Ribwich (The Simpsons)

From The Simpsons →Watch me make it →

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About

The Ribwich is the Krusty Burger sandwich from The Simpsons, an obvious send-up of the McRib: a boneless slab of rib meat in a long bun, drowned in sweet, smoky sauce. No lettuce, no tomato, just pork, glaze and bread.

This version makes it real with actual ribs rather than a shaped patty. Two racks of baby back ribs are rubbed with smoked paprika, salt and pepper over a thin coat of yellow mustard, which helps the rub stick and disappears in the oven. Wrapped loosely in foil, they cook at 300°F for about two and a half hours, until the meat pulls away from the bone. While they cook, onion and bell pepper are softened into a peppery barbecue sauce. The bones slide out of tender ribs, leaving a slab that fits the roll. A cola and barbecue glaze goes on in a hot oven before the bones come out. Sauce it generously; the mess is the point.

Ingredients

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ribs

Pork ribs2 racks pork baby back ribs
Paprika2 tsp smoked paprika
Salt2 tsp salt
Black pepper1 tsp black pepper
Yellow mustard2 tbsp yellow mustard

pepper bbq sauce

Vegetable oil1 tbsp vegetable oil
White onion1 small yellow onion, chopped
Bell pepper1 red bell pepper, chopped
Yellow mustard1 tbsp yellow mustard
Ketchup2 tbsp ketchup
BBQ sauce1/2 cup barbecue sauce
Paprika1/2 tsp paprika
Salt1/2 tsp salt

glaze

BBQ sauce1/2 cup barbecue sauce
Brown sugar2 tbsp brown sugar or honey
Honey2 tbsp brown sugar or honey
Cola1/4 cup cola

assembly

Hoagie roll4 long sandwich buns or hoagie rolls, toasted

Recipe

1
Heat the oven to 150C / 300F. Mix 1 tbsp paprika, 2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper. Rub this all over the pork ribs, then coat the ribs with a thin layer of yellow mustard. It sounds weird but the mustard helps the seasoning stick and disappears during cooking.
2
Wrap the ribs loosely in foil and place them on a baking sheet. Cook in the oven at 150C / 300F for about 2 hours 30 minutes. The meat should be very tender and starting to pull back from the bones.
3
While the ribs cook, make the pepper-onion sauce. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook about 5 minutes until soft and lightly golden. Add the bell pepper and cook another 4 minutes until softened.
4
Add 1 tbsp mustard, 2 tbsp ketchup, 3 tbsp BBQ sauce, 1/2 tsp paprika, and 1/2 tsp salt to the pan. Stir and cook for 2 minutes so everything blends. Transfer to a blender and blend until mostly smooth. Set aside.
5
Make the glaze by mixing 1/2 cup BBQ sauce, 2 tbsp brown sugar (or honey), and 1/3 cup cola in a bowl. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the sauce looks glossy.
6
Increase the oven temperature to 200C / 400F. Take the ribs out of the foil and brush them generously with the cola BBQ glaze. Put them back in the oven for 6–7 minutes until the glaze bubbles and gets sticky. Flip, glaze the other side, and cook another 6–7 minutes.
7
Let the ribs rest for 5 minutes so the glaze sets slightly. Then carefully pull the bones out one by one. If the ribs were cooked long enough they should slide out clean, leaving one solid slab of rib meat.
8
Bottom bun, the boneless rib slab, a generous layer of the pepper-onion sauce, and the top bun. Press it down slightly so it fits the bun. No lettuce or extra toppings, the Ribwich is all about the meat and sauce.