Did you know?!? Baby back ribs sizzled into fame in the 1980s thanks to a perfect storm of American BBQ culture booming, restaurant chains (like Chili’s) putting them on menus nationwide, and a little thing called marketing. Chili’s iconic “I want my baby back, baby back...” jingle (launched in the late '80s/early '90s) didn’t just get stuck in your head—it helped turn ribs into mainstream comfort food royalty.

Also: backyard grilling culture surged during this time, and baby backs were leaner, quicker to cook, and easier to handle than larger spare ribs. Weeknight-friendly, grill-master-approved.

INGREDIENTS
2 racks baby back ribs
1 chipotle (from adobo can)
1/2 cup adobo sauce
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup chicken broth (low sodium) or water
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup brown sugar

INSTRUCTIONS
PREHEAT oven to 225° F. Take ribs out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking them to come to room temperature.

MAKE the Chipotle BBQ sauce. In a blender, puree the 1 chipotle with the adobo sauce. Transfer to a small sauce pan and turn heat up to medium. Add remaining ingredients: brown sugar, honey, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and taste. If too spicy, add more honey. If too sweet, add a dash more adobo sauce until it fits your taste. Let simmer for 15 minutes, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.

COAT the ribs in salt and pepper and then slather with BBQ sauce. Place a wire rack over a baking sheet. Add about 1/2 inch of water to the bottom of the baking sheet. Place the ribs on top of the wire rack and cover with foil. Pop into the oven for 4 hours (at 225 ° F). After 4 hours, remove the foil and let cook until the ribs are falling apart, basting with BBQ sauce every 15 minutes for another hour. Right before you remove them, turn on the broiler for 3-4 minutes to give some extra crunch. Alternatively, throw on the grill/grillpan for 5-7 minutes.

REMOVE and let cool for 10 minutes covered in foil. Cut ribs into 2s or 3s and serve with extra BBQ sauce.

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