Sticky-Good Balsamic Ribs

It's Too Yummy Tuesday!

On select Tuesdays I share delicious recipes either inspired by my books or that are just plain delicious!

I stumbled across this recipe somewhere I can't recall when I was looking for something that would taste like my daddy's epic ribs. His were coated with a thick sauce that carmelized to a chewy, dark brown heaven that I had never been able to duplicate. These babies come as close as any I've found.  

STICKY-GOOD BALSAMIC RIBS

SO good I almost can't stand it! I could make this a more paleo-friendly recipe by omitting the brown sugar and subbing coconout/palm sugar for the rub and raw honey or coconut/agave/maple syrup for the glaze. Watch the boiling point of the glaze, by the way.It will seem to take forever to reduce, but then it will start boiling off rapidly near the end. If you reduce it too much, when the glaze cools it will be less like rib glaze and more crunchy, like hard candy.

Ingredients


 For ribs: 
6-8 large garlic cloves
2 tbsp finely chopped rosemary (I like to whir in a coffee grinder)
2 tbsp packed dark brown sugar
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp cayenne pepper or chili powder
8 pounds/racks baby back pork ribs 
1 cup water

For glaze:
2 cups hot water
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar


Directions

Mash garlic to a paste with 1 tsp salt. Stir together with rosemary, brown sugar, vinegar, cayenne/chili powder, 1 tbsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper. Rub this onto your ribs and let them chill out in the fridge for at least 8 and up to 24 hrs.

Roast ribs at 425 degrees in roasting pans with 1/2 cup water poured into the bottom of each pan and then covered tightly with foil. Roast 1 3/4 hrs until meat is very tender. (You'll want to rotate the pans halfway for even cooking.)

Transfer ribs to cookie sheets or a platter, but do not throw out the pan drippings! You'll need them to make the glaze. Add 1 cup hot water to each of the pans andscrape up brown bits. Skim off fat. Pour the rest into a large, deep skillet and stir in the balsamic vinegar and remaining brown sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Boil for around 15 minutes until reduced to 1 cup. 

Brush glaze onto both sides of ribs (reserve some to baste during cooking). Grill over medium heat, turning occasionally, until ribs are hot and grill marks appear, about 6 minutes.

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J. Rose Allister is the author of more than twenty-five books, primarily romance and erotic romance. A former editor and submissions director, she now works as a mild-mannered hospital secretary by day, naughty writer by night. Connect with her on Twitter or Goodreads. She loves talking to people.