Some evenings you just don’t feel like cooking a proper meal, and yesterday was one of those nights. Nothing dramatic happened—we weren’t busy—but dinner simply didn’t come together. The kids were content with cold pizza, Ammon made his own dinner, and I happily munched on a jumbo dill pickle. Sometimes it’s nice to let a night of effortless eats happen; your family won’t starve and you might remember that comfort can come from simple things.
Still, even a satisfying pickle can’t compete with what I was really craving: Orange Sticky Finger Ribs.
These ribs are sweet, tangy, and just a little spicy, with meat that falls off the bone. You can finish them in the oven or give them a quick finish on the grill after the initial slow bake.
You’ll need one rack of pork spare ribs, trimmed. To trim, fold the flap portion over the ribs—bones won’t fold—then cut where it stops. There’s good meat on that trimmed flap, so don’t discard it; cut it into chunks and add it to the rib sections to cook.
Optionally, remove the membrane on the back of the ribs. Loosen a corner with a knife, grip the membrane (a paper towel helps) and pull it off in one or two pieces. This step makes slicing and eating the ribs neater.
Cut the rack into sections of 3–4 ribs and season both sides with kosher salt and Montreal Steak seasoning.
Arrange the sections in a baking dish in a single layer and pour in orange soda until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the ribs.
Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake until the meat is tender but not fully falling off the bone. Remove the ribs from the pan and transfer them to a lined baking sheet, leaving space between each section. Brush the ribs generously with the prepared orange-brown sugar barbecue sauce.
Finish the ribs under the broiler for a few minutes, brush with more sauce, and broil until the sauce is bubbly and slightly charred. The result is sticky, flavorful ribs that are perfect for game day or any casual night when you want a crowd-pleasing main.
Totally football-worthy—who wouldn’t love these?
📖 Recipe
Orange Sticky Finger Ribs
Print
Pin
Rate
Ingredients
- 1 rack pork spare ribs about 3-4 lbs
- 1 ½ tablespoon Montreal Steak Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 C orange soda
- ¾ C prepared BBQ sauce
- ¾ C brown sugar
- ½ C orange juice concentrate
- 2 tablespoon hot sauce or to taste
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 375°.
-
Trim and cut the ribs into sections of 3 or 4 bones. Season front and back with kosher salt and Montreal Steak seasoning. Place in a baking dish in a single layer and pour orange soda to reach about halfway up the ribs.
-
Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for about 2 hours, until the meat is tender but not completely falling off the bone.
-
Remove the ribs from the baking juices and place them on a lined baking sheet.
-
Make the sauce by combining BBQ sauce, brown sugar, orange juice concentrate (not plain orange juice), and hot sauce in a small saucepan. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves.
-
Brush the sauce over the ribs and broil for about 4 minutes. Brush again and return to the broiler until the sauce is bubbly and slightly charred. Serve hot.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition and Food Safety Disclosure