Connor’s Baby Back Ribs

This is going to be “Connor Week” where I share with you the recipes I made for Connor’s birthday dinner. Yesterday was Connor’s Cake, a beautiful “candy cake,” today the main course is the star.

This is the second year in a row that Connor has requested baby back ribs for his birthday dinner. Last year’s recipe focused on the homemade BBQ sauce and the slow dry cooking of the ribs. This year, I slow-cooked the ribs in liquid and used the purchased sauce. Although this recipe is less labor-intensive, we all agreed, that both methods produced delicious results.

We had a “special guest” at the dinner this year. Connor has been house-sitting for nearly two weeks at Kim’s house while she and her family are in Machu Picchu. Connor wanted to spend the entire day here at home, so he brought along Kim’s adorable pooch, Charlie. Charlie LOVES Connor. Coincidentally, Connor loves Charlie too, and so do we!

Birthday Baby Back Ribs

3 racks baby back pork ribs
2 bottles of your favorite beer
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, sliced into 12 pats
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Your favorite homemade or purchased BBQ sauce

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

Place the ribs in a large roasting pan or a large disposable foil pan. Pour beer over ribs, then pour vinegar over ribs. Place 4 butter pats on each rack of ribs and then season all with salt and pepper.

Tightly cover the pan with foil. Place pan in the oven and cook for 3 hours. If you are not ready to grill the ribs, you may turn off the oven and leave the ribs in the pan, in the oven, for up to 2 more hours.

Heat grill to medium-high heat. Lift rib racks out of cooking liquid. Grill racks for 10 to 12 minutes per side, brush ribs with BBQ sauce, and grill an additional 6 minutes per side.

Serves 10 to 12