Recipe: Balsamic Barbecue Spareribs

Balsamic Barbecue Spareribs

4 pounds pork spareribs
1/4 cup Baby Bam spice mix (I use my own rub recipe)

1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion minced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1 large lime, juice only
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp mustard
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Select a large baking pan to fit ribs in one layer. Line with heavy duty foil. Place baking rack (a cake rack works fine) inside lined pan to keep ribs from resting on the bottom of the pan. Season both sides of ribs with spice mix. Place ribs in pan with meaty side up and bake for 1 hour. While ribs are baking, make barbecue sauce. Sweat minced onion in olive oil over low heat until translucent and cooked, but not browned. Add balsamic vinegar and cook three minutes until slightly reduced. Add tomato sauce, ketchup, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard. Stir to combine well. Stir in brown sugar and garlic powder. Continue cooking over low heat for 10 minutes. Remove ribs from oven and pour off fat. Turn ribs and brush the bony side lightly with barbecue sauce. Return ribs to meaty side up and pour remaining barbecue sauce evenly over the ribs making sure all spots are covered with sauce. Cover with heavy duty foil. Reduce oven heat to 325 degrees F. Bake covered ribs an additional 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until done. Meat should be shrinking back from the tips of the bones and the bones should wiggle fairly easily in the meat. Let rest 10 minutes before serving. Cut into 2 to 3 rib portions and serve.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings