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.
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.
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?
So when he made them for dinner over Memorial Day weekend, I thought that’s it, the world must know about this. And with that, here they are, the world’s most scrumptious and tender ribs, from the world’s most scrumptious and tender dad.
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Grandpa’s Coca-Cola Ribs
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Pin RecipeIngredients
- 4 lbs 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 tablespoons Ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Transfer the ribs to a large non-reactive glass or ceramic dish 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. Let the ribs marinate, tightly covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated, overnight.
- 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. Mix until smooth and well blended.
- Put the ribs in a roasting pan that has been coated with cooking spray, brush with the sauce, and roast covered in a 225 oven for about 2 1/2 hours until very tender. (Can be done the day before. )
- To finish, grill over high heat, basting with the uncooked sauce until the outside is crispy, about 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile simmer the unused sauce for about 20 minute until a little thick.
yum, those ribs look delicious.
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
I love reading about your lovely parents! These ribs look outrageous! Can't wait to try them! Tell your Dad thanks 😉
Coca Cola and ribs, somehow it makes sense!
Well, you know what they say about Things being better when made with Love.
🙂
What is the measurement that is tsb?
I mean tb?
Tb is tablespoons – I changed it on the recipe just in case anyone had the same question. 🙂
It doesn’t say whether to pout off the marinade before baking
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?
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
I will definitely tell him – it will make his day!
Trying these tonight for a party! Hope they are great;
They are one of our favorite party foods! Have a great time!!
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
Wow!!! That is true rib-making dedication!! I am impressed! 🙂
Hello, 225 in oven – fahrenheit or celsius?
thank you
t.
Fahrenheit! Happy ribs.
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??
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
I’m so glad! And I’ll let my dad know, too. 🙂
Michael’s mouth is watering!
Hope Philly was fun and Happy FD to Don!!!
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.
I’m so glad! Sounds like we have families with similar taste! 🙂
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!!
Thanks Joni! Can’t wait to hear if your family loves them as much as mine does. 🙂
How many hours do you cook in oven if not grilling ?
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!
Hi,
Can you use chicken drumsticks instead of ribs for this recipe?
Thanks
I don’t have a grill and would like to make these. How long would I have to cook them in the stove instead?
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. 🙂
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 !
Patrick, thanks so much for telling me this – glad to hear they are an international success! 🙂
Trying this for Memorial Day weekend dinner tonight. They look SOOOOO good.
Cynthia! I’m so glad – we had them last night and we don’t even have any bones left! (we do have happy dogs!)
These were ah-mazing. Best ribs I’ve ever had!
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?
Just enough to coat, although if you add some extra that would still work out just fine!
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!
I’m so glad!! The family seal of approval is the best, right? 🙂
This BBQ sauce is amazing! I had some left over and used it for other recipes! Thank you for sharing!! These ribs were delicious!
Amber! I’m so glad you liked it – happy summer!
These looks sooo good! Going to make these tomorrow!! Thanks for Sharing xx
Hurray! Hope you love them as much as my family does!