Blackened Ribs and Caramelized Carrots (made on a sheet pan!)

These blackened ribs are one of those cozy dinners that always feel a little special to me but are surprisingly easy to pull off. Pork back ribs are coated in a bold homemade blackening spice, roasted until tender, then finished with sweet roasted carrots and a drizzle of honey that caramelizes under the broiler.

What I love most about this recipe is how easy it is to make something that tastes this good. The ribs get a simple homemade spice rub that’s smoky, savory, and just a little spicy, and then the oven does most of the work while they slowly roast into perfectly tender ribs.

As the ribs cook, the spices form a flavorful crust on the outside while the meat becomes meltingly soft inside. By the time they’re ready, the bones slide right out, and every bite is packed with rich, smoky flavor.

Near the end of cooking, I add carrots to the sheet pan so they roast in all those incredible pan juices. A drizzle of honey and a quick trip under the broiler caramelizes the ribs and vegetables together, giving everything a glossy, lightly sweet finish that makes the whole pan hard to resist.

What ribs to use?

This recipe calls for a rack of pork back ribs. If you’re not familiar with cooking racks for ribs, you might be wondering about different types and which to choose. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Names: Pork back ribs are also known as baby back ribs, pork loin back ribs, or loin ribs. All these names refer to the same cuts of meat.
• The cut: I like using pork back ribs as they’re meatier than other types, like spare ribs or short ribs. Pork back ribs come from the upper part of the pig’s ribcage.
• What to look for: Clean, trimmed ribs should have a good layer of meat on top. Some ribs will have a thin membrane on the bone side, which you can peel away.
• Where to buy them: You can usually find ribs in the meat section of your grocery store. Otherwise, head to your local butcher.

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Blackened Ribs and Caramelized Carrots (made on a sheet pan!)

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 2 hours hrs

Total: 2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

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These oven-roasted blackened ribs are coated in a smoky homemade spice rub and roasted until fall-off-the-bone tender. Carrots roast alongside the ribs toward the end, soaking up all the flavorful pan juices, and a drizzle of honey finishes everything with a lightly sweet, caramelized glaze.

4

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 rack pork back ribs
• ▢ 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• ▢ ½ teaspoon EACH: onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, black pepper, and sea salt
• ▢ ¼ – ½ teaspoon cayenne powder (depending on how spicy you like it)
• ▢ 2 lb carrots (cut into quarters)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoons honey

Instructions 

• Turn your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the ribs on top.
  1 rack pork back ribs
• In a small bowl, mix the smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, black pepper, sea salt, and cayenne powder.
  2 teaspoons smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon EACH: onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, black pepper, and sea salt, ¼ – ½ teaspoon cayenne powder
• Sprinkle the spices over both sides of the ribs and rub them into the meat. Cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil and put it in your oven for 1 hour and 40 minutes.
• Toss the carrots with the oil and add them to the baking sheet. Return the baking sheet to the oven uncovered for 15 minutes.
  2 lb carrots, 1 teaspoon oil
• Drizzle the honey over the carrots and ribs and broil for 5 minutes.
  2 tablespoons honey

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving = ¼ of the recipe, Calories: 458kcal (23%), Carbohydrates: 32g (11%), Protein: 29g (58%), Fat: 25g (38%), Saturated Fat: 8g (50%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 98mg (33%), Sodium: 282mg (12%), Potassium: 1116mg (32%), Fiber: 7g (29%), Sugar: 20g (22%), Vitamin A: 38464IU (769%), Vitamin C: 14mg (17%), Calcium: 126mg (13%), Iron: 2mg (11%)

© Author Kristen Stevens

We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.

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