Kansas City-Style Baby Back Ribs

Tender, slow-cooked baby back ribs slathered in a rich, homemade Kansas City-style BBQ sauce featuring a perfect blend of sweet, tangy, and spicy flavors. These ribs are dry-rubbed with a flavorful spice mixture and carefully baked until they're fall-off-the-bone tender.

6 servings

4 hr 23 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•2 racks baby back pork ribs
•¼ cup brown sugar
•¼ cup chili powder
•3 tablespoons sweet paprika
•1 tablespoon salt
•1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
•½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
•1½ cups chopped onion
•2 tablespoons vegetable oil
•6 cloves garlic
•1½ cups ketchup
•½ cup cider vinegar
•⅓ cup yellow mustard
•¼ cup molasses
•3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
•1 teaspoon hot sauce
•1 teaspoon liquid smoke

Cooking Instructions

1.
Line a large heavy rimmed baking sheet with foil and put rib racks side by side in pan.
5 min
2.
In a bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup brown sugar, chili powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and cayenne and rub onto both sides of racks. Let ribs stand, meaty sides up, at room temperature, 1 hour.
60 min
3.
Preheat oven to 325°. Cover pan tightly with foil and bake ribs 1 1/2 hours.
90 min
4.
Make sauce while ribs bake: Cook onion in oil in a 3-4-quart heavy pot over medium-low heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 10-15 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients, including remaining 1/3 cup brown sugar, and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Cool sauce slightly and purée in a food processor. Set aside 1 cup sauce for serving.
30 min
5.
Remove foil cover and turn racks over so bone ends curve up, then baste ribs with pan juices and spread generously with some sauce. Continue to bake, uncovered, 30 minutes. Turn racks over, then baste again with pan juices and top generously with more sauce. Continue to bake until tender when pierced with a small knife, 30-45 minutes.
75 min
6.
Broil ribs, meaty sides up, 4"-6" inches from heat, until browned, 2-3 minutes. Serve with reserved sauce.
3 min

Kansas City-Style Baby Back Ribs

6 servings

4 hr 23 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•2 racks baby back pork ribs

•¼ cup brown sugar

•¼ cup chili powder

•3 tablespoons sweet paprika

•1 tablespoon salt

•1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

•½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

•1½ cups chopped onion

•2 tablespoons vegetable oil

•6 cloves garlic

•1½ cups ketchup

•½ cup cider vinegar

•⅓ cup yellow mustard

•¼ cup molasses

•3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

•1 teaspoon hot sauce

•1 teaspoon liquid smoke

Cooking Instructions

Line a large heavy rimmed baking sheet with foil and put rib racks side by side in pan.

5 min

In a bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup brown sugar, chili powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and cayenne and rub onto both sides of racks. Let ribs stand, meaty sides up, at room temperature, 1 hour.

60 min

Preheat oven to 325°. Cover pan tightly with foil and bake ribs 1 1/2 hours.

90 min

Make sauce while ribs bake: Cook onion in oil in a 3-4-quart heavy pot over medium-low heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 10-15 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients, including remaining 1/3 cup brown sugar, and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Cool sauce slightly and purée in a food processor. Set aside 1 cup sauce for serving.

30 min

Remove foil cover and turn racks over so bone ends curve up, then baste ribs with pan juices and spread generously with some sauce. Continue to bake, uncovered, 30 minutes. Turn racks over, then baste again with pan juices and top generously with more sauce. Continue to bake until tender when pierced with a small knife, 30-45 minutes.

75 min

Broil ribs, meaty sides up, 4"-6" inches from heat, until browned, 2-3 minutes. Serve with reserved sauce.

3 min