Ribs Bbq Spare Recipe

Preheat and prep ribs

Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Pat ribs dry with paper towels. Remove the silver skin/membrane from the bone side: slide a knife under the membrane at one end, lift, then grab with a paper towel and pull it off.

Lightly coat both sides of the ribs with yellow mustard to help the dry rub adhere. Sprinkle kosher salt and coarse black pepper evenly over both sides; gently massage them into the meat.

In a small bowl combine brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard and cayenne. Mix thoroughly until uniform.

Generously apply the dry rub to both sides of the ribs, pressing it into the meat so it adheres. Use all of the rub, ensuring an even layer over the surface and around the edges.

Wrap the rubbed ribs tightly in aluminum foil, bone-side down, sealing edges to create a packet. Let rest at room temperature while oven finishes preheating (10–15 minutes) or refrigerate up to overnight for stronger flavor.

Place the sealed foil packet on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour apple cider vinegar, apple juice and water into the bottom of the baking sheet (outside the foil) so steam and moisture build in the oven — do not pour liquid into the foil packet. This keeps the ribs moist while roasting.

Bake in the preheated oven for 2 to 2.5 hours for tender spare ribs (internal temperature around 190–203°F when properly tender). Check at 2 hours: ribs should be tender and the meat pulling back from the bone tips.

Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven. Open the foil packet (watch for hot steam) and transfer ribs to a cutting board. Reserve the juices in the pan for optional use or to mix with sauce.

While ribs finish in the oven, combine BBQ sauce, honey and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl and stir until smooth.

Option A — Oven finish: Increase oven temperature to 425°F (220°C) or set broiler to high. Brush a generous layer of the sauce over the top of the ribs. Return uncovered ribs to the baking sheet and roast 8–10 minutes (or broil 2–4 minutes), watching closely, until the sauce is tacky and caramelized. Remove when sauce is bubbling and edges are slightly charred.

Option B — Grill finish: Preheat grill to medium-high. Brush sauce on ribs and grill, turning once, about 3–4 minutes per side, until sauce is caramelized and ribs have light char marks.

Let ribs rest 5 minutes after glazing so juices redistribute. Cut between the bones into individual portions using a sharp knife.

If desired, sprinkle chopped parsley over the ribs and serve with lemon wedges. Serve extra BBQ sauce on the side.