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Recipes » dinner » Grandpa’s Coca-Cola Ribs

Grandpa’s Coca-Cola Ribs

By Kate Morgan Jackson

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The secret ingredient to this tender, delicious barbecued ribs recipe known as Grandpa’s Coca-Cola Ribs?  Coca-Cola soda and some fatherly love! Perfect for your next family party.

Grandpa's Coca-Cola Ribs

My all-time favorite recipe for tender, delicious, perfect every time ribs is this one for Grandpa’s Coca-Cola Ribs, which are just what you think they are.

Juicy ribs marinated in, among other things, a bath of Coca-Cola soda (or Dr. Pepper, if you prefer), which gives them an amazing consistency and an even more amazing taste.

And while I wish I could take credit for this one, it’s actually all about my dad.

The secret ingredient to this delicious barbecued pork ribs recipe? Coca-Cola and some fatherly love! #recipeClick to Tweet

Here are my adorable parents, who are just about to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary. With all their friends. And all our giant extended family. At my house. Please pray for good weather.

Anyway, my mom has always been an amazing, phenomenal, extraordinary cook.

As a matter of fact, when I did the “All About Me” section on this blog and described myself as a self-taught cook, more than one person who has known me for a while pointed out that I actually had a pretty fantastic teacher, otherwise known as My Mother.

Totally true! I probably should have mentioned that.

At any rate, she was and still is a virtuoso in the kitchen. Fresh-baked bread, home-made pasta, chocolate mousse cake, veal Oscar, marinated mozzarella, the best scones in the entire world, I could go on and on.

My dad…well, he made some pretty great scrambled eggs over the years, but he was mainly relegated to kitchen clean-up crew along with the rest of us.

However. Over the past few years, I have had more than one great meal at their house, and complimented my mom on whatever it was, and she said these four words that were not usually ever strung together in my childhood home:

“Your father made it.”

Macaroni and cheese. Shredded beef barbecue sandwiches. And lately, these ribs that are the sweet and spicy kind that literally fall off the bones as you eat them.

Dad? Dad, is that you?

Grandpa's Coca-Cola Ribs

So when he made them for dinner over Memorial Day weekend, I thought that’s it, the world must know about this.  And here is a quick video to show you just how easy and delicious my dad’s ribs are…

And there you have it.  The world’s best ribs, from the world’s best dad.

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Grandpa’s Coca-Cola Ribs


★★★★★ 4.3 from 6 reviews
  • Author: Kate Morgan Jackson
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 150 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
  • Yield: 8 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Blender, Oven
  • Cuisine: American, Southern
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Description

The secret ingredient to this tender, delicious barbecued ribs recipe? Coca-Cola soda and some fatherly love! Grandpa’s Coca-Cola Ribs!


Ingredients

  • 4 lbs bone in pork ribs
  • 3 cups Coca-Cola or Dr. Pepper
  • 3 cups ketchup
  • 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 6 tablespoons chili powder
  • 4 tablespoons ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons dry mustard
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Place the ribs to a large glass or ceramic baking dish and pour 2 cups of Coca-Cola or Dr. Pepper over them. Reserve the third cup of the soda for a sauce to be made later. Cover the pan securely with plastic wrap  and let the ribs marinate in the fridge overnight.
  2. Pour the remaining 1 cup of soda into a blender or food processor and add the ketchup, brown sugar, chili powder, pepper, dry mustard, and cinnamon. Blend until smooth.
  3. Put the ribs in a roasting pan that has been coated with cooking spray, brush liberally with part of the sauce, and roast covered in a 225 F oven for about 2 1/2 hours or until until very tender. (Can be done the day before. )
  4. To finish, grill the ribs over high heat, basting with some of the leftover sauce until the outside is crispy, about 10-15 minutes. While the ribs are cooking, simmer the remaining sauce for about 20 minutes until a little thick.

Notes

Need to add something to your kitchen equipment to make this recipe? Below are the items we used in the Framed Cooks kitchen to cook this up. These are affiliate links to things we use and love, which helps to pay for all that bacon I keep buying!

Equipment

Roasting Pan

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Vitamix

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62454.3 g1303.1 mg17.3 g5.8 g0.1 g66.6 g3.7 g50.6 g132.6 mg

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Kate Morgan Jackson

Hi there!  I’m Kate, and I’m a recipe writer, food photographer and devoted bacon lover.  I started Framed Cooks in 2009, and my mission is to create and share family-friendly recipes that make cooking both easy and fun…yes, I said FUN!  My kitchen is my happy place, and I want yours to be that place too.  And if you make this recipe, I would love you to tag @FramedCooks on Instagram so I can see the deliciousness!as seen in logos

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Published on June 6, 2010

Good for: Father's Day, Fourth of July, Grilling Favorites

Last Post:
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  1. All Things Yummy says

    June 7, 2010 at 1:07 am

    yum, those ribs look delicious.

