Juicy BBQ Pork Ribs with Spiced Sweet Potato Wedges
Nutritional Info
- Calories:
- 472
- Carbohydrates:
- 46 grams
- Fiber:
- 6 grams
- Protein:
- 26 grams
- Fat:
- 20 grams
Note: These values represent one serving of four.
One of Coach Tanysha Renee’s favorite comfort food meals is BBQ pork ribs and candied yams. While flavorful and satisfying, this meal can easily rack up a lot of added sugar, between the BBQ sauce (which often include high-fructose corn syrup and preservatives among the top ingredients) and the sugary candied yams. For a special occasion? Of course. But it’s nice to have a version you can enjoy more often while supporting your training goals.
Here, we’ve created an alternative: BBQ Pork Ribs with Spiced Sweet Potato Wedges featuring a lower-sugar homemade BBQ sauce made with real ingredients, and swapping out candied yams for tender, spiced sweet potatoes.
Sweet potatoes are a nutritional powerhouse, chock full of complex carbohydrates, fiber, potassium, antioxidants, and beta carotene, which supports your immune system. It’s worth making an extra batch that you can store in the fridge and reheat as a snack or side dish for meals throughout the week.
And we know what you’re thinking about this meal: “A four-hour cook time? No thanks.” But keep in mind that you’re only really doing about 20 minutes of active work. The ribs benefit from low and slow cooking to get that fall-off-the-bone tenderness. So plan ahead and let your oven do its thing while you get your workout and other tasks done. You’ll get 26 grams of protein, a good dose of iron, and vitamin B.
Grab your napkin and get ready for a meal that’s fingerlickin’ good and good for you.
BBQ Pork Ribs with Spiced Sweet Potato Wedges Recipe
- Serving
- 4
- Prep Time
- 20 min
- Cook Time
- 4 hours
Ingredients
Ribs
- 1 rack baby back ribs (about 2 1/2 pounds)
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
Sweet Potato Wedges
- 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 2 medium)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Lower Sugar BBQ Sauce
- 1 (6-ounce can) tomato paste
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup water
- 3 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
- 1 tablespoon honey mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke
Directions
Bake the ribs:
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
Remove the membrane on the ribs, if the butcher has not done it already. To do so, place the ribs bone-side up on a cutting board and use the point of a paring knife to separate the membrane from the ribs. Pull gently on the membrane to peel it off.
Tear off a piece of foil twice as long as the rack of ribs and place the ribs in the center.
Season the ribs on all sides with salt and pepper and pour 1/4 cup of water onto the foil.
Fold the foil over and around the ribs to make a pouch, pinching the edges to seal. Place the foil pouch on a large sheet pan.
Bake for about 3 to 3 1/2 hours, until the meat is tender. To check, open the foil pouch carefully (as steam and liquid may escape) and gently jiggle one of the center bones. The meat should start pulling away from the bone with no resistance.
Let the ribs rest out of the oven in the pouch for 30-45 minutes while you make the sweet potatoes and BBQ sauce.
Make the sweet potatoes:
Increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone liner.
Quarter the sweet potatoes, then slice into wedges approximately 1 inch thick.
Toss the wedges with the olive oil, salt, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, and pepper, and then spread in a single layer on the sheet pan.
Roast for 15 minutes, then toss gently and continue to cook for 15-20 minutes more, until the wedges are starting to brown and caramelize.
Make the BBQ sauce and finish the ribs:
Whisk the tomato paste, vinegar, water, molasses, honey mustard, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and liquid smoke together in a small (1-quart) saucepan.
Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
After the ribs have rested for 30-45 minutes, open the foil entirely so the ribs are exposed.
Baste the ribs generously on all sides with the BBQ sauce.
Broil meat side-up until the sauce begins to bubble, about 2-4 minutes. Timing will vary based on your broiler equipment.
Serve with the sweet potato wedges and remaining BBQ sauce.
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