Oven-Baked Spare Ribs & Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Simply Delicious Complete Meal for Cold, Winter Nights

© Corinne Westphal

Nov 25, 2008

Just add a tossed salad and it's a complete meal. Makes 8 servings.

Oven-Baked Pork Ribs

• 6 tablespoons Basic Pork Dry Rub (see recipe below)
• 4 pounds pork ribs
• 2-1/2 cups ketchup
• 1-1/2 cups beer (non-alcoholic beer works fine)
• 3/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon dry mustard (like Coleman’s)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

1. Rub Basic Pork Dry Rub into ribs (see below). Place in a baking dish, cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight.
2. Pre-heat oven to 325 F.
3. Mix ketchup, beer, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, brown sugar, oregano, garlic power, thyme and pepper together in a bowl to make the sauce.
4. Place ribs in a baking pan. Reserve 1 cup sauce for basting and pour remainder over ribs. Cover with foil.
5. Bake 1-1/2 hours, basting occasionally with reserved sauce.
6. Remove foil and continue cooking for approximately 1/2 hour.

• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1-1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1-1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1-1/2 tablespoons pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon paprika

1. Combine all ingredients.

• Check ribs during the final 1/2 hour and continue basting to ensure the sauce does not burn.
• The meat should pull away easily from the bone when done.
• Basic Pork Dry Rub can be made in larger quantities and stored in an airtight container for future use. Multiply the amounts indicated.
• Though beer or non-alcoholic beer is best, ginger ale or water can be substituted.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

• Approximately 3 pounds potatoes
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter
• Salt to taste

1. Wash and peel potatoes, cut into 1 inch chunks.
2. Boil in salted water until tender, about 20 minutes.
3. Sauté minced garlic in olive oil until slightly golden.
4. Gently heat butter with cream and milk until butter is melted.
5. Drain potatoes and mash or press through a potato ricer.
6. Add butter / cream / milk mixture and sautéed garlic to potatoes.
7. Mash or mix until all ingredients are well-blended.

• Use more milk if creamier mashed potatoes are preferred.
• Idaho or russet, Yukon gold, Caribe or purple potatoes are all good mashing potatoes.
• To make mashed potatoes ahead of time: Reserve 1/4 cup of the butter / cream / milk mixture before adding to potatoes. After mixing all, put potatoes in an oven-proof serving casserole. Cover and refrigerate. Before serving, heat oven to 350F, pour reserved butter/cream/milk mixture over potatoes, mix thoroughly and bake, covered, for approximately 40 minutes or until warm.
• Variation: the same amount of cauliflower can be substituted for the potatoes for a delicious "cauliflower mash". Boil cauliflower until soft and follow directions as shown.

Print Article

View All Articles

How to subscribe to feeds