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Ingredients
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Ribs
Dry Rub
Basting / Sauce
Finishing (optional)
Method
Ribs
Trim and prepare
Preheat oven to 135°C (275°F). Remove ribs from packaging and pat dry with paper towels. If the membrane (silvery thin skin) is still on the bone side, slide a small knife under one edge, grab with a paper towel and pull to remove.
Season
Evenly season both sides of the ribs with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Let sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes while you prepare the dry rub.
Dry Rub
Make rub
In a small bowl combine brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard and cayenne. Mix until homogenous.
Apply rub
Generously rub the dry mixture over both sides of the ribs, pressing it in so it adheres. For best flavor, wrap the seasoned ribs in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight. If refrigerated, remove and come back to room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
Cooking & Basting
Low-and-slow bake
Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and create a shallow rack with another folded piece of foil or use a wire rack. Place the ribs bone-side down on the rack and tent loosely with foil (shiny side out). Pour the 60 ml water and 3 tbs apple cider vinegar into the pan (not directly on the rub) to create a moist environment. Bake in preheated 135°C (275°F) oven for 2 to 2.25 hours, until the meat is tender and has pulled back slightly from the bone ends.
Baste (optional)
Every 45–60 minutes you may open and baste edges lightly with pan juices or a little of the vinegar-water mixture to keep edges moist. Re-tent and continue cooking.
Finish with sauce
Increase oven temperature to 200°C (400°F) or preheat a hot grill. Mix 1/4 cup BBQ sauce with 1 tsp honey. Brush a generous layer of sauce on the top of ribs and return to oven (uncovered) or grill for 8–12 minutes until sauce is tacky and caramelized, watching carefully to avoid burning. If using oven, you can broil for 2–3 minutes at the end—watch constantly.
Resting & Serving
Rest
Remove ribs from oven/grill and let rest on a cutting board for 8–10 minutes to let juices redistribute.