    Reply
  2. Nancy Stern says

    June 7, 2010 at 1:48 am

    Knowing your parents as I do, those words are a pleasure for me to hear. I will be happy to try himself's rib recipe at our earliest opportunity and maybe it will make the next book with his name on the recipe. Love your blog and your family….Nancy

    Reply
  3. Kathleen says

    June 7, 2010 at 1:56 am

    I love reading about your lovely parents! These ribs look outrageous! Can't wait to try them! Tell your Dad thanks ;)

    Reply
  4. Jessica says

    June 7, 2010 at 7:28 am

    Coca Cola and ribs, somehow it makes sense!

    Reply
  5. a Broad says

    June 9, 2010 at 4:54 pm

    Well, you know what they say about Things being better when made with Love.
    :)

    Reply
    • Laina Kos says

      May 24, 2020 at 12:11 pm

      I too usually ribs in crock pot with pepsi and orange juice well this morning its pepsi and pieapple juice. What i had on hand to cook then i will bbq after

      Reply
      • Kate Morgan Jackson says

        May 25, 2020 at 5:50 pm

        I bet the pineapple juice worked just perfectly! It’s always good to improvise, especially these days! :)

        Reply
  6. Anonymous says

    August 27, 2010 at 2:02 pm

    What is the measurement that is tsb?

    Reply
    • David P says

      March 14, 2020 at 5:08 pm

      Kate, I’m seriously wanting to clarify your dry seasonings here. I do a LOT of making my own marinades and 6 TABLESPOONS of Chili Powder is a tremendous ratio to just 1 cup of coke and 3 cups of catsup. Same goes for your 2 TABLESPOONS of dry mustard. Dry mustard is very warm and I don’t think I’ve ever used more than 1 or 2 teaspoons for any marinade or sauce I’ve made. Please clarify, if you will, that you do mean Tablespoons rather than teaspoons. I probably won’t hear back from you in time as I only have an hour to go on these ribs. I’m smoking these after having marinated in coke overnight. I smoke them 3 hours at 135, then I double wrap them in heavy duty foil adding 1/4 cup of coke before sealing them up and putting them back on the grill for 2 hours. Afterwards I put them back on the grill for another hour which is when I will be basting with your sauce. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Kate Morgan Jackson says

        March 14, 2020 at 5:33 pm

        Hi David! Yes, those measurements are correct – it is tablespoons. The sugar in the sauce from the coke and other things will temper the spice in the sauce, and as you see from the other comments on this recipe, the ribs turn out deliciously with just the right amount of spice and sweetness! Hope you love them as much as our family does. 😊

        Reply
        • David says

          March 17, 2020 at 2:24 pm

          Sauce came out great! I was hoping to share pictures but I don’t see a way to include them.

          ★★★★★

          Reply
          • Kate Morgan Jackson says

            March 19, 2020 at 12:52 pm

            Hi David and hurray!! And while my comments section can’t handle pictures, you can definitely post them on the Framed Cooks Facebook page, and/or you can tag @framedcooks on Instagram – I’d love to see them!

  7. Anonymous says

    August 27, 2010 at 2:03 pm

    I mean tb?

    Reply
  8. Kate Morgan Jackson says

    August 27, 2010 at 5:34 pm

    Tb is tablespoons – I changed it on the recipe just in case anyone had the same question. :)

    Reply
  9. Raquel Lauritzen says

    September 2, 2012 at 11:34 am

    It doesn’t say whether to pout off the marinade before baking

    Reply
    • Kate says

      September 2, 2012 at 12:05 pm

      You transfer the ribs from the soda to a baking dish, then brush with the marinade – you don’t pour the soda into the baking dish. Does that help?

      Reply
  10. Delihia Gaytan says

    September 28, 2012 at 6:50 pm

    Hi Kate I love ur Dad spare ribs they are very good this is my Third time making them
    my family and friends love it , tell ur dad thank u
    Mrs Gaytan

    Reply
    • Kate says

      September 29, 2012 at 11:50 am

      I will definitely tell him – it will make his day!

      Reply
  11. jeremy says

    October 13, 2012 at 12:59 pm

    Trying these tonight for a party! Hope they are great;

    Reply
    • Kate says

      October 13, 2012 at 1:56 pm

      They are one of our favorite party foods! Have a great time!!

      Reply
  12. Jason says

    November 10, 2012 at 4:17 pm

    Wow i just tried your ribs and they’re great. I’m glad I made the effort to bbq today even though it’s a brisk -18 C today and had to warm up the tank inside. You really taste the cinnamon eh.

