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Sweetie Pie's Tender Oven-Baked St. Louis-Style BBQ Ribs

3.8

(3)

Image may contain Ribs and Food
Photo by Christopher Hawkins

Folks in St. Louis pride themselves on their ribs. You could say it's the city's signature dish. Growing up in the projects like we did, we didn't have a barbecue pit or a smoker, so when we wanted ribs, my mom came up with this way of doing them in the oven. Another way she'd make her ribs was to cut the rack into small slabs of two or three ribs, marinate and season them, and then fry them up—just like you'd do a pork chop. Serve with potato salad or mac and cheese.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Serves 4–6

Ingredients

2 to 4 pounds boneless pork ribs (you could also use beef)
1 cup pineapple juice, unsweetened
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
About 1 1/2 cups water

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    1. Preheat the oven to 250°F.

    Step 2

    2. Wash the ribs under cold running water and pat them dry.

    Step 3

    3. Put the ribs in a large deep dish and pour the pineapple juice over it. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

    Step 4

    4. Whisk together the salt, pepper, sugar, and paprika in a large baking dish. Roll the ribs in the mixture, then arrange them in the baking dish. Add enough water to come halfway up the sides of the baking pan.

    Step 5

    5. Bake the ribs for about 1 hour or until they are no longer pink when the meat is sliced away from the bone, then remove them from the oven and drain. Add the barbecue sauce and toss the ribs evenly to coat.

    Step 6

    6. Increase the oven temperature to 400°F and return the baking dish to the oven. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and serve.

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