Choose your ribs

Although we tend to just think of pork ribs, you actually have a lot of options when choosing which ones you’d like to cook. Opt for easy to find pork spare ribs, which are cut from the belly and have a high amount of meat and fat and very little bone. Otherwise, American-style back ribs are fast to cook and give you a higher ratio of bone, which, some believe, equals better flavour. You can also ask your butcher to order in beef short ribs and lamb ribs to make heartier dishes that suit the cooler weather.

It’s all about the marinade

When it comes to rib marinades there are two main schools of thought: American-style of Asian-inspired. Here, you can choose between sweet tomato mixed with tangy barbecue sauce, or plum and soya blends. One thing both have in common is a mix of salty and sweet, which can be achieved with some of these classic flavour combinations:

Brown sugar, tomato sauce, apple cider vinegar and chilli sauce
Brown sugar, chilli powder, smoked paprika, cider vinegar and garlic powder
Brown sugar, barbecue sauce, beef stock, chilli powder
Dijon mustard, barbecue sauce, chilli powder and brown sugar
Soy sauce, palm sugar, sesame oil, garlic and ginger
Soy sauce, mustard powder, smoked paprika, tomato sauce andbrown sugar

Cook them on the barbecue

This is the traditional method of choice for classic American ribs, delivering a flavourful result in a fraction of the time. Here, you’ll find those who believe the meat needs to be simmered in hot water before barbecuing, and those that believe all they need is plenty of time in a good marinade. We’ve gathered together recipes for both, but we will say, whichever one you choose, try keeping a little of the marinade aside to baste them while they cook. This way you’ll have ribs that caramelise on the outside and cook through on the inside.

Cook them in the oven

When it comes to cooking ribs in the oven the general rule is low and slow. Try marinading your ribs for at least 24-hours before popping them into a low oven to gently cook. If you’re worried about them taking on too much colour, place them under a foil tent for at least the first half of the cooking, then remove the foil to let them colour towards the end. Also, don’t forget to keep your marinade to baste the ribs as they cook for the perfect colour, stickiness and flavour.

Cook them in the slow cooker

While it’s the newcomer to ribs cooking methods, we think the slow cooker takes the crown for the best method to cook these juicy morsels. If you’re worried about the final colour, try finishing the ribs on a hot grill or barbecue to give them that signature caramelisation and slightly smoky flavour.