flip. Brush with sauce again and cook until ribs are lightly charred and meat is falling off bone. Serve with any remaining sauce.
Notes
- If you find the sauce too sweet, you can adjust it by adding more cider vinegar or a squeeze of lemon juice.
- For a bit more heat, feel free to add more cayenne pepper or even some hot sauce to the sauce.
Serving: -23g, Calories: 795kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 55g, Fat: 50g, Saturated Fat: 17g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g, Monounsaturated Fat: 22g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 196mg, Sodium: 4412mg, Potassium: 993mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 27g, Vitamin A: 616IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 129mg, Iron: 3mg
This website provides estimated nutrition information as a courtesy only. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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