Baked Baby Back Ribs with Lemon Confit Marinade

Serving suggestion: 

 

Prep and cook time:

 Make Night before: 1 hour prep.

Cook: 1hr, 20 min
 

Makes:

 8 servings

Ingredients:

4

Large lemons

8

garlic cloves, peeled

1/4 c

olive oil

3 Tbsp

thyme, chopped fresh

3 Tbsp

coarsely chopped fresh rosemary

2 Tbsp

Fennel seeds

2 Tbsp

Kosher salt

1 Tbsp

pepper, fresh ground black

1 Tbsp

golden brown sugar, packed

5 lbs

meaty baby back pork ribs (about 4 large racks)

 

Directions:

  1. Make 4 vertical cuts, about 1/2 inch deep and 2 inches long, in skin of each lemon.  Place lemons in microwave-safe bowl (such as a soufflé dish).  Cover and cook in microwave on high until skins soften and lemons release juices, about 8 minutes.  Uncover and cool lemons 15 minutes. 

  2. Cut lemons in half.  Squeeze juice into strainer set over small bowl; reserve juice.  Scoop out and discard lemon pulp and white pith from halves; reserve rinds. 

  3. Combine 6 tablespoons reserved lemon juice, lemon rinds garlic, olive oil, thyme, rosemary, fennel, salt, pepper, and brown sugar in processor and grind to paste.  Generously smear paste on both sides of baby back ribs.  Arrange ribs, meaty side up, on 2 large rimmed baking sheets.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. 

  4. Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350oF.  Scrape some of the marinade off ribs.  Place backing sheets with ribs in oven.  Bake ribs 30 minutes.  Reverse position of baking sheets and roast until the ribs are very tender and meat begins to pull away from bones, about 35 minutes longer.   Let ribs stand 15 minutes  Transfer to work surface and cut racks between bones into individual ribs.  Pile ribs onto platter and serve.