Following several requests, here is my own recipy for Cola Spareribs the way I usually make it.
I don’t actually know if the cola contributes to tenderising the meat as I have heard, but it does work fine and it certainly gives a great flavour to the sauce.
I usually use regular ribs but of cause you can use baby back ribs if you have them handy.
Here is what you need:
- 1-1,5 kilograms of spareribs or baby back ribs.
- 1,5 liter of cola with sugar. No diet stuff here 🙂
- A spice mix of your liking. If you make your own rub, you can leave out the sugar since there is plenty of it in the cola.
- Roasting pot with a lid.
- A couple of tablespoons of tomato paste.
Part 1
Clean up the ribs, give them a good rub of spices and let them rest in the frigde for an hour.
Put them in the roasting pot. I use a Römertopf which is great for the job. Pour the cola over so it covers the ribs fairly well. It usually takes 1,5 litre. The brand of cola is a matter of religion i guess but I actually just use the cheap store brand one and drink my beloved coke while cooking 🙂
Place in a cold oven og set it to 90 degrees celcius (195 fahrenheit). Leave it overnight or approx. 8 hours. It doesn’t matter if it gets a little less or longer.
Take out the ribs carefully and put them in the fridge if you are not using them right away. Pour the cola into a pot and leave it for a couple of minutes. Hereafter you can skim away the fat if you like.
Reduce the cola to about half the volume and add the tomato paste while combining it well with a whisk. Keep cooking until it reaches a thicker consistency
Pull out your spoon for tasting and add any flavours that you like. I often add a little chili sauce and a lot of people will add som liquid smoke flavour as well.
When the liquid starts to feel a little more like sauce or ketchup, you can take the pot away from the heat and pour it into a glass or bottle to store in the fridge until you need it. If you’re using it right away just let it cool.
Part 2
When you are ready to eat the ribs, you sear them on the grill to heat up and add that barbecue crust. Be careful when you handle them, as they will fall apart i you’re not.
If the sauce is too firm, you can heat it up gently, otherwise pour it over the ribs in a serving tray or bowl and eat!
Enjoy!