Jessie & Lynn's Ribs

Last year I was working part time in the Elementary division of the school where I work. There is a kitchen across from the office where I had a desk.  It made life pretty convenient.  It was easy to store cold drinks in the fridge and heat up my lunch in a hurry.  My fondest memory of that kitchen, though, is smelling these unbelievable ribs cooking one day.  My friend Rachel and I kept smelling this fantastic scent and we couldn't figure out what it was.  Finally, we peeked in the oven and discovered that someone was baking ribs.  We were really good and didn't steal any, but when our director of external relations showed up to take them out of the oven, I begged for the recipe.  She told me it was very simple, and that she had gotten the recipe from an African-American friend of hers in Berkley during the 60's. I was so looking forward to making her ribs, but she never sent the recipe!  

This morning I was in her office chatting and I remembered the ribs.  She had completely forgotten, and 5 minutes later the recipe was mine.  

I don't know why I have never made ribs.  They always seemed like something that would need to cook for a long time-- like something easy to screw up.  

After making these ribs, I have to say that they would be impossible to screw up.  I would play with the sauce next time because I like things a bit tangier, but over all these are some of the best ribs I have ever had.  The meat is fall apart tender, the glaze is sticky and sweet, and they come together in just under an hour.  I hope you'll try them and let us know what you think!

Jessie & Lynn's BBQ Spareribs

Pre-cook 2 lbs of spareribs in the microwave.  Stop the microwave several times to rotate the ribs.  Make sure all of the ribs have gone from pink to beige. Drain off fat.

Make Sauce by combining the following in a saucepan:

½ cup light molasses

½ cup ketchup

½ onion finely chopped

1 large clove garlic minced

4 narrow slices of orange (peel & flesh), diced, or 1 T. orange zest

Juice of one orange – about ½ cup if using regular orange juice

4 whole cloves  

1 teaspoon mustard

1 tablespoon oil

1 tablespoon vinegar

salt & pepper to taste

1 tablespoon A-1 Sauce

1 teaspoon Worchestershire Sauce

¼+ teaspoon Tobasco Sauce

1 tablespoon butter

 

Bring to a boil, stirring occassionally.  Boil for 5 minutes

Pour sauce over ribs and bake uncovered at 400 degrees [almost 200 C ] for 45 or more minutes basting 2-3 times, every 15-20 minutes.  Sauce should thicken and begin to carmelize.  I usually cook them an hour and baste every 20 minutes.

Enjoy the ribs.  They are killer!