Break out that grill and smoker it is BBQ season! What’s better than messy, smoky, tender ribs? If you ask any kid they will say nothing!  You get it all with Baby Jane’s Messy BBQ Spare Ribs.

Kids are funny! I remember the first time my daughter ate ribs, she was 3… She spits it out. It was a simple rib with a dry rub. The server asking if I wanted it taken away.  I said no, I wanted to try something, I smothered it in BBQ sauce. She devoured every last bite even sucked on the bone.  The funny thing is that I think most of the sauce missed her mouth and ended up on her face, hair, clothes, and hands.  Since then only messy ribs are served in our house.

Now that she is 5 I would like to report she is not a complete mess after eating ribs but I would be lying. Hahaha! However, now she helps out in the kitchen making her own rub and BBQ sauce.

When cooking for kids it’s good to keep in mind mild to no spice is the best.  Since these ribs are for kids we used chili powder instead of cayenne and we made the sauce more sweet tangy using apple cider vinegar along with a combination of molasses, brown sugar, granulated sugar and local honey. Tangy, sweet, and savory!

Rubbed with the same dry rub used to season the BBQ sauce the ribs are full of flavor even if you did not want to sauce them up.

To make the spare ribs time efficient, who has all day to smoke, they are smoked over indirect heat for 1 hour then finished over direct grilling heat. Then smoothed in the BBQ sauce the last five minutes on the grill.

Most importantly allow the ribs to rest, you will lose the juice if you don’t.  So if you want moist tender ribs, allow 15 minutes to let those juices settle before cutting.

Break out the paper towels and wet once it is time get messy with Baby Jane’s Messy BBQ Spare Ribs!

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Baby Jane’s Messy BBQ Spare Ribs.

Tender and messy you can't go wrong with these kid-friendly spare ribs.  Smoky, sweet, and tangy with only a hint of spice.  Perfect summer meal the whole family will love! 

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 2 hrs

Total Time 2 hrs 20 mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 958 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1 rack spare ribs
• apple wood chips

Basic BBQ Rub (large batch)

• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar Packed
• 1/8 cup smoked paprika
• 1/8 cup sweet and spicy Hungarian paprika
• 1 1/2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp ground mustard

Baby Jane's BBQ Sauce

• 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar packed
• 1/8 cup granulated sugar
• 1/8 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp hickory liquid smoke
• 1/4 cup Basic BBQ Rub (See recipe above)

Instructions

 

• In a large mixing bowl mix all the BBQ rub ingredients together. 
• In a large pot combine all ingredients for BBQ Sauce over medium heat.  Stir constantly to ensure it doesn't burn to the bottom. Stir and allow to cook for 15 minutes or until all sugar has dissolved and sauce begins to bubble.  Let cool and transfer to glass dish or condiment bottle.  Allow sauce to chill in the fridge overnight.  
• Rub 1/4 cup of the Basic BBQ rub onto all sides of spare ribs.  Place in fridge and allow to marinade overnight. 
• Smoke ribs the next day for 1 hour using apple wood smoke chips.  Then finish ribs on the grill until internal temp of the ribs reaches 190 to 203°F.  Allow to rest 15 minutes.  
• Carve the ribs, serve and enjoy! 

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