The best pork ribs in the oven

• About 5 lb (2.3 kg) pork ribs
• Smoking wood chips dry and wet (wet = soaked in water for 1 hour)
• 3 cups (750 ml) Belgian-style strong dark ale (7–9%)

• 2 tbsp (30 ml) paprika
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) dry mustard
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) brown sugar
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) ground coriander
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) garlic powder
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) chili powder
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) dried thyme
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) cumin
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) dried oregano
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) salt
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) ground pepper

• 1 medium red onion, roughly chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
• 1 cup (250 ml) ketchup
• ⅓ cup (80 ml) water
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
• 1 canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, seeded and roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) paprika
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) dried oregano
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) brown sugar
• ½ cup (125 ml) honey
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) molasses
• 1¼ cups (300 ml) Belgian-style strong dark ale
• Salt and ground pepper

Morning. Dry rub (3 hours)

• In a bowl, combine all dry rub ingredients and mix well. Place the ribs in a large airtight container and spread the rub over all surfaces, pressing firmly to drive the spices into the meat. Seal and refrigerate for 3 hours.

Oven braise and BBQ sauce

• Preheat oven to 300 °F (150 °C). In a large deep roasting pan, pour about 3 cups (750 ml) of the dark ale, then place the ribs on the rack. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 2 hours. Remove from oven, unwrap and let cool for 30 minutes.
• While the ribs are in the oven, make the BBQ sauce. In a saucepan, heat oil over medium heat and cook onion for 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute. Add ketchup and water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add the chopped chipotle pepper then all remaining sauce ingredients. Mix well and continue cooking over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring regularly. Remove from heat, let cool a few minutes, then blend with a food processor or immersion blender until smooth.
• Reserve 1 cup (250 ml) of sauce for basting during grilling and keep in the fridge. Place the cooled ribs in a large airtight container, coat generously with the remaining BBQ sauce making sure to cover every surface. Seal and refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours. Until dinner.

Smoking and grilling

• Preheat the smoker to 250 °F (120 °C). Place the ribs in the smoker and smoke for 1 to 2 hours depending on the desired smoke intensity.
• Finish on the BBQ over medium-high heat, grilling the ribs to your liking and basting generously with the reserved sauce as often as possible. Serve immediately.