    Thanks again for the recipe

    Reply
    • Kate says

      November 11, 2012 at 5:01 pm

      Wow!!! That is true rib-making dedication!! I am impressed! :)

      Reply
  13. tomas says

    February 24, 2013 at 5:47 am

    Hello, 225 in oven – fahrenheit or celsius?
    thank you

    t.

    Reply
    • Kate says

      February 24, 2013 at 8:43 am

      Fahrenheit! Happy ribs.

      Reply
      • matt says

        February 21, 2015 at 9:41 pm

        225 degrees Celsius would be a little too hot. I read some of the questions and ask myself…. Are you sure there’s no such thing as a dumb question??

        Reply
  14. Atlas skwarchuk says

    March 17, 2013 at 5:45 pm

    I made this recipe in Oct 2012 and it was amazing and I’m back today to do it again. This is a delicious recipe and would like to thank you for sharing. Props to you and your family. Thank you

    Reply
    • Kate says

      March 18, 2013 at 12:48 pm

      I’m so glad! And I’ll let my dad know, too. :)

      Reply
  15. Barbara Collins Rosenberg says

    June 16, 2013 at 1:24 pm

    Michael’s mouth is watering!
    Hope Philly was fun and Happy FD to Don!!!

    Reply
  16. Ben says

    August 28, 2013 at 9:25 am

    I made these ribs for my family the other night… Delish!!! I can’t wait to make them again. The best part, I have plenty of sauce left for other projects.

    Reply
    • Kate says

      August 30, 2013 at 6:46 am

      I’m so glad! Sounds like we have families with similar taste! :)

      Reply
  17. Joni says

    July 1, 2014 at 3:29 pm

    I am trying this tomorrow. I am about to do the marinade and let the ribs soak overnight. I will let you know how much my family enjoys them. Looks delicious!!

    Reply
    • Kate says

      July 2, 2014 at 7:34 am

      Thanks Joni! Can’t wait to hear if your family loves them as much as mine does. :)

      Reply
  18. Diane says

    May 20, 2015 at 6:29 pm

    How many hours do you cook in oven if not grilling ?

    Reply
    • Kate says

      May 22, 2015 at 7:53 am

      Hi Diane! The ribs are pretty much cooked once they go on the grill – they are being grilled just to get that nice crispy exterior. If you run them under the broiler after the oven time in the recipe (and watch them carefully during the broiling part!) you should get a similar crispy effect. Hope this helps!

      Reply
  19. Paul says

    May 22, 2015 at 5:22 pm

    Hi,
    Can you use chicken drumsticks instead of ribs for this recipe?
    Thanks

    Reply
  20. Nicole says

    September 9, 2015 at 9:12 am

    I don’t have a grill and would like to make these. How long would I have to cook them in the stove instead?

    Reply
    • Kate says

      September 10, 2015 at 8:59 pm

      Hi Nicole! Cook them at 225 degrees for 2 1/2 hours until very tender. And instead of finishing on a grill: Preheat your oven broiler. Arrange the ribs in a single layer on a foil lined cookie sheet, brush with a little sauce and broil, turning once. Watch carefully so they do not burn! And then enjoy. :)

      Reply
  21. patrick says

    September 4, 2016 at 8:57 pm

    Hi Kate ,
    Please tell your dad his spare ribs were a big hit over here in Belgium ! made it for the family and friends and the folks they simply loved it !

    Reply
    • Kate says

      September 5, 2016 at 3:37 pm

      Patrick, thanks so much for telling me this – glad to hear they are an international success! :)

      Reply
  22. Cynthia Hand says

    May 28, 2017 at 11:47 am

    Trying this for Memorial Day weekend dinner tonight. They look SOOOOO good.

    Reply
    • Kate says

      May 29, 2017 at 10:27 am

      Cynthia! I’m so glad – we had them last night and we don’t even have any bones left! (we do have happy dogs!)

      Reply
      • Cynthia Hand says

        May 30, 2017 at 8:09 am

        These were ah-mazing. Best ribs I’ve ever had!

        Reply
  23. Prepperdaddy says

    June 12, 2017 at 9:12 am

    Kate, when you marinate the ribs do you use enough of the sauce to cover the ribs (doesn’t sound like it), or just enough to coat?

    Reply
    • Kate says

      June 17, 2017 at 2:03 pm

      Just enough to coat, although if you add some extra that would still work out just fine!

      Reply
  24. Cyp says

    June 19, 2017 at 2:56 pm

    Hi!
    Thank you for the recipe. It was a great inspiration. I got a rack of ribs and wanted to cook them on the bbq and I knew that this time I want to use coke. I tweaked your original gospel but your combination of spices and flavours was my main framework. It worked perfectly! My wife and our little boy were both impressed. Thank you again!

