BHA & BHT Free Paleo BBQ Baby Back Ribs
Fall-off-the-bone baby back ribs are one of those dishes that feel like a serious undertaking, but this method makes them completely approachable for a weekend cook. The real magic here is in the low-and-slow foil packet bake, which breaks down the collagen and leaves the meat pull-apart tender before a final blast of high heat caramelizes that glossy BBQ sauce right onto the surface. Every ingredient in both the dry rub and the homemade sauce is clean and whole-food based — coconut sugar, smoked paprika, honey, apple cider vinegar, and coconut aminos — so you're not relying on any bottled condiments that commonly sneak in synthetic preservatives like BHA or BHT. That homemade sauce is genuinely worth the ten minutes it takes on the stovetop: tangy, smoky, and just sweet enough to balance the heat from the cayenne in the rub. Pulling the membrane off the back of the racks is a small step that makes a huge difference, letting the spice rub sink in and the texture turn silky rather than chewy. These ribs are the kind of thing that disappears fast at a table, and the leftover sauce on the side makes sure nobody misses a drop.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the ribs
- 2 racks baby back ribs (about 4–5 lb total)
For the dry rub
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
For the BBQ sauce
- 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
- ¼ cup honey
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- 1
Preheat 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 completely.
- 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 the membrane allows the rub to penetrate and the ribs to become tender.
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