Baked Baby Back Ribs with Spicy Berry Sauce

I know, I know, the best ribs are cooked "low and slow" – no argument. But what if you don't have a smoker? Or what if you don't have all day to tend a fire? Or what if it's just too blazing hot to stand over a grill? Or what if, what if, you just have a hankering for ribs that won't quit?
And what if I were to tell you that even bona-fide rib connoisseurs think my oven-baked ribs are surprisingly good? Not as good or as tender as slow-smoked, mind you, but pretty da** good and tender, if I say so myself. It's hard to believe they're done in little more than an hour.

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Rib Craving + No Grill = Oven-Baked Baby Back Ribs

The backyard grill is out of commission (again) and the replacement won’t be delivered for another while.

But that doesn’t mean a hankering for ribs doesn’t hit hard. Ribs from the grill are always first choice but these BAKED BABY BACK RIBS are more than a little comestible.

Plus, most recipes for baby back ribs call for an afternoon or more of marinating, then slow cooking. This recipe better fits a clamoring culinary clock, as in, “How about ribs, you know, now?”

From craving to table, no more than two hours need pass, including plenty of time for a stop at the butcher counter.

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BAKED BABY BACK RIBS with SPICY BERRY SAUCE

Hands-on time: 25 minutes
Time to table: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Makes about 16 ribs

RIBS
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 pounds baby back ribs

SPICY BERRY SAUCE
• 8 ounces frozen raspberries or blackberries (see ALANNA’s TIPS)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup fresh ginger (see TIPS)
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Liquid Smoke, optional

RIBS Set oven at 400F/200C. Cover rimmed baking sheet with foil. Stir together garlic, chili powder, cumin and salt in small dish, rub it on meaty side of the slabs. Arrange slabs on baking sheet, meaty side up. Bake for 50 minutes or until the ribs are fully cooked (if the ribs are big, they'll take longer to cook, no pink should be visible).

SPICY BERRY SAUCE Purée sauce ingredients in a blender. (See TIPS.) Transfer to a saucepan and cook over medium high for about 15 minutes, stirring often, until reduced by about half.

TO FINISH Brush ribs with sauce and bake an additional 10 minutes or until the sauce browns and forms a thick glaze.

TO SERVE Cut slabs between bones into individual ribs. Serve with warm remaining sauce.

ALANNA's TIPS Be prepared, your kitchen is going to smell really good while the ribs are cooking! Helps to work up an appetite for ribs! The last time I made this, I did five pounds of ribs with 2x the garlic and meat spices and 1.5x the Spicy Berry Sauce. Since frozen fruit often comes in 16-ounce bags, consider doubling the sauce, freezing half for another time. Doubled or not, the sauce can be made in advance if that’s more convenient. Be aware that the sauce tastes "really" spicy when you run a finger through it but once it's on the ribs, the sauce isn't spicy at all. You know how jars of minced garlic simplify food prep? Now there are similar products for ginger. Check your local grocery for a tube version that’s pricey or visit an international market when you have the chance to stock up on jars on the cheap. For a silky glaze, press the purée through a strainer into a saucepan. I don't mind the rustic texture of the fruity sauce however. Leftover ribs reheat well. Just wrap in foil, either whatever’s left or in individual servings, and heat for about 15 minutes at 350F/175C.

NUTRITION INFORMATION Per Rib: 112 Calories; 3g Tot Fat; 1g Sat Fat; 8g Carb; 1g Fiber; 93mg Sodium; 41mg Cholesterol; 12g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS Old Points 3 & PointsPlus 3 & SmartPoints 3 & Freestyle 3

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A Great Hot-Weather Menu

Herbed Ricotta with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

~ Baked Baby Back Ribs with Spicy Berry Sauce ~
(recipe above)
Mom’s Potato Salad
Microwave Summer Cream Corn
Spinach Salad with Fruity Vinaigrette, Fresh Fruit & Glazed Pecans

Summer Corn Bread with Fresh Blueberries
with Blueberry Jam with Cinnamon

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More Quick Supper Recipes for Summer

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~ easy summer supper recipes ~
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Shop Your Pantry First

(helping home cooks save money on groceries)

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~ All Recipes, By Ingredient ~
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Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Quick Suppers are Kitchen Parade favorites and feature recipes easy on the budget, the clock, the waistline and the dishwasher. Do you have a favorite recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail via recipes@kitchen-parade.com. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. Never miss a recipe! If you like this recipe, sign up for a free e-mail subscription. If you like Kitchen Parade, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture. If you make this recipe, I'd love to know your results! Just leave a comment below.

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