Description
These Dr Pepper Ribs are tender, flavorful baby back ribs cooked slowly with a sweet and tangy Dr Pepper glaze. The ribs are simmered in a homemade sauce made from Dr Pepper soda, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and spices, then glazed and cooked to perfection on the grill or in the oven. This recipe yields fall-off-the-bone ribs with a caramelized, sticky finish, ideal for a delicious BBQ meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Ribs
- 2 racks of baby back ribs
Dr Pepper Sauce
- 1 can (12 oz) Dr Pepper soda
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
Finishing
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce (for glazing)
Instructions
- Preheat grill or oven: Preheat your grill or oven to 300°F (150°C). If using a grill, set it up for indirect heat to allow slow cooking of the ribs without direct flame.
- Prepare the ribs: Remove the silver skin membrane from the ribs by sliding a knife underneath and pulling it off. This helps the ribs become more tender and absorb flavors better.
- Make the Dr Pepper sauce: In a medium saucepan, combine the Dr Pepper soda, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt.
- Simmer the sauce: Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Let it simmer gently for 20-25 minutes until it thickens into a glaze-like consistency perfect for coating the ribs.
- Season the ribs: While the sauce simmers, season the ribs with your preferred dry rub or simply salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook the ribs: If grilling, place the ribs bone-side down on the cooler indirect heat side of the grill, cover, and cook for 2-3 hours until tender. If baking, place the ribs on a baking sheet, cover with foil, and bake in the oven for 2-2.5 hours until cooked through and tender.
- Glaze the ribs: During the last 15 minutes of cooking, generously brush the ribs with the prepared Dr Pepper glaze and continue cooking until the glaze caramelizes and forms a sticky coating.
- Rest and serve: Remove the ribs from the heat source, let them rest for 5 minutes to allow juices to settle, then slice into portions and serve with extra BBQ sauce on the side.
Notes
- Removing the silver skin membrane from the ribs is key for tenderness and flavor absorption.
- Indirect heat on the grill prevents the ribs from burning and allows slow cooking.
- If you don’t have a grill, baking in the oven covered with foil yields equally tender results.
- You can adjust sweetness and tanginess by tweaking the amount of brown sugar or apple cider vinegar to your preference.
- Resting the ribs after cooking ensures juiciness and better slicing.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: American
