American · Barbecue · main

Kansas City Style BBQ Ribs

Kansas City Style BBQ Ribs reads umami 7.9, richness 7.1 and sweetness 5.0 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a American · Barbecue main, about 3 hr 5 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.9 · Richness 7.1 · Sweetness 5.0 · Salinity 4.2 · Sourness 4.2 · Allium 3.5 · Smoke 3.4 · Heat 2.9 · Funk & Ferment 2.4 · Bitterness 2.3 · Earthy 2.3 · Warm Spice 2.0 · Fruity 1.1 · Nutty 1.1 · Herbaceous 0.6

What's in it (13)

Time & effort: about 3 hr 5 min (3 hr active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 281.4 kcal, 13.8 g protein, 21.3 g fat, 8.9 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

  1. Remove the ribs from their packaging and pat dry with paper towels; using a paper towel for grip, peel the thin membrane off the back of each rack and discard it, so the rub and smoke can penetrate and the racks won't curl as they cook.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup of the brown sugar, the smoked paprika, salt, 1 teaspoon of the garlic powder, the onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper, and the cayenne; rub it over both sides of the ribs, pressing so it adheres, then wrap each rack tightly in a double layer of foil.
  3. Set the foil-wrapped racks on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 300°F until the meat has pulled back from the bone by about 1/4 inch and is fork-tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
  4. While the ribs are in their final hour in the oven, make the sauce: combine the ketchup, molasses, the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar, the cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, the remaining 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a small saucepan.
  5. Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and glossy, 10 to 12 minutes, then remove from the heat.
  6. Remove the ribs from the oven, carefully open the foil, and pour off any accumulated liquid; brush a generous layer of the sauce over both sides of each rack.
  7. Discard the foil, set the ribs directly on the baking sheet, and broil on high until the sauce is caramelized and sticky at the edges, 3 to 5 minutes, watching closely so it doesn't burn.
  8. Let the ribs rest 5 minutes, slice between the bones, and serve with the remaining sauce alongside.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.