It’s officially Barbecue Season! But what if you don’t have a grill? Then you can make these amazing Baby Back Ribs With Balsamic Glaze right in your oven. They are really something special, made with real ingredients, no processed sauces or ketchup. Just look at them all glazed up and falling off the bone! I know you want them.
HOW TO MAKE BABY BACK RIBS WITH BALSAMIC GLAZE IN YOUR OVEN
If you’ve never done it before, this is a good day to start. It’s so easy and foolproof with guaranteed results. Here are my best tips for 1 single rack of ribs (range 10 – 13 ribs; mine had 12):
- PATIENCE: set the oven at a low 300 F and slow cook the ribs in the middle of your oven for 2 and a half hours. Don’t rush the process!
- DRY RUB: don’t skip this. Of course, you can just use salt and pepper, but if you add some extra flavor, as I did in this recipe, you will get so much more kick from your ribs.
TIP FOR AIP: if you are on a strict AIP diet, just skip black pepper and paprika. Don’t worry, the glaze I made is compliant 🙂
- TUCK THE RACK: tuck in the rack tightly and thoroughly. Use enough foil and parchment paper to make sure the rack is all wrapped and sealed.
- LINE THE FOIL WITH PARCHMENT PAPER: this extra step is important because it’ll prevent the aluminum from coming into contact with the meat. I love how practical foil is when it comes to this kind of recipe and especially for the easy clean-up. However, aluminum may be toxic, so I’ve been trying to eliminate that risk in my kitchen as much as possible. Having said that, you can’t skip the foil here because it will prevent the paper from melting and exposing the meat, as the ribs will release a lot of juices.
BALSAMIC GLAZE: WHAT IS THAT?
These are not your average bbq ribs, drenched in processed sauces and refined sugar. What I made here is a thick Coconut Balsamic Glaze, which I mixed with extra virgin olive oil and brushed on the ribs instead of traditional barbecue sauce.
In case you’re wondering, here is a brief Q&A about my gorgeous glaze:
Q: Does it taste like Coconut?
A: Not at all. But it’s made with raw coconut sugar, which is a natural unrefined gut-healthy sugar (AIP paleo approved) 💚
Q: Can you make a balsamic glaze without any sugar or sweetener?
A: Yes. However, it will be thicker and richer if you use sugar or sweetener like in this recipe.
Q: Why not just use store-bought barbecue sauce?
A: Short answer: Have you met me? Long answer: I really don’t like barbecue sauce in general, as I find it way too sweet and ketchupy. I especially don’t like the processed bottled kind. Plus, I’m Italian, and my parents have always mixed EVOO with vinegar and herbs to dress roasted meats. So, blame it on my palate 🇮🇹
One more note: I made 1 cup of glaze, but only used 4 tbsp in the recipe mixed with 2 tbsp of EVOO. The rest of the glaze I stored for other uses and recipes. Keep in mind that 1 rack will feed 3 people, so adjust the recipe accordingly to the amount that you will be making for yourself and those you feed.
AND… ACTION!
As I always say, if a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth a thousand pictures. This is how easy it is to make my special Baby Back Ribs with Balsamic Glaze!
Grab the full recipe below and give it a try!
BABY BACK RIBS WITH BALSAMIC GLAZE
Ingredients
- 2 ½ lbs Pork Ribs Rack of 12 Baby Back Ribs
- ½ tbsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- ½ tsp Mustard Powder
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Himalayan Salt
- 4 tbsp Balsamic Glaze See Recipe for details
- 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Thyme Fresh leaves only, garnish
BALSAMIC GLAZE
- 1 cup Balsamic Vinegar
- ¼ cup Coconut Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 F. Line a sheet pan with enough aluminum foil to wrap around the rack of baby back ribs. On top of it lay a sheet of parchment paper of equal size. (Watch the video for visual details)
- Combine the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, mustard powder, black pepper, and salt in a bowl, mixing well with a fork
- Pat dry the rack of baby back ribs. Coat every side with the dry rub, distributing it evenly and thoroughly
- Wrap the foil/parchment paper around the rack and seal it in well
- Roast the ribs on the middle rack for 2 ½ hours
- Remove the ribs from the oven and unwrap them carefully
- Combine 4 tbsp of warm balsamic glaze with 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil and with a brush coat every side of the rack generously
- Return to the middle rack in the oven uncovered and roast for an additional 25-30 minutes
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves. Carve, serve, and dig in!
BALSAMIC GLAZE
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, add 1 cup balsamic vinegar and ¼ cup coconut sugar. Once it begins to bubble, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer until reduced by half, about 15-20 minutes. Keep an eye on it, so it won't burn or over-reduce
- Remove from the heat and set aside to cool
Try this Paleo easy recipe with an Italian twist!