These low carb barbecue ribs are so tender, they practically fall apart in your mouth. And a little sugar-free Chipotle Whiskey Barbecue sauce makes them out of this world!
I have been remiss in never sharing a low carb rib recipe here on All Day I Dream About Food. Especially when I have such a delicious recipe that I use over and over and over, every time I cook ribs. I mean, these are the definitive fall-off-the-bone ribs, where you go to take a bite and find that you’re only holding the bone in your hand, because all the meat fell back onto your plate. The secret is the slow braising in the oven, which loosens all the tough, fibrous membranes and makes the meat unbelievably tender. You only grill or broil the ribs for a paltry few minutes. It’s a recipe my husband and I developed over several years, and really it’s an amalgamation of ideas from several sources, including the now defunct Gourmet Magazine as well as a dry rub adapted from Steve Raichlan. And now I’ve added my own special touch with a low carb sugar-free barbecue sauce I developed for Swerve Sweetener.
I tend to like less saucy ribs and I hate when I go to restaurants and the ribs are drowned in a sugary-sweet condiment, so thick you have to scrape off several inches just to find the meat. Good ribs shouldn’t need all that dressing up. And good barbecue sauce should be tangy and spicy, with some sweetness but not so sweet you feel like you are licking a bbq flavoured lollipop. There’s a happy balance somewhere in there and I was trying to find it. I think I did, with this sauce. It’s quite spicy on its own, but it doesn’t burn your mouth off when you’ve brushed it over the meat. It’s also great on chicken and other meats and makes great pulled pork. And you can leave out the whiskey, if you are so inclined.
If you only want the sauce recipe, check out Chipotle Whiskey Barbecue Sauce on Swerve Sweetener. If you want the whole rib recipe, keep on reading!
BBQ Sauce Nutritional Analysis: Serves about 12 (2 tbsp per serving). Each serving has 3.16 g of carbs and 0.76 g of fiber. Total NET CARBS = 2.4 g.
Food energy: 29kcal; Saturated fatty acids: 0.02g Total fat: 0.10g; Calories from fat: 0; Cholesterol: 0 Carbohydrate: 3.16g; Total dietary fiber: 0.76g; Protein: 0.64g; Sodium: 258mg
These low carb ribs are so tender, they practically fall off the bone. And a little sugar-free Chipotle Whiskey Barbecue sauce makes them out of this world!
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/8 to 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper depending on how hot you like it
- 1 rack pork spare ribs
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup Low Carb Chipotle Whiskey Barbecue Sauce
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- For the dry rub, mix kosher salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, pepper and cayenne together in a small bowl.
- Rub all over both sides of ribs. Lay ribs in a large roasting pan (cut in half if you need to, to make them fit). Add water and cover tightly in tinfoil.
- Bake 1 & 1/2 hours, until meat is very tender.
- Preheat grill or broiler. Brush ribs with sugar-free barbecue sauce and grill or broil 6 to 8 minutes, watching carefully so that they don't burn.
Ribs with BBQ Sauce (6 servings): 5g of carbs and 1.55 g of fiber. Total NET CARBS = 3.45 g.
Diamondd says
June 11, 2014 at 7:01 amI am trying to get my son on a LC diet and just this morning, he asked if he could have barbque sauce and I told him no because I know that he would not know how to make some of the LC recipes. With what you have provided, there is no way that he could go wrong. I don’t have ribs today but I am going to make the sauce tonight for grilled chicken. I will come back to let you know because I hate seeing the comment that I am going to make but with no follow-up to share the experience IMO. I am sending this to him ASAP. As always, thank you so much for sharing.
Carolyn says
June 11, 2014 at 7:39 amDefinitely come back and let me know! This sauce is pretty spicy on its own and I thought it was going to be too spicy. Then once it was brushed over the meat, it was perfect! I also used it in pulled pork and it was delicious.
Diamondd says
June 13, 2014 at 10:17 amCarolyn,
YUM!! These were so good and very tender. I have always cooked my ribs on 275-300 for at least 2 1/2 hours. I was a little scared thinking they would turn out tough but they were not. Sauce was a tiny bit sweet but I believe because I used Xylitol vs. Swerve and Xylitol tends to be VERY sweet – overall the sauce was tasty and not too spicy. This is a keeper. I did make an extra jar of sauce to keep in the fridge and will probably use again this weekend 🙂
Carolyn says
June 13, 2014 at 12:00 pmGlad you liked it! I got the baking at 425F with water in the bottom from an old recipe in Gourmet magazine and I will never do it any other way!
