Oven-Baked BBQ Ribs

1. 1Turn each rack bone-side up. Slide a blunt knife under the thin silvery membrane at one end, get a grip on it with kitchen paper, and pull it off in one sheet. It never softens, it blocks the rub, and leaving it on is the single most common reason home ribs disappoint.
2. 2Mix the sugar, paprika, salt, garlic and onion powders, mustard powder, black pepper and cayenne. Rub the racks with the cider vinegar, then coat them all over with the rub, pressing it in.
3. 3Leave at room temperature for 30 minutes, or refrigerate overnight for a deeper cure.
4. 4Heat the oven to 150°C fan. Wrap each rack tightly in a double layer of foil, sealing the edges so no steam escapes, and sit them on a tray.
5. 5Bake for 2½–3 hours. The foil traps the moisture and effectively braises them, which is what breaks down the connective tissue without a smoker.
6. 6Whisk the glaze ingredients together and simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
7. 7Unwrap the racks, pour off the liquid, and brush them generously with the glaze. Bake uncovered at 200°C fan for 15–20 minutes, brushing twice more, until the glaze is sticky and darkened at the edges.
8. 8Test by lifting a rack with tongs from the middle: it should bend and the surface should crack, but the meat should not fall off the bone. Ribs that collapse are overcooked, whatever the adverts say.
9. 9Rest for 10 minutes before cutting between the bones.

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