Coca-Cola BBQ Ribs - Laura's Best Recipes (2024)

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May 29, 2009. 33 Comments. Categories Chef David Lawrence, Contributing Chefs, Smoking / Grilling.

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Coca Cola BBQ Ribs

by Chef David Lawrence

www.chefdavidlawrence.com

This is the ONLY rib recipe you will ever need. Sticky and sweet. Absolute perfection!

Serves 6

FOR THE RIBS

1 (1.5 liter) bottle of Coca-Cola (not diet!)
1 large onion, quartered
6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
2 racks baby back ribs (about 4 pounds)

FOR THE SAUCE

2/3 stick unsalted butter
1 small white onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup ketchup
1½ tablespoons yellow mustard
¼ cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 (12 ounce) can Coca-Cola (not diet!)
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a large pot, add the (1.5 liter) bottle of Coca-Cola, onion, garlic, bay leaves and peppercorns. Add the ribs and, if necessary a bit of water just to ensure the ribs are submerged completely. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer, turning the ribs occasionally, until the meat pulls away from the bone, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, to make the sauce combine the butter, onion, garlic, ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and (12 ounces) Coca-Cola in large heavy sauce pan. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer for about 25 minutes stirring often until sauce is thickened and reduced. Season to taste with salt and pepper and let cool slightly. Using a blender, puree the sauce.

Note: Sauce can be made up to 5 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator in an air-tight container.

Preheat the grill to high.

Remove the ribs from the pot, pat dry, season with salt and pepper and brush liberally with the sauce. Grill, turning often, until charred on the outside, about 8 minutes. Loosely tent the ribs with foil and let rest for 5 minutes before cutting into individual ribs. Serve extra sauce on the side for dipping.

Recipe and photos reprinted with permission of Chef David Lawrence.

chrisDecember 9, 2013 at 12:52 pm
you do not boil ribs you put them on a smoker

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BrianSeptember 21, 2013 at 5:47 pm
Not a fan of parboiling ribs but they came out great. The sauce was great. Next time I want to barboil then run them through the smoker and see how they come out . Great recipe thanks

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keejAugust 31, 2013 at 2:05 pm
Do yourself a favor and read this:
http://www.snopes.com/co*kelore/porkworm.asp

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Jake from StatefarmAugust 17, 2013 at 1:12 pm
Do yourself a favor and google “raw pork and coca cola” think you ll choose the beef?

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- BillOctober 4, 2013 at 1:06 pm
  I am going to put this as politically correct as possible. “Pull your head out of your ass”
  
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amandaAugust 12, 2013 at 9:34 am
can I cook it in the oven

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- JohnJanuary 19, 2014 at 6:23 am
  Yess
  
  Reply
  
  See Also
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RoseAugust 11, 2013 at 4:23 pm
This looks delicious but I do have a question. My husband is diabetic and regular cola is one of the worst things for him. Do you have a similar recipe that uses diet cola or any other substitution that would be ok for diabetics?

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CindyAugust 8, 2013 at 3:08 pm
Can you please give an alternative for those of us who do not have an outdoor grill ??? Oven option would be great..

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Carla MiltonJuly 10, 2013 at 11:17 am
These are delictious , I have made them twice and loven them

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LashonJuly 9, 2013 at 10:53 pm
I made these ribs for the holiday they were fall off the bone delicious.

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sharonJune 27, 2013 at 9:36 am
WE never parboil ribs just season them and place them on the grill. I know my husband won’t go for the parboil so what do you suggest I do. Just marinate them in the coca cola and spices that is used in the parboil then grill with the sause?

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maryApril 13, 2013 at 10:03 pm
can u do these in a crockpot?

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FernandoApril 2, 2013 at 11:38 pm
Could I smoke the ribs instead of grilling them?

