Description
There are no shortcuts when you make Country Style Ribs in Coffee BBQ Sauce. It’s a long, slow, low braise that creates the deep, rich BBQ flavour! If you don’t have three hours to dedicate to this dish, don’t even attempt it because country-style pork ribs need that time to be fork-tender and saucy with transparent delicious fatty-bits that melt in your mouth!
Ingredients
- 1 – 1.5 pounds thick-cut country-style pork ribs
- 2 cups tomato puree
- 1/2 cup strong coffee or espresso
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 3 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil, OR coat well with non-stick spray
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F (175°C). To make Coffee Barbecue Sauce: combine tomato puree, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard, cayenne pepper (if using) and coffee in a medium bowl and whisk until brown sugar is completely dissolved. Reserve.
- Coat shallow roasting pan well with cooking oil or non-stick spray. Dry country-style pork ribs well with paper towel then arrange in the bottom of the pan, one layer deep. Season well, with salt and pepper, on both sides. Spoon or scoop about one-third of the sauce over the ribs, then flip ribs and coat the other side leaving about 1/4 cup of sauce reserved (see notes). Cover roasting pan tightly with tinfoil and place in the middle of pre-heated 350° F (175°C) oven and set a timer for one hour.
- At the one-hour mark, remove from oven, carefully peel back aluminium foil and baste with sauce in pan. Cover again with tinfoil and return to the oven for another hour. Again dredge ribs with now thickening sauce in pan so that they are well coated. Test ribs with a pairing knife, if they are tender and easy to pierce, go directly to the next step. If not, return to oven, covered, for another half an hour.
- To finish – boost oven temperature to 375° F (190°C). Again coat ribs well with sauce in the pan, using a brush or spoon. If the sauce looks too thick, add a little water around the edges and mix it in with the sauce so it’s easy to apply. Now return to the oven for about 30 minutes, or until ribs are deep, reddish-brown. Remove from oven, lacquer with a final coat of reserved (warm) sauce (if desired) and then rest ribs for 5 minutes before serving. Serve immediately with your choice of side. Word to the wise, do NOT wear white while eating Country Style Ribs in Coffee BBQ Sauce, because messy is GOOD!
Notes
Notes on sauce: As you braise the sauce reduces and clings to the bottom of your pan. You might look at that result and think it’s burnt or wasted. Test it first, but usually, it’s simply concentrated and very salty. So rather than ditch it, I cool the pan, de-grease (pour off excess oil), scrape the pan down and then mix the pan drippings with some leftover tomato purée for a finishing sauce to make each serving saucy-licious.
- Prep Time: 30 Minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
- Category: Mains
- Method: Braising
- Cuisine: American