Coffee-Infused Bbq Baby Back Ribs

Photo: Sommer

Ingredients

4 teaspoons chile powder

2 teaspoons dried thyme

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

2 rack baby back ribs

1 teaspoon liquid smoke

1 Tb. oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup soy sauce

28 ounces can tomato puree

3 Tb. molasses

1 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons instant coffee granules

2 teaspoons cumin

2 Tb. Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons paprika

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

Preparation

Preheat the oven to *350. Mix the first seven ingredients in a small bowl.

Cut each rack in several pieces and rub the spices over all the rib sections. You can leave the ribs whole if you like the way they look better--I just think they are easier to handle on the grill in smaller pieces! Pour 4 cups of water and 1 tsp. of liquid smoke in a roasting pan.

Place the ribs in the pan, top up. Tightly cover the pan with foil and bake for 2 hours. Remove from the oven and rest until ready to grill. Meanwhile, add 1 Tb. oil to a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Then add the rest of the ingredients for the BBQ sauce to the sauce pan. Simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Heat a grill over medium-low heat. Brush the ribs completely with BBQ sauce. Place them on the grill and cook for 20 minutes, turning and brushing every 5 minutes until the desired “bark” has developed.

It's fun to make your own BBQ sauce. But in a pinch, buy a bottled variety you like and simmer for a few minutes with the coffee granules!