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IsabelMarch 30, 2013 at 5:29 pm
They look Delish! I am from Texas and I would love to make these but I do not have a pot big enough to cook them in. I love spare ribs and they are huge. I bought two pkgs of them for Easter. Is there another way to use the co*ke to flavor them with out cooking them first in a pot. I slow cook them in the oven because that is the only way I can fit them. Can you marinate them with the the co*ke, onions and other ingredients first? Thankyou!
ps. Not all Texans are jerks. There are some nice ones too, Happy Easter 😉

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TammyNovember 15, 2012 at 5:42 pm
This looks absolutely delicious! I was wondering if you could precook the ribs in the co*ke mixture and then refrigerate until you use them? Was thinking of doing this for a wedding reception/backyard BBQ but won’t have the time to stand by the stove and do the precook of the ribs. What do you think??

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- JohnFebruary 5, 2013 at 1:18 pm
  Yes you can Tammy, I did it myself and they tasted the same
  John
  
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- Brenda McKitricAugust 14, 2013 at 6:19 pm
  Please, don’t do that! Precooking ribs takes away from the flavor.
  Just senceless!!!!!!!!
  
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LesOctober 19, 2012 at 8:19 pm
I follwed this recipe to the tee and I will never make it again. Thought I would try something different, but here in Texas we like our ribs smoked for 6-8 hours till they fall off the bone. This recipe just didn’t cut it, we don’t use a mustard BBQ sauce here. I use some brown sugar in my dry rub and use some good wood. Sorry

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- IbeMarch 9, 2013 at 8:04 pm
  Nobody really cares what texas thinks. We do know ur mama didn’t teach yo,u “if you can’t say something nice shut up”!
  
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- LillMay 3, 2013 at 11:17 am
  If is was such an abomination as relating to Texas ribs then why did you bother even making them?!
  You should have saved yourself all the effort and us the pain of reading your useless review.
  
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  - ChelseaAugust 11, 2013 at 3:53 pm
    Maybe you shouldn’t be a jerk and accept other peoples opinions.
    
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  - claudiaAugust 11, 2013 at 3:54 pm
    you are so so right. He is an a**hole
    
    Reply
- mariedee04@gmail.comAugust 11, 2013 at 5:21 pm
  Please share your dry rub recipe, if you wouldn’t mind!
  
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Dee DeeOctober 11, 2009 at 4:52 pm
Will this work with beef ribs?

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PamelaAugust 20, 2009 at 1:45 pm
David,
These are the best RIBS ever!! I have made this recipe 3 times now and continue to impress my friends. Hands down this is the most stress-free way to serve amazingly delicious tender ribs that will fall off the bone every time. I actually don’t make the sauce. It takes the longest to make and my husband said it is too sweet, But these RIbs are Killer!!!!!

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ChaJuly 28, 2009 at 2:15 pm
Hi Laura!
I’m drooling over those ribs!! Any advice on what’ll be the procedure if I parboil then oven-bake it instead of grill? I live in a tropical country and it’s storming like crazy out here! Thanks in advance!
Cha

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- ChrisloJanuary 11, 2013 at 10:45 pm
  Hi Cha .. yes I dont grill mine when I finish parboiling..i put them in the oven and bast as I go along and save soem for a final baste when I take them out. Mmm finger lickin good!!!!
  
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Phil MooneyJuly 7, 2009 at 1:23 pm
I author a blog on Coca-Cola history and popula culture. I saw this recipe a few weeks ago and saved it to post on my blog. If you have a chance, take a look at the site and the recipes that readers have shared with us over time. The rib recipe is perfect for the Summer. Thanks for sharing.

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Barbecue RecipeMay 30, 2009 at 11:34 am
Oh my gosh! This looks AND sounds amazing! I love the sauce recipe and it looks great…but I’ve never been a fan of ribs. This looks so good that now I’ll have to buy some ribs just to try it out. 🙂 I bet this would be killer on chicken or pork loin. Yum! Thanks for the great sauce recipe!

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ldlevyMay 30, 2009 at 7:55 am
Hi Evans, I am a card-carrying cult-following “Egger!” I scratched my head too on the parboiling.. I’ll encourage David to defend his honor on that one. I will say that his recipes seem spot-on so I’ll have to try this before passing judgement. But I will tell you that I would roll these ribs on the grill first, then slow-cook and baste on the Egg… That’s how I make all my ribs, no matter what the sauce or seasoning. Being from California, the Cola sauce was new to me and I thought it fitting with July 4th around the corner! Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for visiting the site!
PS – I am ashamed to say I haven’t tried baking on the egg yet – but your idea to do the scones is a great one!

