Easy Baby Back Ribs
 

Cathie

Baby back rib recipes are usually loaded down with sugar. Now you can have finger-licking baby back ribs that are just as succulent, sugar free.
INGREDIENTS:
Baby Back Ribs - however many racks you want!
Salt and spices (see below)
Diet cola
Sugar-free BBQ sauce (see below)
PREPARATION:
There are usually two phases to making baby back ribs - the first is a long slow braise (cooking in a little liquid) to dissolve all the connective tissue in the ribs (smoking accomplishes the same thing, I think). Otherwise they would be very tough. This can be accomplished in the oven or crockpot, but in the heat of the summer I like to keep the whole process outside. The second part is the grilling, which is relatively quick.

1) Sprinkle the ribs with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and chili powder. Or, if you have a special rub you like that doesn't have sugar, by all means use that. I've used cajun and Old Bay and they are also good. Pat the spices in, and put ribs in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

2) Wrap the ribs loosely in heavy-duty foil, but seal the sides. (If you are using the slow cooker/crock pot, skip this step.) Pour half a can of diet cola into the packet (or crock pot). (If you don't like any sweetness in your ribs, or if you just prefer not to use soda, white wine works well, or even white wine with a few drops of sweetener.) Seal the top of the ribs.

3) Put the ribs in a covered grill with low heat (either charcoal or gas), or on a baking sheet in the oven. Cooking times: I find that 2 and 1/2 hours at about 250 F. works best, but if you don't have that much time, 1 and 1/2 hours at 350 F. also works. In the crockpot, cook for 8 hours or so on low. Every 45-60 minutes, add liquid if necessary (it probably won't be, but the amount of juice in the ribs does vary), and turn the ribs over.

4) Open the foil, and brush the ribs with sugar-free BBQ sauce. Grill on medium to medium-high heat for 10 minutes on each side. Serve with sauce to dunk ribs in.
Sugar Free BBQ Sauce

Almost all commercial barbecue sauces are loaded with sugar. Most I've seen have 16-30 grams per quarter cup, but I've seen them as high as 44 grams! It doesn't have to be that way. This one has a secret ingredient - diet cola. It's best to use one sweetened with Splenda, but any will do (aspartame tends to lose its sweetness when heated for long periods).
INGREDIENTS:
2 strips of thick bacon, chopped fine (or see note)
1 small onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 small can (6 oz) tomato paste
1 can (12 oz) diet (sugar-free) cola - Splenda-sweetened preferred
1/4 cup low carb (sugar-free) catsup, (or see note)
3 T mustard
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 pinch ground cloves
Hot sauce to taste
PREPARATION:
Note 1: - If you prefer to leave the bacon out, add 1-3 teaspoons of liquid smoke, to taste, near the end of the cooking. Alternatively, add some smoky flavor using 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, or chipotle powder to taste.

Note 2: If you can't find low carb catsup, leave it out, but add about a tablespoon of vinegar and some sweetener, to taste.

1. Fry the bacon in a saucepan - a 2 qt pan works well.

2. Add the onion and cook over medium until soft - 3-5 minutes. Add garlic at this point if you're using fresh and stir it for half a minute or so.

3. Add the rest of the ingredients, plus about half a cup of water. Stir well. 4. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. It will cook down a bit and flavors will combine. 5. Adjust the seasonings so you have the balance you want - you can add vinegar, artificial sweetener (liquid preferred), or hot sauce. (If it's too hot, adding more sweetener will tone it down.)

The recipe makes approximately 10 servings of 1/4 cup each. Each serving has about 3.5 grams of carbohydrate plus 1 gram of fiber.