The amount of text messages I get demanding this rib recipe is simply obscene. Between family members and friends, it’s actually quite comical how many requests I get for “the rib recipe”. It’s really in my own best interests that I put it up here to have a once and for all answer to the masses!
I mean, I don’t blame them. If I ate these ribs and didn’t have a recipe to recreate them, I’d be frantic as well! These ribs are everything ribs should be. Sweet, spicy, smokey dry rubbed, fall-off-the-bone tender meat, finished with a tangy, sticky barbecue sauce, broiled to perfection. It doesn’t get any better.
I pieced together this recipe using a seperate dry rub, barbecue sauce, and rib recipe from my Joy of Cooking cookbook years ago. It was my first time making ribs and I. was. stunned. with the results! And thus launched my world famous rib recipe (in my world at least!). These ribs have been the centrepiece of so many memorable gatherings over the years. There was that time I used a fancy pastry brush (with real hair) to apply the sauce, not realizing it left behind a bunch of hairs from the brush, only to find them in horror as we ate the ribs with our guests. I legitimately thought it was pig hair and could not believe my idiocy in not noticing it earlier. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to eat ribs again until I noticed said fancy pastry brush shedding hair in another application. I quickly texted our rib guests the happy news that I had not served them pig hair after all, only pastry brush hair (better, right?!). Takeaway – use a silicone pastry brush, friends. Or there was the time I crushed my finger, slamming it accidentally in the door as I frantically went from the kitchen to the deck to check on the ribs I was finishing (burning) on the grill. I remember removing myself to another room to shed a tear over my throbbing finger and burnt ribs before taking some deep breaths and giving myself a pep talk – “you can do this, Rachael!”. Let’s just say I stick to the broiler these days… much less stressful. If you think I haven’t had royal, flaming flops in my food history, you are gravely mistaken! These flops have shaped the home cook I am today and hopefully sharing a few of the lessons I’ve learned with you will spare you some of the gory experiences yourself :)!
I’ve included 3 methods for cooking the ribs – oven, instant pot, and slow cooker. All three methods work excellently! The oven method used to be my go-to, however, since discovering the instant pot method, I have to say it has become my favourite. It’s just so quick!! I can make ribs without having to plan hours and hours ahead. Pressure cooking makes for super moist, tender meat in a fraction of the time. The fat from the ribs melts off during the pressure cook and falls below the trivet so you also end up with much leaner, non-greasy meat cooking the ribs this way. It’s magical.
I love serving these ribs with my Twice Baked Potatoes and some garlic-y green beans for the perfect meal. You can make the rub and barbecue sauce ahead of time, as well as the potatoes, so all thats left to do before serving is cook up the green beans, reheat the potatoes, and broil the ribs. It’s a great meal to serve for company or a special occasion!
The dry rub and barbecue sauce recipes I’ve included below make more than you’ll need for one recipe. I love having both of them on hand to use in the future for a quick meal. The rub is fantastic on chicken, pork tenderloin, steaks, etc. You can use the barbecue sauce for some mouth-watering burgers, chicken wings, grilled sausages, whatever you like to put barbecue sauce on!
Ok, the moment you’ve all been waiting for is finally here. World famous ribs are at your fingertips. Just be sure to expect the badgering requests every time you serve these… “I need that rib recipe!” 🙂
Coffee Spiced Ribs
Ingredients
Coffee Spice Rub:
- 1/4 cup chili powder
- 1/4 cup finely ground dark roast coffee beans
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp sea salt
- 1 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1-2 tsp chipotle chili powder depending on how spicy you like it
Ribs:
- 2 racks pork back ribs
Barbecue Sauce:
- 1 1/2 cups ketchup
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup strong brewed coffee I use leftovers from the coffee pot
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos or soy sauce
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar, use more if you like it sweeter
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lemon juice of
- 1-2 tbsp coffee spice rub depending on how spicy you want it
Instructions
For the rub:
- Combine all spices in a jar or airtight container and seal until ready to use. You will not use all of the rub for one recipe so you can label it and use it again later. It is great rubbed on chicken, pork tenderloin, steak, etc.
For the Ribs:
- Rinse and pat dry your ribs. Remove silver skin on the back side of the ribs by sliding a butter knife along the bone under the skin. Grab skin with a paper towel and pull until it comes off. Up to 24 hours ahead, rub the ribs on both sides with a generous amount of spice mix to fully cover the ribs. Take care not to contaminate the rub by touching your spoon to the ribs and then back in the jar so that you can use the remaining spice mix again later.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook. You can also freeze the ribs at this point for a later date, and then thaw before using to proceed with the recipe.
Oven method:
- Preheat oven to 300F. Line a baking tray with foil or parchment paper and arrange ribs in a single layer. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 3 hours.
Instant Pot method:
- Add 1 1/2 cups liquid to the instant pot (I like to use half apple cider vinegar, half water). Cut the rib racks in half so they fit easier into the pot. Arrange standing up on their sides, evenly spaced, on the wire trivet inside the instant pot.
- Secure lid and set pressure valve to sealing. Pressure cook on high for 25 minutes. Allow for a 15 minutes natural pressure release before quick releasing pressure.
Slow Cooker Method:
- Arrange the ribs standing on their sides in the pot.
- Cover with lid and cook for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.
Barbecue Sauce:
- Combine all ingredients in a medium sized pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until flavour is nicely developed. Season to taste. If you like it sweeter, add more coconut sugar. If you like it spicier, add more coffee rub spice. Because the rub on the ribs is on the spicy side, I like to keep my sauce sweet and tangy to balance the flavour.
To FInish the ribs:
- Set oven to broil. Arrange ribs on a foil lined baking sheet and brush generously with barbecue sauce. Extra barbecue sauce will keep for a couple of weeks tightly sealed in the fridge!
- Broil for 5 minutes or until nicely browned and bubbling. You can also finish the ribs on a BBQ grill if desired, but I am notorious for burning them this way so I avoid!
Featured in this Post:
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Silicone Basting Brush – Perfect for basting bread with melted butter, meat with barbecue sauce, pastry with egg wash, or whatever else you may need to baste. You will never have to worry about the “hairs” detaching, burning, or becoming stiff. Silicone washes up beautifully in the dishwasher. It’s the only choice worth using!
Instant Pot (8 Quart) – This is my most used kitchen appliance, I am obsessed with this thing! It saves me so much time and hassle in the kitchen and serves so many purposes that I think it is definitely worth the purchase. My favourite things to make are hard boiled eggs, rice, whole chickens, broth, pulled beef and pork, chili, soups, ribs, mac’n’cheese…. the list goes on!
Coconut Aminos – This is an excellent healthy substitute for soy sauce. It is gluten free, soy free, much lower in sodium than soy sauce, and packed with amino acids and active enzymes. And it tastes delicious, very similar to soy sauce.
Finally! I’ve been waiting for this incredibly awesome recipe. I normally don’t eat much ribs but when I tasted these, I couldn’t get enough. They are simply the best. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Rachael.
haha yes, I’m glad I could finally get it up! Glad you love them 🙂
These were fall off the bone delicious! I did the instant pot method, it was so flavourful !
SO glad to hear it!!