Baby Back Ribs With Peach Barbecue Sauce

Baby Back Ribs

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 3 hrs
Total: 3 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings

When inviting friends over this summer for dinner, surprise them with a rack of ribs, instead of the ubiquitous hot dogs and hamburgers. And these baby back ribs are sure to delight, as they are baked and glazed with a tasty peach barbecue sauce made with ripe summer peaches, taking advantage of the season's fresh produce. They are also roasted in the oven, leaving your grill wide open for cooking other summertime fare.

Serve these ribs with potato salad, baked beans, and coleslaw or a tossed salad. This recipe makes about 2 to 2 1/4 cups of sauce.

Ingredients

  • 2 racks baby back ribs, or spareribs

  • 1 large clove garlic, peeled and cut in half

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the Peach Barbecue Sauce:

  • 2 medium peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced or chopped

  • 1 3/4 cups ketchup

  • 2 tablespoons corn syrup, or golden syrup

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar, or red wine vinegar

  • 1 teaspoon mustard

  • 2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

  • 1 dash cayenne pepper

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Preheat oven to 350 F.

  3. Cut ribs into portions for serving. Rinse with cold water and pat dry with paper towels.

  4. Arrange the ribs, meaty side up, in a large foil-lined roasting pan or another large baking pan. Rub cut garlic halves over the meaty part of the ribs. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.

  5. Bake the ribs for 1 hour, turning about halfway through the cooking time.

  6. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Combine the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue simmering for 5 to 7 minutes.

  7. Cool slightly and mash with a potato masher or wooden spoon; you can also blend lightly with an immersion blender or pulse sauce a few times in a blender.

  8. Flip over the ribs so the meaty side is up and brush about half of the sauce over the ribs. Cover the baking pan with foil and reduce heat to 250 F. Continue baking for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until cooked through and a nice coating has formed.

  9. Heat the remaining sauce and serve along with the ribs.

Recipe Variation

Baby Back vs. Spare Ribs

Baby back ribs are so named because they are shorter than the spare rib. Each rib is between 3 and 6 inches long and an average of 12 ribs make up a rack of baby back. Most racks feed two people and are 1 1/2 to 2 pounds. Spare ribs, on the other hand, are meatier and feed three to four people. A common cut is called the St. Louis-style where the cartilage and breastbone are removed leaving a flat, rectangular piece that is easy to cook. As you may guess, spare ribs are more expensive than baby back ribs.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
221 Calories
3g Fat
49g Carbs
4g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 221
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g 3%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 10mg 3%
Sodium 823mg 36%
Total Carbohydrate 49g 18%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 43g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 5mg 26%
Calcium 43mg 3%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 346mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)