Nitrate & Nitrite Free Honey & Ginger BBQ Pork Ribs
Sticky, caramelized, and deeply spiced, these oven-baked baby back ribs deliver everything you want from a weekend cookout without a single processed preservative in sight. Conventional BBQ staples like store-bought sauces and cured pork products are common sources of hidden nitrates and nitrites, so building your own sauce from scratch here is the whole game. Tomato paste, honey, apple cider vinegar, coconut aminos, fresh ginger, and garlic come together into a glaze that's bold, tangy, and completely clean. The low-and-slow foil method at 300°F does the heavy lifting first, coaxing the meat into fall-off-the-bone tenderness before a high-heat blast sets that gorgeous, lacquered crust. A warm spice rub of smoked paprika, cumin, turmeric, and ground ginger means every bite has layers of flavor that go way beyond basic BBQ. These ribs are the kind of thing that makes people ask for the recipe before they've even finished their plate.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the ribs
- 2 racks baby back pork ribs (about 4 lb total)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
For the BBQ sauce
- 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
- 3 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- ¼ cup water
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Heat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with two layers of aluminum foil, leaving enough overhang on all sides to wrap the ribs into a sealed packet.
- 2
Flip each rack of ribs bone-side up. Slide a butter knife under the thin membrane at one end of the rack, grip it with a paper towel, and pull it off in one piece — removing it allows the rub to penetrate and the meat to become tender.
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