Cook Your Ribs Kansas City-Style

By J. Scott Wilson, Food Editor

Among rib fans, beef ribs are in a class by themselves. Done properly, they’re equal parts refined steak and barbarian meat-on-bone goodness. You think the Vikings had their pictures taken with some little pork rib in their hands? Not a chance. They were sinking their Norse chompers into chunks of Bessie’s ribcage.

The fact is that beef short ribs are good grub, but you have to treat them properly, like they do in Kansas City. They’re bigger, dense chunks of matter than baby back pork ribs, so you have to apply a bit more judicious thermal muscle to them to get your desired results.

Just as with a beef brisket, though, try to bring the heat too high and too fast and you’ll end up with jerky.

The secret is to start with a good boil. While boiled beef may sound like the centerpiece to a particularly frightening British meal, in this case it’s the first step to creating a culinary masterpiece.

Ready for the recipe? I warn you, it’s dreadfully complex.

Ingredients

4 lbs beef short ribs Sauce of your choice

Yes. That’s it. We’re cooking Kansas City style here, and as with most KC ‘cue, the secret is in the sauce. You can make your own with this recipe or use a commercial preparation.

One piece of advice, though, before you head for the grocery store. Short ribs are not something most of us eat every day, and they can certainly be classed as “event” food. So make a little effort to find something that’s a cut above the stuff you’ll find on the condiment aisle at Grocery Barn.

I’d recommend against Googling “barbecue sauce,” as your computer might well explode. Instead, point yourself to Jack Stack and get the sauces that have kept Kansas Citians licking their fingers for decades. In the case of this rib recipe, spending a few extra dollars for some high-end sauce is the difference between success and failure.

And now, the rest of the recipe:

Place the ribs in a large pot and cover them with water. Bring the water to a boil, and cook for 20-25 minutes, until the meat near the bone is no longer pink.

Remove the ribs from the water and dry them thoroughly while you preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Arrange the dried ribs on a baking sheet (or two) and baste well with your sauce. Be generous. I usually like to line my pans with foil for ease of cleanup.

Cook for 20-30 minutes, until tender. Baste frequently.

Be sure to allow the ribs to rest under a foil tent for 20 minutes before eating.

Enjoy!