Apple Butter Ribs
intro
Tender, fall-off-the-bone pork ribs coated in spiced apple butter glaze, balancing smoky, sweet, and tangy autumn flavors for a cozy, crowd-pleasing meal.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep and season ribs
Preheat your oven to 150°C (300°F). Pat the 1.2 kg pork spare ribs completely dry with paper towels, then peel off the tough silverskin membrane from the bone-facing side of the rack. Mix 2 tsp (10 g) kosher salt, 1 tsp (2 g) black pepper, 1 tbsp (7 g) smoked paprika, 1 tsp (3 g) garlic powder, and 1 tsp (3 g) onion powder in a small bowl, then rub the spice blend evenly over every surface of the ribs.
Slow roast the ribs
Set the seasoned ribs bone-side down on a wire rack nested inside a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Tightly cover the entire sheet with a second layer of aluminum foil, crimping edges fully to trap steam. Roast in the preheated 150°C (300°F) oven for 2 hours, until the ribs are tender but not falling apart: a fork inserted into the thickest section should twist with gentle, even resistance.
Make apple butter glaze
While the ribs roast, combine 240 ml (1 cup) spiced apple butter, 60 ml (1/4 cup) apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp (25 g) light brown sugar, 2 tbsp (30 g) Dijon mustard, and 1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir continuously as the mixture comes to a gentle simmer, then cook for 5 minutes until the glaze thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, then set aside off heat.
Apply first glaze coat
After the 2-hour slow roast, carefully pull the baking sheet from the oven and peel back the top foil layer, angling the sheet away from your face to avoid burns from trapped hot steam. Brush half of the warm apple butter glaze in an even layer over the entire meaty side of the ribs, covering all exposed edges and crevices. Increase the oven temperature to 180°C (350°F).
Caramelize the glaze
Return the uncovered ribs to the 180°C (350°F) oven and roast for 15 minutes, then remove the sheet again and brush on the remaining half of the apple butter glaze. Roast for an additional 10 minutes, until the glaze is sticky, bubbly, and dotted with deep caramel-brown spots, and the thickest part of the ribs reaches an internal temperature of 95°C (203°F) when measured with a meat thermometer away from bone.
Rest and serve ribs
Transfer the finished ribs to a wooden cutting board and let them rest uncovered for 10 minutes to allow juices to redistribute through the meat. Slice cleanly between the bones into individual rib pieces, then serve hot, with any reserved warmed glaze drizzled over top if desired.
Tips
2.For extra wood-fired smokiness, swap the final 10 minutes of oven roasting for a quick sear over medium indirect heat on a charcoal or gas grill, turning once to avoid burning the sweet glaze.
3.Avoid cooking the ribs at high heat for the full duration: low, slow initial roasting breaks down tough connective tissue to create tender ribs without drying out the meat or burning the sweet glaze.
OMG these ribs were the star of our Sunday family dinner! I was worried the apple butter would make them too sweet, but the savory rub balances it perfectly. My picky 7 year old asked for seconds before he even finished his first plate! Total game changer for our weekly meal rotation.
Took these to a neighborhood potluck last weekend and people were hounding me for the recipe before I even set the platter down! The meat was fall-off-the-bone tender, no joke. I added an extra dash of smoked paprika because I like a little smoke, and it slapped.
Okay, full transparency: I’ve never made ribs that didn’t come out tough before this recipe. The slow cook timing was spot on even for my janky old oven! The apple butter glaze gets all sticky and caramelized on the edges, it’s SO good. My husband said these are better than the rib joint we go to for date night.
Meal prepped a big batch of these for the week and they reheat like a dream! I portion them out with roasted sweet potatoes and coleslaw, and it’s way better than eating takeout for lunch every day. One quick tip: the glaze is super sticky so line your slow cooker insert with foil if you don’t want to scrub for 20 minutes after.
I made these for my dad’s 62nd birthday cookout and he said they’re the best ribs he’s had in his whole life! I used a bourbon barrel aged apple butter I picked up at a local farmers market and it added such a nice depth of flavor. 10/10 will make again for every holiday from now on.
Made these after a long day of hiking last weekend, and they were the perfect cozy comfort food. I will say, this is definitely a weekend recipe for me — 2 hours 45 minutes is too long to pull off on a weeknight when I get home at 6. Worth every single minute of the wait though, the flavor is unreal.
So happy I found this recipe! My son has a soy allergy, and so many rib recipes use soy sauce in the glaze — this one uses apple cider vinegar and spices instead, so it was totally safe for him. He ate three ribs! That never happens with new recipes, he’s such a picky eater.
Tried making these on my pellet smoker instead of the oven since it was nice out, ran it at 275 for the same cook time and they came out perfect. The apple butter glaze caramelized so nicely over the light smoke. Might add a little applewood smoke next time to lean into the apple flavor even more.
Wait, quick question — the recipe says medium difficulty, but I’ve literally never cooked meat before besides frozen chicken nuggets. Is this actually doable for a total beginner? I want to make these for my partner’s anniversary dinner but I’m scared I’ll mess them up 😅
Brought these to my office potluck today and the platter was licked clean in 10 minutes. People thought I ordered them from a fancy BBQ spot! I did cut the recipe in half because I only had one rack of ribs, and the ratios still worked perfectly. No weird adjustments needed.
These are so flavorful but not overly heavy, which I love. I paired them with a crispy apple slaw to cut the richness, and it was the perfect combo. My only tiny “complaint” is that my whole house smelled like ribs for two days after, but honestly that’s a perk not a con tbh.
I was skeptical about apple butter on ribs, I’m usually a dry rub only kind of guy. But my wife begged me to try this recipe, and man I was wrong. The sweet tang cuts through the fatty rib meat so well, I’m converted. Even my teen who hates all “weird” food combinations devoured half a rack and asked for seconds.