Super tender and bursting with umami goodness, these baby back ribs are sure to tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving for more. The secret to their irresistible flavor lies in the umami-rich barbecue sauce, which is packed with soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and other savory ingredients.
What is umami?
Umami is the fifth basic taste, often described as savory or meaty. It is triggered by glutamate, an amino acid found in many foods, such as meats, fish, mushrooms, and tomatoes. When glutamate interacts with taste receptors on our tongues, it creates a unique sensation that is both satisfying and addictive.
Why use umami in barbecue sauce?
Umami is a powerful flavor enhancer that can make other flavors stand out. In the context of barbecue sauce, umami helps to balance the sweetness and acidity of other ingredients, creating a more complex and well-rounded flavor profile.
Umami Barbecue – Baby Back Ribs
Equipment
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 rack Baby Back Ribs
- 1.5 cups Montreal Steak Seasoning
- 1 cup Ketchup
- 2 tsp Brown Sugar
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 4 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
- 2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 2 tsp Chipotle Sauce
- 1/2 tsp Ground Mustard
- 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
- 2 Tbsp Chipotle Peppers in an Adobo Sauce
- 1 Tbsp Fish Sauce
- 1 Tbsp Tamari Sauce
Instructions
- Remove packaging on the three baby back rib racks.
- Remove the membrane from the back of the rib racks.
- Now season the ribs using Montreal Steak Seasoning.
- Insert the needle temperature probe into the rib rack making sure we do not touch any bone.
- Put all three rib racks into a 300F preheated smoker. Then plug in the probe into the Signals thermometer.
- We are going to cook these ribs uncovered and in the smoke till they reach 160F.
- As the ribs cook we will now make the barbecue sauce. We get a medium-size mixing bowl.
- Add one cup of ketchup.
- Two teaspoons of brown sugar.
- Two tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce.
- Four tablespoons of balsamic vinegar.
- Two teaspoons of garlic powder.
- Two teaspoons of chipotle sauce
- One half a teaspoon of ground mustard
- One half a teaspoon of sea salt.
- Now if you want you can stop here and use the sauce the way it is. If you want to take it up a big notch then you can add the next three ingredients. I call these the Umami enhancers and the will double the number of glutamates in the sauce.
- Two large tablespoons of chipotle in adobo sauce.
- One tablespoon of fish sauce. Please note it is not fishy.
- One tablespoon of tamari sauce.
- Now mix well and put into the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
- When ribs hit 160F remove and then apply barbecue sauce,
- Now put ribs into a large foil pan and then cover the top with aluminum foil.
- Reinsert temperature probe and cook ribs till when they hit 195F.
- When ribs hit 195F remove foil from the top of the pan and let the sauce turn into a glaze. This is about 30 minutes.
- Let ribs rest for about 10 minutes then slice and serve.
Video
Nutrition
