A magic combination of fragrant spices brings these ribs to life, lovingly basted with a smoky chipotle sauce. The oven does most of the work, with just a little brushing required from you at the end. That’s a whole lot of set n’ forget for what is a ribtastic feast!
1Insert the wire rack into position 6. Set the oven to Bake, Convection, 260°F, for 5 hours and press Start to preheat. Meanwhile, prepare the spice rub.
2Place the sugar, paprika, salt, pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin and cayenne pepper in a bowl and mix well to combine.
3Remove the silver skin on the ribs by running a flat knife under the skin to loosen then peel off and discard.
4Tear 3 lengths of foil 1 x 45-inch long and 2 x 30-inch long. Lay the long piece horizontally on the countertop. Lightly oil the center of the foil. Place the 2 remaining sheets vertically and slightly overlapping each other in the middle, to form a cross. Place the roasting pan in the center of the cross and insert the broiling rack.
5Place the ribs on the rack and sprinkle all over with the spice rub, patting it to adhere. Position the ribs so the meat side is facing up.
6Bring the edges of the foil up and over the ribs to loosely cover and create a parcel. Tightly seal the edges.
7Once preheated, place the ribs in the oven and cook for 5 hours. Meanwhile, make the chipotle barbecue sauce.
Tip: The foil parcel needs to be airtight to slow cook properly. Be careful you don’t tear the foil when handling.
8Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic and cook, stirring for 1 minute, or until fragrant.
9Add the chipotle and spices and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, honey, Worcestershire sauce and salt. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes, or until reduced by a quarter. Cool for 10 minutes.
10Place the sauce in a blender and blend until smooth. Place half the sauce in a bowl.
Tip: If your blender lid doesn't have safety clips, firmly hold the lid down with a tea towel when turning on. Makes about 4 cups (32 fl oz). Half the sauce is used in this recipe, the remaining sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and used in burgers, bacon and egg rolls, or meat based sandwiches.
11When the oven signals, remove the ribs from the oven. Move the wire rack to position 4.
12Carefully open the foil parcel and discard the foil. Remove the ribs and rack from the pan and pour out the cooking liquid. Return the broiling rack to the roasting pan and top with two sets of ribs. Generously brush the top of the ribs with some of the sauce.
Tip: Open the foil away from you to avoid steam burn.
13Place the pan in the oven. Set the oven to Broil, High, for 10 minutes and press Start. Halfway through broiling, brush the ribs with some of the sauce and continue broiling.
14The ribs should be well browned and sticky. If not, broil them a little longer. Place the ribs on a serving platter, cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining ribs.
15Cut the ribs into portions and brush with some of the sauce. Serve with any remaining sauce on the side.