Scott Hibb's Amazing Whisky Grilled Baby Back Ribs

This recipe features cooking ribs in the oven, then grilling them over high heat for a smoky finish. Man, when your guests bite into these at the Memorial Day cookout, they'll savor meat so tender and juicy that it slides right off the bone and gets you the respect you deserve! I have found that the major restaurant chains who make this awesome dish pre-cook their ribs slowly before the quick grilling process.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 2 40

Total Time 3 10

Course lunch/dinner

Cuisine American

Servings 4 people

Calories 5102 kcal

Equipment

1 Roasting pan For baking ribs in the oven.
1 Heavy-duty aluminum foil Essential for wrapping ribs to tenderize during baking.
1 Medium Saucepan For simmering the homemade BBQ sauce.
1 Outdoor Grill For finishing the ribs with a smoky char.
1 Basting Brush For applying sauce during grilling.

Ingredients

Main

2 2 pound slabs baby back pork ribs
salt and coarsely ground black pepper to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons ground red chile pepper divided
2 ¼ tablespoons vegetable oil
½ cup minced onion
1 ½ cups water
½ cup tomato paste
½ cup white vinegar
½ cup brown sugar
2 ½ tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon dark molasses
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons whisky
1 ¼ teaspoons liquid smoke flavoring
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
Cut each full rack of ribs in half to make 4 half racks. Season with salt and black pepper (more black pepper than salt); sprinkle 1 tablespoon ground chile pepper over meat. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Wrap each half rack in aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 2 hours and 30 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir onion in hot oil for 5 minutes. Stir in water, tomato paste, vinegar, brown sugar, honey, and Worcestershire sauce. Add molasses, 2 teaspoons salt, garlic powder, whisky, remaining 1/2 tablespoon ground chile pepper, liquid smoke, onion powder, paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer uncovered until sauce thickens, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set sauce aside. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil the grates.
Remove wrapped ribs from the oven. Let stand for 10 minutes, then remove ribs from the foil.
Cook ribs on the preheated grill for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Brush sauce on ribs while grilling, just before you serve them (adding sauce too early will burn ribs). Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

Notes

For truly fall-off-the-bone ribs, ensure you remove the thin membrane from the back of each rack before seasoning; this prevents a tough texture. The slow oven bake is crucial for tenderness, so resist the urge to rush this step. When grilling, apply the whisky BBQ sauce only in the last few minutes to prevent sugars from burning and charring the ribs prematurely. For an extra layer of flavor, consider marinating the seasoned ribs overnight before baking. Experiment with different whiskies in the sauce to find your preferred depth. If liquid smoke isn't preferred, a natural wood smoke on the grill can achieve a similar effect. Always allow the ribs to rest for 5-10 minutes off the grill before serving to redistribute juices.