Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs

I am a big fan of ribs. Baby back ribs, short ribs, side ribs, upside down ribs it doesn't matter to me, I like them all. A lot. So one of the things I miss most in the winter months is my husband's wicked BBQ smoked ribs. Don't get me wrong, the man will grill in below 0 temperatures I have seen him do it, freezing and all but it wouldn't be very nice of me to expect him to tend to a slow smoked rack of ribs for hours at a time, would it? I have thought about asking but ya know, we are still technically newlyweds so I'll give it a few more years before I become unreasonable. So, with a fierce craving for ribs I had to turn to the oven and believe me, I was skeptical.

Perhaps it's the fact that my husband's BBQ ribs are so good that had me spoiled but I just thought I might be a little disappointed with the oven so you can imagine my surprise when they came out super tender and really delicious. I followed the advice of my friend Jo, who makes great oven baked ribs and went with the pre boiling method. I like this approach for two reasons; it makes the ribs tender and it cuts down on the cooking time. I'm thrilled with the outcome of the ribs, they totally hit the spot. While I certainly can't wait for warmer temperatures and the smell of BBQ wafting in the air, at least now I don't have to go for months on end without my beloved ribs.

Recipe:
2 lbs pork ribs (either baby back ribs or side rack)
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups of your favorite BBQ sauce or homemade BBQ sauce (see recipe below)

Directions:
1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Fill a large pot with enough water to cover the ribs. Add the garlic powder, salt and pepper to the water as well as the ribs and bring to a boil.
2. Boil the ribs for 45 minutes skimming off any foam that comes to the surface of the water. You may have to add more water during this time to ensure the ribs are covered with water.
3. Carefully remove the ribs from the water and place in a casserole dish. You may want to line the dish with foil to make for an easier cleanup as the sauce from the ribs make it difficult to clean after baking.
4. Pour 1 cup of the BBQ sauce over the ribs, coating the back and front sides of the ribs with sauce.
5. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake the ribs for 45 minutes.
6. Remove the ribs from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Remove the foil, cover the ribs with the remaining sauce and bake, uncovered another 30 minutes.

Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe:
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup water
1 1/2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons molasses
1/4 teaspoon anchovy paste
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, adjust to taste
pinch of cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Mix all of the ingredients in a saucepan along with the onions and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook the sauce for about 30 minutes or until it has reduced to 2 cups, stirring occasionally. Remove from stove and set aside.