Rain or Shine Baby Back Ribs

A pineapple walks into a bar

Jump To Recipe

Ribs at home can feel like uncharted territory for many of us. It's a dish that often sends us scurrying to the nearest barbecue joint or hoping for an invitation to someone else's cookout. I get it—there was a time I shied away from the challenge of home-cooked ribs myself. And here's a confession: my culinary school days did not include a crash course in grilling or barbecuing. The California Culinary Academy (circa 2003), smack dab in the concrete jungles of San Francisco, wasn't exactly grooming the next generation of pitmasters.

So…

It shouldn't surprise you that when a client first asked me to whip up a few racks of baby back ribs, I felt like a deer in headlights. Picture this: I'm in their kitchen, it's pouring rain outside, and the grill—a relic from the 90s, rusted and forlorn under a tattered tarp—doesn't exactly inspire confidence. I was 26, and my fledgling private chef business was barely off the ground. Failure was not an option.

In a stroke of what can only be described as divine inspiration fueled by unadulterated panic, I recalled a method from an Alton Brown cookbook. In it, he wraps baby back ribs in foil, adds a splash of liquid, and bakes them—no smoker or grill required. Baking them low and slow in the oven keeps them moist. That was my answer. But time was also of the essence; I didn't have hours to spare. That's when I remembered that pineapple juice, with its tenderizing enzyme, could be my secret weapon. I decided to braise the ribs in pineapple juice inside their foil packets, speeding up the tenderizing process.

With logistics sorted, I could now set my sights on taste. A dry rub, applied before cooking in order to cling to the meat, would be key to maximizing flavor. My concoction, which I affectionately call “Rub Potion Number 9” (counting nine spices, excluding salt and pepper for you mathematicians), features a blend of classic BBQ spices, with a few warm players like ginger and dry mustard powder. To evoke that smoky essence of outdoor grilling, I generously added smoked paprika. After an hour at 350°F (176 C) and an additional 30 minutes at 250°F (121 C), the ribs emerged perfectly tender, with the spice rub imparting deep, robust flavors.

The finishing touch was to reduce the braising liquid with a bottle of my client's favorite barbecue sauce, creating a delectable glaze that caramelized beautifully under the broiler.

And there you have it—ribs that can be made rain or shine, from prep to plate in just under three hours. No pitmaster credentials required. Looks like you’ll now be the one inviting people over for ribs.

Watch the video here: