Smokehouse Oven-Baked Back Ribs

This is a phenomenal rib recipe--hands down! You can adjust the seasonings to taste if desired, this recipe is indestructible! Start this recipe a day in advance, the sauce must be made 1-7 days ahead and the ribs need to marinate 24 hours. If you are using two baking sheets on two oven racks you might want to change the positions of the baking sheets halfway through cooking time. Just wait until you try these ribs!

• Ready In: 25 hrs 40 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• SAUCE

• 3  tablespoons butter or 3  tablespoons  vegetable oil
• 1  medium onion, finely chopped
• 2  tablespoons  minced fresh garlic (or to taste)
• 1⁄4-1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
• 1 1⁄2 cups water
• 1 1⁄4 cups ketchup
• 2⁄3 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2⁄3 cup cider vinegar
• 1⁄4 cup light molasses
• 2  tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2  teaspoons instant coffee, granules
• 3  teaspoons prepared yellow mustard
• 3  teaspoons chili powder
• 2  teaspoons cumin
• 1⁄8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1  teaspoon black pepper
•  salt

• RIBS

• 6  racks of baby-back pork ribs
• 1⁄2 cup cider vinegar
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons liquid smoke

• RIB RUB

• 6  tablespoons chili powder
• 3  tablespoons cumin
• 2  teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons onion powder
• 1⁄8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1  tablespoon brown sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. FOR THE SAUCE; make 1 day or even up to 7 days ahead, heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add in onion, garlic and cayenne pepper, sauté for about 4 minutes.
2. Add in all remaining sauce ingredients; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, season with salt and more cayenne if desired; cool to room temperature and chill a minimum of 24 hours before using or up to 7 days.
3. FOR THE RIBS; Remove the membrane on underside of the ribs.
4. Place ribs in a large roasting pan.
5. In a bowl mix together cider vinegar and liquid smoke, then brush over both sides of all the ribs; chill for a minimum of 24 hours.
6. FOR THE RIB RUB; after the 24 hour chilling time, in a bowl mix together chili powder, cumin garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, brown sugar cumin, salt and black pepper; rub spice mix all over the ribs.
7. Arrange the ribs meat-side up in a single layer on 2 large baking sheets that have been sprayed with cooking spray.
8. Roast at 350 degrees for about 1 to 1/1/4 hours (if browning too much cover loosely with foil).
9. Remove ribs from oven, then brush both sides with about 3/4 cup sauce (that is 3/4 cup for all the ribs) return to oven and roast 10 minutes longer.
10. After the 10 minutes remove from oven and brush with another 3/4 cup sauce; return to oven for another 10 minutes.
11. Remove from oven; cover with foil and let rest for 15 minutes.
12. Cut the ribs between the bones into 3-4 rib sections, and serve with remaining sauce.