Oven-Roasted Ribs Are Your No-Brainer Super Bowl 2021 Feast
There are a few nasty rumors circulating about ribs.
The first rumor is that you need to sugarcoat a rack of ribs—usually with brown sugar—in order to make it taste amazing. The sweetness, some spreaders of this falsehood argue, is essential to round out the heat of the rest of the ingredients in the spice rub as well as the rich flavors of the pork itself.
The second rumor is that you must toil for hours over a smoker to make delicious ribs. While using the low and slow temperatures of a barbecue cooker does, in fact, produce tender, flavorful ribs, it’s not a necessity.
The proof to counter these errant claims resides in just one recipe—the one featured in this article—created by Marc Forgione, the chef and owner of Peasant and Restaurant Marc Forgione in New York City.
Let a healthy spice rub and your oven lead you to delicious, tender perfection. The 30 grams of muscle-building protein from the ribs, plus a side with 10 grams of fiber, will help you stay full long after the final play.
If you go without a sugary rub or barbecue sauce, five plain ribs deliver 34 grams of protein and zero carbs for 435 calories.
This recipe calls for baby back ribs, which tend to be the smallest of the rib varieties; each rack weighs about 1 ½ to 2 lb. They’re richer than country-style ribs but have more meat than spare ribs—though you can use either of those here if you have a preference. Most grocery stores carry all three.
So, in short, good meat plus your oven’s heat equals a fast an easy game day treat.
Oven Roasted Game Day Ribs
What You'll Need:
6 Tbsp chili powder
1/4 cup Kosher salt
1 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp garlic powder
3 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cayenne
3 lb baby back ribs (2 racks)
Extra-virgin olive oil
How to Make It:
1. In a medium bowl, mix thefirst 6 ingredients. On a baking sheet, rub the ribs with this mixture and refrigerate, uncovered, overnight.
2. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Wrap the ribs in foil, place them on a clean baking sheet, and roast 45 minutes. Remove the ribs from the oven and allow them to sit in the foil until tender, about 45 minutes more.
3. Unwrap the ribs, brush the tops with olive oil, and broil on both sides until slightly charred, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Feeds 4
Nutrition per serving: 575 calories, 34g protein, 22g carbs (1g fiber), 39g fat
The Side Dishes
The beans will get you to 10 grams of fiber. Consider the slaw extra (delicious) credit.
Kale ’n’ Beans
Soak 1 lb dried beans (cranberry, cannellini, white) in a big bowl of water overnight. In a large pot, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium. Add 1/2 small onion (minced) and 2 medium carrots (diced). Cook till softened, about 3 minutes. Add 1 garlic clove (minced) and 1 strip thick-cut bacon. Cook until the bacon fat renders, about 3 minutes. Add 3 cups kale (thinly sliced) and the drained beans. Stir, then add 2 qt low-sodium chicken stock and a bay leaf. Cover and cook until the beans are tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Add 1/4 cup sherry vinegar, plus salt to taste. Feeds 12
Per serving: 191 cal, 14g protein, 26g carbs (10g fiber), 4g fat
Half-Sour Slaw
In a large bowl, mix 4 cups green cabbage (shredded), 4 golden beets (grated), 2 small carrots (grated), 1/2 yellow bell pepper (thinly sliced), 1/4 cup red onion (thinly sliced), 1/4 cup half-sour pickles (chopped), and 2 Tbsp parsley (chopped). In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup apple-cider vinegar, 3 Tbsp whole-grain mustard, 1 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp kosher salt, and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Fold this mixture into the vegetables. Feeds 4
Per serving: 122 cal, 3g protein, 29g carbs (6g fiber), 1g fat
A version of this article appeared in the January/February 2021 issue of Men's Health.
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