Since moving to Oklahoma, I have noticed that a lot of the barbecue there is made with beef. I started making these Georgia pork ribs a couple of years ago for the Fourth of July, and they quickly became tradition around here. Cut the racks into two-rib portions and serve them with Easy Baked Beans (page 133) and Fourth of July Coleslaw (page 54) for an awesome holiday feast!

　　

Ingredients

serves 8

　　2 cups soy sauce

　　1 cup water

　　1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

　　1 tablespoon dark molasses

　　1 teaspoon salt

　　5 pounds meaty pork ribs

　　

Marinade

1/3 cup water

　　1 14-ounce bottle ketchup

　　1 12-ounce bottle chili sauce

　　1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

　　1 teaspoon dry mustard

　　

Step 1

In a medium saucepan, combine the soy sauce, water, 1/2 cup brown sugar, molasses, and salt. Bring the marinade to a boil and set aside to cool.

　　

Step 2

Put the ribs in a large, turkey-size oven baking bag or sealable plastic bag. Support the bag in a 12 × 14-inch baking pan. Pour the marinade over the ribs and seal the bag. Marinate the ribs in the refrigerator overnight, turning the bag occasionally to thoroughly coat the meat.

　　

Step 3

The next day, preheat the oven to 375°F.

　　

Step 4

Drain and discard the marinade from the bag. Cut 4 slits in the top of the baking bag if you are using one. Otherwise, drain the marinade, transfer the ribs to the baking pan, and cover the pan with foil. Bake the ribs for 2 hours.

　　

Step 5

While the ribs are baking, prepare the barbecue sauce. In a large saucepan, blend the water, ketchup, chili sauce, brown sugar, and dry mustard. Bring this mixture to a boil, stir well to dissolve the sugar, and set aside to cool.

　　

Step 6

When the ribs are cooked and tender, open the bag and discard the drippings. Lower the oven temperature to 350°F.

　　

Step 7

Brush the ribs on both sides with the barbecue sauce and return them to the oven to bake for 30 minutes longer. Just before serving, throw the ribs onto the barbecue or blacken them under the broiler to give them a bit of a char.

　　

From Gwen

Step 8

These take some extra time and effort, but it really pays off! Hint: The marinade can really bake onto the pan during cooking. Using a baking bag makes cleanup a lot easier.

　　Reprinted with permission from Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen: Recipes from My Family to Yours by Trisha Yearwood with Gwen Yearwood and Beth Yearwood Bernard. Copyright © 2008 by Trisha Yearwood. Published by Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Trisha Yearwood is a three-time Grammy-award winning country music star and the author of the bestselling cookbook Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen. She is married to megastar Garth Brooks.