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J. Evans TaborMay 30, 2009 at 7:36 am
Just as a follow up…
Great to see you’re an “Egger”!!
I’ve been cooking with Eggs for about 6 years now…Now have 3 of them..and love’m!!
I use one of my Large Eggs pretty much… just for baking!
Im going to try your BlueBerry Scone recipe on the Egg as a matter of fact!
Evans

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J. Evans TaborMay 30, 2009 at 7:26 am
First…
I’ve really enjoyed your page, and will definately try some of the recipes here!!
Now..to this Rib Recipe. The sauce sounds like so many old southern “RC Cola” or “Dr. Pepper” based sauces…but, Iv’e got to say it… nooobody in their right mind would parboil Ribs!!
It is a Culinary Crime…and way below a man of your obvious talents!!
Now…stop it..lol!!!
Evans

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Coca-Cola BBQ Ribs - Laura's Best Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Why do you soak ribs in co*ke? ›

These beauties are marinated for 24 hours in Coca-Cola (my all time fav soft drink) which breaks down the meat and makes it extra tender and it leaves the ribs infused with just the right amount of sugar. To that, we'll add some spice, cook them until tender and then douse them with a homemade BBQ sauce.

Tell Me More ›

What is the secret to tender ribs? ›

The secret to incredibly tender ribs is baking them low and slow. Baking ribs in the oven is so easy. 95% of the cooking time is spent relaxing while your ribs transform into fall-off-the-bone perfection.

Do you cook ribs in foil first or last? ›

Press the seasoning down into the meat. Pressing the seasoning into the meat evens out the flavor across the ribs and locks the seasoning into the ribs. 5 – Put the ribs, bone side down, on the 180 degree grill for 2 hours. 6 – After 2 hours, it's time to wrap the ribs in foil.

Read On ›

What can you spray on ribs to make them tender? ›

Combine the apple cider vinegar and apple juice in a spritzing bottle (this is my favorite). Spritz the ribs every 30 minutes after the first hour. Spritz and smoke. Keep your temperatures at 275 degrees F and the spritz hitting the ribs every 30 minutes until those ribs are tender.

Discover More ›

What liquid is best for pork ribs? ›

Liquid for cooking – this is a key step for this pork ribs recipe! It creates a steamy situation while the ribs slow cook in the oven to keep them nice and juicy. My liquid of choice is alcoholic apple cider (also known as hard apple cider) because as with many things, alcohol adds extra layers of flavour.

Read The Full Story ›

What makes spare ribs more tender and flavorful? ›

A charcoal or wood fire will give you the best flavor, but any heat will cook the ribs. Your goal is to get good color and caramelization on the outside of the ribs, but also to cook them long enough that the tough collagen breaks down and the meat becomes tender.

See Details ›

Why marinate pork in co*ke? ›

"The co*ke tenderizes the meat. Once mixture has simmered down it will make a barbecue like sauce that is sensational and the pork chops will be so tender, they'll practically fall apart."

Tell Me More ›

What does co*ke do in meat? ›

This fizzy drink's acidity level is high, so it also acts as a fantastic meat tenderiser. Most effective meat marinades include some type of citrus or vinegar acid, to break down some of the proteins in the meat. So, co*ke does the same.

What does soaking chicken in co*ke do? ›

Baking the chicken in the cola marinade makes it ultra-tender and moist, and it's especially good for chicken thighs, drumsticks and chicken wings. The thick co*ke sauce tenderizes the meat, which makes it mouthwateringly succulent and juicy.

What does soaking ribs in orange juice do? ›

A mixture of orange juice and barbecue sauce makes a sweet and tangy marinade for pork ribs. Use your favorite barbecue sauce, and add orange juice to tenderize the meat and add flavor. If the mixture is not tangy enough, add a 1/4 cup of lemon juice.

Read On ›

Coca-Cola BBQ Ribs - Laura's Best Recipes (2024)

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FAQs

Why do you soak ribs in co*ke? ›

Do you cook ribs in foil first or last? ›

References