Oven Barbecue Spareribs

Method

1. Heat the oven to 150°C conventional or 130°C fan. Remove the tough membrane from the bone side of the ribs if the butcher has not done so, lifting one corner and gripping it with kitchen paper. Cut the rack only as needed to fit the tray.
2. Mix salt, paprika, garlic powder, pepper and rub sugar. Pat the ribs dry and rub the mixture over both sides. Set meat-side up in a deep roasting tray and pour the measured tray water around, not over, the ribs.
3. Cover the tray tightly with foil, keeping it clear of direct contact with the meat where practical. Roast for 2 1/2–3 hours, checking after 2 hours. The meat should recede from the bone ends and a skewer should slide between the bones with little resistance.
4. While the ribs cook, simmer ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, sauce sugar, mustard, smoked paprika and sauce water in a small saucepan for 5–8 minutes. Stir frequently and stop when brushable, not paste-like. Keep this sauce away from raw pork utensils.
5. When the ribs are tender, carefully open the foil away from your face. They should be fully cooked; tenderness generally develops well beyond the minimum safe pork temperature. If still tough, re-cover and continue in 20-minute increments with a splash of water.
6. Lift the ribs onto a rack over a clean lined tray. Increase the oven to 220°C conventional or 200°C fan. Brush with a thin layer of sauce and roast uncovered for 8–12 minutes, applying a second thin coat halfway through. Watch continuously near the end because sugar burns quickly.
7. Rest for 10 minutes, slice between the bones and serve the remaining clean sauce alongside. Do not describe the oven result as smoke-barbecued: smoked paprika contributes flavour, but this method does not use a smoker.