Dr. Pepper Ribs

I'm a Pepper. You're a Pepper. Dr. Pepper Ribs. That's right, I said Dr. Pepper. You know, 23 flavors? Yep. Dr. Pepper. Typically, I enjoy a cold can of Dr. Pepper on a warm summer day, but today I used it as a marinade and an ingredient in barbecue sauce.

I found this recipe in Men's Health and knew that I would have a blast making these ribs and even more fun eating them. It started last night as I poured Dr. Pepper in a baking dish and let the ribs soak in the refrigerator overnight.

This step was like a science experiment. I had no idea that the soda would react with the meat the way it did. It constantly bubbled. I didn't know if it was going to explode (it didn't). Then, I added 1/4 cup salt to the soda and ribs and reacted even more. It was so cool. The salt caused the Dr. Pepper to foam.

Today I took the ribs out of the refrigerator, dried them with a paper towel and rubbed with chili powder. I emptied the baking dish and put the ribs back into the dish, adding one cup of water. I covered it tightly with aluminum foil and cooked at 350-degrees for two hours.

For the sauce, I heated canola oil in a medium saucepan and sauteed the onion and garlic until they were soft and fragrant. Then, I added ketchup (yes Mom, it's true, real ketchup, yuck), Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, red pepper flakes and 1/2 cup of Dr. Pepper. I cooked it on low for 20 minutes until the sauced thickened.

I took the ribs out of the oven and they looked very tender. I brushed barbecue sauce on the ribs and broiled on high for an additional 10 minutes. I love the appearance of broiled barbecue sauce.

When we finally ate these amazing ribs, the meat was falling from the bone and there was an unexplainable zest to the sauce. It must have been the Dr. Pepper. To top off the Southern feel, I added collard greens as a side dish.

I have had my fair share of ribs across the United States and these were, without a doubt, the absolute best ribs that I've ever had.

Ingredients:
2 racks baby back ribs
1 large (2 liter) bottle of Dr. Pepper
1/4 cup of salt
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 Tbsp canola oil
1/2 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper (or cayenne pepper)

Music: Michael Buble - Crazy Love
Weather: 14 degrees, getting ready for snow