By Book two at 58,500 words. Writing is steady. I am writing slowly on purpose. Sarah said in an email: "Brenda. Take your time. This is better than the first." I do not know if that is true. The first book had me on every page. The second has me as a conduit. Both books are doing what they were supposed to do.
Drove a Kansas City run Tuesday-Wednesday. Short. Hot. Ate at Joe's. Brought ribs home.
Amber had a good week. She is learning. She says the shelter director has told her she has "a natural ear for women in crisis." Amber downplays this when Dave brings it up. Gayle, from her chair, said, "Amber. Take the compliment." Amber laughed. Gayle is, increasingly, the one who tells Amber direct truth. The rest of us are too careful. Gayle, at 79, has given up being careful.
Sunday: roast chicken. Amber made a salad with tomatoes from Gayle's windowsill herbs. Gayle said, "This is my salad." Amber said, "Yes, Grandma." Gayle said, "It is better than mine." Amber said, "That is not possible." Gayle said, "It is true." They smiled at each other.
Justin had a long day of conditioning Saturday. He came home, ate three pounds of food, fell asleep on the couch at 8 p.m. Tyler covered him with a blanket.
I brought Joe’s ribs home from that Tuesday–Wednesday run and we finished every last one, and I kept thinking — I want that again, but on a Sunday, when I don’t have a drive ahead of me. This oven-baked version is what I landed on: low and slow in the oven, finished with a heavy brush of sauce, and close enough to that KC smoke that nobody at the table was complaining. After a week of good, steady work — the writing, Amber’s week at the shelter, Justin coming home and going horizontal on the couch — a big tray of ribs felt exactly right.
Oven-Baked BBQ Ribs
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 2 hr 45 min | Total Time: 3 hr | Servings: 4–6
Ingredients
- 2 racks baby back pork ribs (about 4–5 lbs total)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups your favorite BBQ sauce, divided
Instructions
- Prep the ribs. Preheat oven to 275°F. Pat the ribs dry with paper towels. Flip each rack bone-side up and use a knife tip and paper towel to pull off the thin membrane running along the back. Removing it lets the rub and smoke flavor penetrate the meat.
- Make the dry rub. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, dry mustard, and brown sugar. Stir to mix.
- Season the ribs. Brush both sides of each rack lightly with olive oil. Apply the dry rub generously on all sides, pressing it into the meat with your hands.
- Wrap and bake low and slow. Place each rack bone-side down on a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Wrap tightly to seal. Set the foil packets on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 275°F for 2 hours 30 minutes, until the meat is tender and has begun to pull back from the bone ends.
- Glaze and finish. Carefully open the foil — the steam is hot. Drain off any accumulated liquid. Brush the top of each rack generously with 1 cup of BBQ sauce. Increase oven temperature to 375°F (or switch to broil on low) and return the ribs, uncovered, for 12–15 minutes until the sauce is caramelized and sticky. Watch closely under the broiler.
- Rest and slice. Remove from the oven and let the racks rest 5–10 minutes before slicing between the bones. Serve with remaining BBQ sauce on the side.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 620 | Protein: 42g | Fat: 38g | Carbs: 22g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 890mg