Beef Ribs with Orange BBQ Sauce
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings
- Nutritional Analysis Per Serving Serving Size 1 of 8 servings Calories 2226 Total Fat 182 g Saturated Fat 80 g Carbohydrates 52 g Dietary Fiber 5 g Sugar 31 g Protein 99 g Cholesterol 457 mg Sodium 1777 mg
- Total: 3 hr 30 min (plus overnight refrigerating)
- Active: 45 min
While pork ribs often steal the spotlight, Guy Fieri insists beef ribs deserve your full attention for their bold, meaty flavor. Pro tip: Add the sauce only at the end"Most barbecue sauces are packed with sugar that chars under direct grill heat," he warns. Get ready to fire up the grill and impress with these fall-off-the-bone beauties!
For the Dry Rub
- 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup cracked mustard seeds
- 1/2 cup paprika
- 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
- 1/4 cup granulated garlic
For the Ribs
- 3 racks center-cut beef ribs (8 or 9 pounds total)
- 1 sweet onion, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rings
- 8 fresh thyme sprigs
For the Orange BBQ Sauce
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons orange marmalade
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Prepare the dry rub: Heat the fennel seeds in an ungreased skillet at medium-high temperature for 4 to 5 minutes until fragrant, stirring frequently to prevent charring. Place into a spice grinder and process until fine. Blend in a mixing bowl with the salt, brown sugar, mustard seeds, paprika, black pepper, cayenne and granulated garlic.
- Prepare the ribs: Wash the ribs under cold running water and dry thoroughly using paper towels. If not already completed by your butcher, strip away the membrane from the underside and remove any excessive fat. Apply a generous coating of the dry rub to both surfaces of the meat. Store in refrigerator overnight, leaving uncovered.
- Turn on one side of the grill to medium for indirect cooking. Lay out 3 large pieces of foil (one for each rack). Distribute the sliced onion and thyme among the sheets and arrange uniformly. Position 1 rack on each sheet, meat-side down, and wrap the foil tightly around to seal each rack. Transfer each packet, meat-side down, to a single-use roasting pan (to guard the foil from punctures and heat loss). Position the pans across indirect heat and cook covered on the grill, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
- Peel back the foil to reveal the ribs. Gently flip the ribs to expose the meat side, then continue cooking covered for 1 1/2 hours with the foil unfolded. Once finished, the ribs should be soft with meat pulled back from the bone surface.
- During cooking, prepare the orange BBQ sauce: Mix together the ketchup, cider vinegar, molasses, orange juice, onion powder, garlic, honey, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, marmalade and red pepper flakes in a pot. Let simmer over medium-low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until it takes on a consistency like ketchup.
- Take the ribs out from the foil and transfer them to the heated side of the grill. Coat with the orange BBQ sauce and let the heat form a caramelized glaze with a crispy surface, approximately 5 minutes. Reverse the ribs, apply sauce to the reverse side and grill another 5 minutes. Present alongside the additional sauce on the side.
