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Get ready for summer with these succulent baby back ribs with a great cognac bbq sauce.
T’is The Season For Ribs
It’s almost time to kick off for summer.
Traditionally here in the USA, that’s Memorial Day weekend. In UK it’s May Bank Holiday weekend. But whatever your summer kick-off is, it’s time to bring out the ribs. While it’s true that ribs are a year-round thing, they always seem to be associated with summer.
There’s several methods to cook the ribs. Whatever method you prefer is the one you use. It’s the awesome cognac bbq sauce that’s the focus here. It’s full of flavor and a little boozy too. The alcohol cooks off so all you’re left with is the flavor of the brandy.
Cooking Method(s)
As I stated before, the method you choose to cook the ribs is up to you.
My two favorites are the oven or on my gas grill over indirect heat for 1-1 1/2 hours. I feel these methods lead to the best results. However, if I want them quickly, I use my Instant Pot. With that method, I do them on high pressure for 13 minutes and release the pressure immediately. I also place the ribs in the insert curled around the sides of the pot so they’re standing up. That results in ribs where the meat is still stuck to the bone. For fall-off-the-bone ribs, then cook for 18 minutes and let the pressure reduce naturally for 10 minutes before releasing the rest of the pressure.
My least favorite method is the slow cooker. I’ve done them that way when I’ve had oodles of time and I add NO water to the crock. There’s just something lacking with the taste done this way–at least for me. But if you prefer to use the crock pot, then by all means.
Sauce Base
The base of this cognac bbq sauce is a commercial BBQ sauce, which makes it pretty easy.
However, you have to use a high-quality sauce that’s pretty thick. Also, this requires a neutral-tasting sauce. Specialty flavors likely won’t work here, so use traditional or regular flavor.
The Recipe
Cognac Ribs
Ingredients
- 2 lbs pork baby back ribs or 1 rack
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- sesame seed optional
Sauce
- 1 cup thick BBQ sauce like Sweet Baby Ray’s
- 1 tsp orange zest or 1 strip of orange peel
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/3 cup brandy
- pinch of thyme
- 1-2 drops hot sauce
Instructions
- To make sauce: Add the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat until mixture boils. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 375F/190C. Line a large baking sheet with parchment or foil.
- Place ribs on prepared pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for about 90 minutes, or until internal temperature is 170F/80C. You may brush the ribs with some sauce in the last 10 minutes of cooking.
- Cut ribs into individual portions and brush liberally with the sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seed if using.
- Use remaining sauce as a dipping sauce.
linda says
This is a fabulous recipe. Being a southern gal we love to slow cook ribs so I did cook in our slow cooker an hour or so and then cut the ribs into singles, added the sauce and continued to cook until they were almost falling off the bone. At the very last I put in my air fryer for 10 minutes and so wonderful. My husband loved the sauce an thought they were so….good.
Judith Hanneman says
I’m glad you all liked them. I like that there’s so many ways to cook them too–and the slow cooker is best for that falling-off-the-bone texture. The air fryer is a great way to finish them off too because that’s so quick!!