Texas Pork Ribs

I can't say that I am much of a rib fan, but the hubby loves them, so I actually attempted a ribs recipe for the first time. I think they turned out pretty good, the hubby really liked them, but they were a little too sweet for me.


6 pounds pork ribs
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/4 cup salt
2 1/2 tablespoons ground black pepper
3 tablespoons sweet paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 tablespoons garlic powder
5 tablespoons pan drippings
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 cups ketchup
3 cups hot water
4 tablespoons brown sugar
cayenne pepper to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Clean the ribs, and trim away any excess fat. In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, 1/4 cup salt, ground black pepper, paprika, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. Coat ribs liberally with spice mix. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Bake uncovered for 3 to 4 hours, or until the ribs are tender and nearly fall apart.

Remove 5 tablespoons of drippings from the bottom of the roasting pans, and place in a skillet over medium heat. Cook onion in pan drippings until lightly browned and tender. Stir in ketchup, and heat for 3 to 4 more minutes, stirring constantly. Next, mix in water and brown sugar, and season to taste with cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, adding water as necessary to achieve desired thickness.

Turn oven up to 400, baste ribs in sauce and cook for 20 minutes