Pork rib sandwich
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Servings: 4
This is a next-level rib sandwich—tender, fall-off-the-bone pork ribs coated in a smoky homemade barbecue sauce, stuffed into a toasted ciabatta with crisp pickles and onions. Whether you're slow-cooking in the oven or going all out with a smoker, the result is the same: messy, juicy, and absolutely worth it.
Ingredients
- Pork rib sandwich
- 4 small ciabatta loaves
- dill pickles, to serve
- ½ brown onion, finely sliced
- Ribs
- 4 racks baby back pork ribs
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- ½ tbsp mustard powder
- ½ tbsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp fennel powder
- ½ tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp yellow mustard
- ½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
- BBQ sauce
- 250g (1 cup) ketchup
- 90g (½ cup) brown sugar
- 60ml (¼ cup) apple cider vinegar
- 30g (2 tbsp) maple syrup
- 10 dashes Worcestershire sauce
- 10 dashes Maggi seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
Directions
- BBQ sauce
- In a pot, combine the ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce, Maggi seasoning, salt, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
- Bring to a light simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth and well combined. Set aside.
- Prep the ribs
- Preheat your oven to 150°C (300°F) if using the oven method, or your smoker to 120°C (250°F) if smoking.
- In a bowl, mix the salt, brown sugar, mustard powder, garlic powder, fennel powder, and smoked paprika to create the dry rub.
- Remove the back membrane from the ribs by gripping it with a paper towel and pulling it off.
- Spread ½ tbsp yellow mustard evenly over each rack of ribs.
- Season generously with the prepared dry rub.
- Cook - oven method
- Take two pieces of foil, place the seasoned ribs inside, and add ½ tbsp apple cider vinegar.
- Wrap tightly in two layers of foil and place in the oven for three hours.
- After three hours, remove the ribs from the oven, unwrap, and carefully remove the bones.
- Brush generously with the prepared barbecue sauce.
- Cook - smoker method
- Place the seasoned ribs directly into the preheated smoker at 120°C (250°F) for three hours (no need to wrap at this stage).
- After three hours, remove the ribs, place them on a sheet of foil, and add 20g (¾ oz) butter.
- Wrap tightly and return to the smoker for another two hours.
- After two hours, remove the ribs and increase the smoker temperature to 150°C (300°F).
- While the smoker is heating up, carefully unwrap the ribs and cover them with the prepared barbecue sauce.
- Place the glazed ribs back into the smoker for 15 minutes until the sauce sets.
- Assemble
- Slice the ciabatta loaves in half and toast the cut sides until golden.
- Add the glazed, boneless pork ribs, then top with sliced dill pickles and finely sliced onions.
- Serve and enjoy!