Sticky Oven-to-Fire Ribs
Ingredients
Ribs
- 1½ kg pork spare ribs (2 racks)
- 100 ml water (for the oven tray)
Dry Rub
- Pinto Spice (from Pinto meat in Robertson) or your favourite all-purpose savoury spice, to taste
- 10 ml smoked paprika
- 10 ml brown sugar
- 5 ml onion powder
- 5 ml garlic powder
- 4 ml cayenne or chilli powder (to taste)
- black pepper, generous grind
Instructions
- 1
Pull off the membrane. Flip the ribs bone-side up. There's a silvery membrane running along the bones — slide a knife under one corner, grip with a paper towel, and peel it off in one piece. If you are in a rush leave it. It will turn out fine.
- 2
Rub the spices. Sprinkle generously on both sides, massage into every surface. Let the ribs sit on the counter for 20 minutes while the oven heats — takes the chill off and lets the spices bond.
- 3
Oven stage (2 hours at 150°C). Place ribs meat-side up on a foil-lined tray. Pour 100ml water into the bottom of the tray. Wrap the whole tray tightly with a second layer of foil, sealing the edges. Bake 2 hours — this is the low-and-slow tenderising stage.
Tip: Trapping steam is what tenderises the meat. Unwrapped ribs dry out.
- 4
Check doneness. Unwrap and twist a rib bone — it should feel loose but not fall out. That's perfect. If it wobbles too freely, cut the oven time next time.
- 5
Fire stage (10–15 min). Transfer to a grill grate over medium coals — not raging hot. You're finishing and caramelising, not cooking from raw.
Tip: The fire stage is about caramelising the baste, not cooking the ribs — they're already done. Burnt baste ruins everything.
- 6
Baste and build layers. Brush the ribs generously with the baste, 3–4 minutes per side. Flip, baste again. Build up 3–4 layers of sticky, glossy, caramelised sauce. Watch the edges — sugar goes from perfect to burnt in 30 seconds.
Tip: 3–4 thin coats beats one thick one. Each layer caramelises into the next for that proper sticky finish.
- 7
Rest and serve. Pull off when glossy and blackened at the edges. Rest 5 minutes on a board. Cut between bones. Serve with extra baste in a bowl for dipping.
Notes & Tips
Timing snapshot
Working backwards from eating at around 19:30: 17:00 remove rib membrane, rub spices on, rest on counter; 17:30 ribs into oven at 150°C, double-wrapped in foil; 18:00 start the fire — coals need about an hour; 18:30 make the baste, peel and chip the potatoes; 19:00 chips into oven, assemble caprese; 19:15 ribs out of oven, onto fire, start basting; 19:30 rest the ribs 5 min, plate up, eat.
Foil-wrap tray tightly
Trapping steam is what tenderises the meat. Unwrapped ribs dry out.
Medium coals, not raging
The fire stage is about caramelising the baste, not cooking the ribs — they're already done. Burnt baste ruins everything.
Baste in layers
3–4 thin coats beats one thick one. Each layer caramelises into the next for that proper sticky finish.
Drink pairing
Castle Milk Stout, Windhoek Draught, a cold cider, or a fruity Shiraz. Something with body to match the sticky ribs.