Recipe: Country-Style Oven Ribs

from Better Homes & Gardens, March 2001

Country-Style Oven Ribs

Prep: 15 minutes Bake: 2 hours

1-1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
3-1/2 lbs. pork country-style ribs
4 cups root beer (not low-calorie)
1/3 cup bottled barbecue sauce
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 Tbsp. vinegar
2 tsp. Dijon-style mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350* F. In a small bowl combine the salt, cumin, paprika, pepper, cinnamon, and cloves. Sprinkle ribs with the spice mixture, rubbing it over entire surface. Place ribs, bone side up, in a shallow roasting pan. Bake, covered, for 1-1/4 hours; drain.
2. Meanwhile, as ribs bake, in a large saucepan bring the root beer to boiling. Boil gently, uncovered, until root beer is reduced to 1-1/4 cups, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in the barbecue sauce, tomato paste, vinegar, Dijon-style mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Return sauce mixture to boiling. Boil gently, uncovered, for 1 minute. Remove from heat; set aside.
3. Turn the drained ribs meaty side up. Spoon about half of the root beer sauce over the ribs. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes more, basting once or twice with the remaining sauce. Spoon sauce over the ribs to serve. Makes 4 main-dish servings.

Nutrition facts per serving: 549 cal., 24 g total fat (8 g sat. fat), 99 mg chol., 1,186 mg sodium, 32 g carbo., 1 g fiber, and 49 g pro. Daily values: 8% vit. A, 7% vit. C, 5% calcium, and 15% iron.