Tony Roma's Baby Back Ribs

Tony Roma's Baby Back Ribs

Begin the day before, by preheating the oven to 500 degrees (that's
right). I normally use two racks of baby back pork ribs (they may
be dry−rubbed or just use salt and pepper). Take a 2−piece broiling
pan, pour about 1/2 inch of water in the lower portion and put the
upper half, the part with the drain holes, in place. Now, lay the two
racks of ribs side by side on top. Avoid overlapping them or
hanging them off the edge of the pan. Form a tent and seal tightly
around the perimeter of the broiler with extra heavy−duty aluminum
foil. You may need to fold two sheets together to get enough width.
It is crucial that the seal is tight! If the water evaporates, the end
product will suffer (not to mention you and your guests). Also,
make sure that the foil does not lay on the ribs.


Bake for one hour, exactly. This essentially steams the ribs at high
temp. Cool the ribs, still covered, remove them from the pan, then
wrap tighly and chill overnight in the fridge. This step is important.
The ribs must be cold for the next phase. You can reserve the
liquid, which is basically rib stock, reduce/strain and add to the
barbecue sauce if you like. It adds a unique, meaty flavor.


Start your grill. I prefer charcoal, you may prefer wood or gas. You
want a hot grill for this and you'll need to be attentive because
timing is of the essence here. Place the racks on the grill and when
they reach a golden, bubbly stage (3−4 min.), turn them and coat
with a good barbecue sauce. Bullseye Original works well, but I've
found that any quality sauce will do fine, so use your favorite. After
the other side has browned, turn and coat it. Cook the sauce into
the ribs for a couple of minutes on each side, then remove, slice and
serve. A word of caution: The ribs will be so tender that the meat
will literally fall off the bone when you try to turn the racks on the
grill. It is helpfull to have two sets of large tongs and be very, very
gentle.