Awesome Zesty Barbecued Ribs

This is the classic American backyard approach to ribs: boil them tender first, then finish on the grill or under the broiler with a homemade barbecue sauce. Purists may argue with the parboil, but the method has its place. It cuts the cooking time in half, removes excess fat, and guarantees fall-off-the-bone tenderness without the equipment investment of a smoker.

The sauce is what earns the “zesty” billing. Two cups of ketchup form the base, lemon juice brings the bright tang, brown sugar adds the caramel sweetness, and Worcestershire, mustard, garlic, and a few drops of hot sauce build depth and a small bite of heat. Finely chopped onion gets cooked in butter and adds savory body. Simmer the sauce twenty minutes while the ribs finish boiling so the flavors blend.

Once the ribs are tender, the grill (or broiler) does the finishing work. Frequent basting and turning are the keys to building that lacquered, sticky barbecue glaze without burning the sugars in the sauce. Watch carefully; ketchup-and-sugar sauces caramelize and blacken fast.

Pro Tips

• Skim the fat from the boiling water after 30 minutes; the rendered fat would otherwise cling to the ribs.
• Pat the ribs dry before grilling so the sauce adheres instead of slipping off.
• Brush the sauce on only after the ribs hit the grill and are warming through; brushed early, the sugars burn.
• Reserve some sauce for serving; never put used basting sauce on the table.

Variations

• Smoke the ribs for two hours instead of boiling for a smokier, more traditional barbecue.
• Add a tablespoon of bourbon to the sauce for a deeper, more grown-up barbecue flavor.
• Swap lemon juice for cider vinegar for a more Carolina-leaning tang.