Juicy Baked Beef Ribs

You can use store bought barbecue sauce to make this recipe and I did for a long time. Now I always try and use homemade and switch it up a little each time.

Start by using 1 1/2 cups ketchup, add the rest of the ingredients and taste. Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl and decide if you want to add any of the options listed.

I like starting with the 1 1/2 cups of ketchup and if you add too much of anything you can always dilute the flavor by adding in the extra 1/4 - 1/2 cup of ketchup.

Taste as you go and decide the way you like it. The next time you make it you will know exactly the way you like it or you can keep trying something different.

Prep Pan: Prepare a large rimmed baking sheet with tinfoil and set aside. Tear 2 large pieces of tinfoil, large enough to totally wrap each rack of ribs, and set aside.

Remove Membrane: We recommend that you remove the silver skin or skin like membrane on the underside or back of the ribs. This is the worst part about making ribs but well worth it. Be patient and try not to give up. Start in the middle of the rack and scrape along the bone with your finger or a knife. You are trying to lift that membrane or skin up. Slide your finger under the membrane and slowly try to tear it off the entire rack. You may need to use a piece of paper towel to get a good grip. Hold your ribs down while you pull the membrane across the back of the entire rack of ribs. You can ask your butcher to do this when you purchase the ribs. It is not necessary but the ribs will taste better. Rinse and dry ribs completely with paper towel after removing each membrane.

Preheat: Preheat your oven to 275 degrees.

Make Rub: In a small bowl combine cumin, paprika, chili powder, garlic, onion, salt, pepper and brown sugar. Mix well and set aside. Apply the spice mixture all over your beef rib racks, top and bottom. Use all of it and massage the mixture into the ribs.

Place each rack on top of each piece of tinfoil and wrap them up.

Place the ribs with the bony side up or the meaty side down and fold the top and sides over so the ribs are totally sealed inside.

Do not pile your ribs on top of each other. Put the ribs into the oven, on the middle rack, for between 3 and 4 hours.

After 3 or 4 hours, take the ribs out of the oven open up one pouch. Be careful, hot steam will pour out of the tinfoil when you open it.

We find that our ribs are finished at just over 3 1/4 hours. The ribs are done when you can see more of the bone then when you put it in. The meat will shrink. Using a fork check the meat to make sure it is fall off the bone tender. If they are not ready just reseal the pouch and bake for a little longer. I would check again after 15 minutes.

Once ribs are cooked, remove from oven and set oven to broil.

Remove tinfoil from each rack of ribs and place on your tinfoil lined baking sheet bony side down or meaty side up this time.

Totally cover top of ribs with your barbecue sauce.

When the broiler is hot, place your ribs under the broiler on the middle rack until barbecue sauce starts to bubble all over. Little brown or black dots may appear. This is good, do not worry. Remove ribs from oven and you now have two options.

You can serve the ribs at this point or put more sauce all over the ribs and broil some more. Wait for the sauce to bubble all over again and then serve. I always do it twice.

Watch the ribs when they are broiling. They can and will burn quickly.

Cut up the ribs, using a large knife, before serving, if required. Enjoy!