- 12 large, meaty country ribs, bone-in (beef or pork)
- Salt and pepper
- Canola oil (you are going to need a lot, buy a gallon—it keeps)
- 2 cups ketchup
- 2 tablespoons orange marmalade
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 heaping tablespoons adobo sauce (from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce;
- 1 pinch ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- 2 ounces (¼ cup) orange juice
- For the ribs
- For the ribs
- The first step, cooking the ribs, needs to happen at least one day before the barbecue. To begin, season the ribs generously with salt and pepper.
- Preheat the oven to 250°F.
- Place the ribs in a roasting pan deep enough to hold them all, and add just enough canola oil to cover them completely. Bake slowly for 3 to 4 hours, checking periodically to make sure the oil is hot but not boiling. Adjust heat if needed.
- When the meat starts to pull away, leaving a clean bone at the bottom of the rib, remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool completely.
- Cover the pan with foil and put the whole works in the fridge. The ribs will keep for several days, as long as the oil is completely covering them.
- On the day of the barbecue, an hour before serving, take the pan out of the fridge and place in a 225°F oven for 10 minutes to make the ribs easier to remove from the oil. Transfer the ribs to a colander set over a platter and drain off any excess oil.
- For the sauce (which can be made several days in advance)
- Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
- Adjust the seasoning, adding more spices, more honey, or more vinegar to suit your taste. To grill
- To grill