Pork Back Ribs with Orange Marmalade Sauce

Pork Back Ribs with Orange Marmalade Sauce

Recipe by:  Designs by Jeanne R

Through much trial and error over the years, I’ve discovered that the secret to really tender, juicy ribs is to cook them low and slow. I bake mine in the oven, from late in the morning, and pretty much forget about them until dinner time.  The way I cook mine, you’ll need a large roasting pan with a good fitting lid.  This is a necessity, as this method involves hardly any liquid, but it forms a nice steam.  I’ve used all sorts of liquids, from juices to ale, but I find that good old fashioned water does the trick, with the majority of flavor coming from the sauce that gets added at the end.

1 slab of pork back ribs

1 cup water (or orange juice)

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

For the sauce:

1 cup orange marmalade

1 tablespoon hot water (to thin the marmalade)

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced

Remove the top rack from the over, preheat to 220 F.  Place the ribs in the bottom of a roasting pan, with the ribs facing up.  Mix the water with the cloves and onion powder, then pour over the top of the ribs.  Cover with the roasting pan lid, and place in the oven.  Bake for about 3 hours or until done and tender.

Take the ribs out of the oven, and place them on a baking sheet lined with heavy duty aluminum foil which has been sprayed with non stick cooking spray.  Start with the bottom side of the ribs facing up.  Brush on the orange sauce, and place back into the oven, which has been switched to the broil setting.  Broil for a few minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and thickened.  Flip the ribs over with the topside facing up.  Brush generously with the orange sauce, and return back under the broiler.  Watch closely until it thickens and bubbles again.  Brush with another layer of sauce and repeat the broiling process.

You can prep the ribs by removing the silverskin, sometimes I do (actually Gene does this for me!) but the ribs are so tender, it’s not really required.

This can also be finished on the grill instead of the broiler.

If desired, garnish with sesame seeds.

Pork Back Ribs with Orange Marmalade Sauce