    Reply
    • Kate says

      June 24, 2017 at 10:48 am

      I’m so glad!! The family seal of approval is the best, right? :)

      Reply
  25. Amber says

    June 24, 2017 at 5:04 pm

    This BBQ sauce is amazing! I had some left over and used it for other recipes! Thank you for sharing!! These ribs were delicious!

    Reply
    • Kate says

      June 25, 2017 at 11:12 am

      Amber! I’m so glad you liked it – happy summer!

      Reply
  26. Susan says

    February 16, 2018 at 12:22 pm

    Your BBQ rib recipe is delicious! This is now my “go-to recipe” every time I make ribs. Thanks to your dad and to you for sharing this no-fail method.

    Reply
    • Kate says

      February 21, 2018 at 5:50 am

      Susan, thank you so much – my dad would be so happy to hear this!

      Reply
  27. Brianna says

    April 22, 2019 at 9:03 pm

    Absolutely delicious!! My new favorite bbq sauce! Had the ribs for Easter dinner last night and the leftover sauce on barbequed chicken tonight. Scrumptious!!! Thank you so much for the recipe ?

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Kate says

      April 24, 2019 at 8:58 am

      Hi Brianna! I’m so glad you loved this one – it’s one of our top family faves!

      Reply
  28. Brianna says

    April 23, 2019 at 4:40 pm

    I madetbese ribs forester dinner on Sunday. They were spectacular!! Fall off the bones and so yummy!!! I had leftover barbecue sauce and used it last night on our barbecue chicken. So delicious!! Definitely my new favorite barbecue sauce!! Thank you much for the delightful recipe ?

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  29. Cathy Tibbles says

    June 25, 2019 at 10:21 am

    I made this last night with a few less Tbsp chili powder and everyone loved it!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Kate Morgan Jackson says

      June 25, 2019 at 3:01 pm

      Well YAY! Love that your family loved one of our all time family faves. :) xo

      Reply
  30. Tonia Le Febre-Johnson says

    November 16, 2019 at 12:03 pm

    I have made these ribs more times than I can count. They are perfect every time.

    Reply
    • Tonia Le Febre-Johnson says

      November 16, 2019 at 12:10 pm

      I even made them for my wedding…

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Kate Morgan Jackson says

        November 18, 2019 at 9:39 am

        Tonia! That is so very special, and I know that would mean so much to my dad! :)

        Reply
    • Kate Morgan Jackson says

      November 18, 2019 at 9:41 am

      That warms my heart to hear – my dad would love this too. :)

      Reply
  31. Sampo Soilampi says

    April 29, 2020 at 9:47 am

    So , no salt at all ? Seems weird ?
    Trying these tomorrow , will marinate overnight today.
    Greetings from FINLAND :)

    Reply
    • Kate Morgan Jackson says

      April 29, 2020 at 8:27 pm

      Nope, no salt! It comes through in the various ingredients. And, hello FINLAND! :) :)

      Reply
  32. Martin Wainscott says

    July 4, 2020 at 4:35 am

    Just read that ovens in Canada and the US are calibrated in Fahrenheit whereas the rest of the world has ovens that are Celsius. Given that your recipes are available worldwide, do you think it would have been helpful to say either F or C after you give the temperature?

    ★

    Reply
    • Kate Morgan Jackson says

      July 4, 2020 at 3:29 pm

      Hi Martin. Given that my recipe are totally free and take lots of work and care, do you think it would have been nicer to email me and make this suggestion in a polite way? I hope you are enjoying my recipes, and that you will think twice before leaving what could have been a constructive comment on someone’s hard work in such an unkind way, on my website or anyone else’s. It takes so little effort to be nice.

      Reply
  33. Cheryl says

    May 6, 2013 at 8:51 pm

    These looks sooo good! Going to make these tomorrow!! Thanks for Sharing xx

    Reply
  34. Kate says

    May 7, 2013 at 8:15 am

    Hurray! Hope you love them as much as my family does!

    Reply
  35. Martin Wainscott says

    July 5, 2020 at 5:32 am

    On reflection I think giving you one star was wrong and I’m sorry for that. My comment nevertheless was intended to prompt you to consider your wider audience, and I was using a means of communication that you have provided.

    Reply
  36. Kate Morgan Jackson says

    July 7, 2020 at 10:43 am

    Thanks for that, Martin. I always appreciate constructive suggestions. I do have a Contact Me option on the site which is private – whenever I have an issue with someone online, I try to use that more low-key option and I find that the writer is always appreciative of that. Meantime I will add the Fahrenheit notation to this one since it is so popular :) and keep that in mind going forward. Hope you have a great day!

    Reply

Hi, I’m Kate! I’m a recipe writer, food photographer and devoted bacon lover. I’m so glad you’re here!

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