Lin says
June 11, 2014 at 7:06 amYou may mean that they are to be cooked at 225 for 8 1/2 hours, not 425. Am I correct? I sauce sounds great and I will make it.
Lin says
June 11, 2014 at 7:08 amSorry..I misread the recipe! It was too early in the morning when I first saw it!
Carolyn says
June 11, 2014 at 7:40 amI was a little confused by that!
Becca from ItsYummi! says
June 11, 2014 at 8:47 amYou sure do know how to make a girl drool in the morning. YUM!
Jenny says
June 15, 2014 at 6:57 amYum-yum !!! I start a LCD and your site helps me a lot. Keep up the good work !!!
Do the ribs touch the water ? Or I have to use the ruck ?
Thank you !!
Carolyn says
June 15, 2014 at 7:43 amThe ribs touch the water, no need for a rack.
Sherrie Lee says
July 7, 2014 at 3:26 amHi Carolyn!
The weather is really hot but I want to make this. Finishing on the grill is fine, but I’d really like to avoid heating up the house for the oven part. Do you think a slow cooker will work? I realize they would take much longer, I’m just hoping for the best of both worlds without compromising your fantastic results.
Thank you,
Sherrie
Carolyn says
July 7, 2014 at 5:31 amYou can certainly try it! I think it’s the same idea.
Dani says
January 8, 2015 at 9:15 amA little late, but I will say yes, cooking in the slow cooker works. I made some last night. Some use ½ cup beer or water, but I did mine in a home made BBQ sauce and they were so incredibly tender. Only took 3 ½ hours. :-p
Sherrie Lee says
January 8, 2015 at 4:53 pmThanks Dani!
Jan says
July 8, 2014 at 6:15 pmI have rarely attempted ribs because the results were not great, but after seeing this recipe and finding them for half price over the holiday weekend, I decided to give them another try. The recipe was super easy and will definitely be my go-to method in the future. Ribs turned out very tender. The one bit of advice I would offer is not to err so much on choosing the leanest rack of ribs on the grocery shelf. I think a little higher ratio of fat to meat would have made my ribs moister. Perhaps more water in the pan or some bacon strips on top would also be an option if your meat happens to be super lean.
Carolyn says
July 9, 2014 at 5:11 amI always buy the St. Louis spare ribs, as they have the most fat on them. Baby back ribs are far too lean for my taste!
Sharon says
August 31, 2014 at 1:35 pmIs there any recipe for barbecue sauce that does not use any sweetener or whiskey?
Carolyn says
August 31, 2014 at 1:51 pmI don’t have one on here but I created a cherry BBQ sauce for Stemilt: http://stemilt.com/recipes/fruit-recipes/cherries/cherry-glazed-baby-back-ribs/
Janet says
September 2, 2014 at 11:06 amposted a comment on the sauce recipe, because I didn’t make the ribs just the sauce for some pulled pork. OMG it is the best!!
Carolyn says
September 2, 2014 at 12:13 pmI’ve used it for pulled pork too! Delicious.
Heather says
October 6, 2014 at 6:48 pmWow! I just got done eating these and had to tell you how fantastically amazing these ribs were. I omitted the whisky simply because I was too lazy to go to the liquor store and used the higher amounts of cayenne and chipotle pepper in the rub and sauce because I love spicy bbq. This has to be the most perfect blend of spicy heat and sweetness. My fiance is a rib lover and im pretty sure he just ate a whole rack all by himself. This is going to be a staple in our house for the rest of forever.
Carolyn says
October 7, 2014 at 4:10 amYay, love hearing that. I actually make ours more spicy too, but I know not everyone loves that so I try to tone it down a bit for the posted recipe!
Stephanie says
May 3, 2015 at 10:32 pmThis method rocks! I’ve spent years cooking ribs slowing on the grill for 6+ hours. I tried your method and will NEVER make ribs any other way again!
Carolyn says
May 4, 2015 at 8:19 amThanks, Stephanie! It’s really great, isn’t it?
gary says
June 2, 2015 at 12:56 pmI was looking up swerve sweetener and according to the label it has 5 grams of carbs per teaspoon, that’s more than sugar(4.3)What’s up with that?
Carolyn says
June 2, 2015 at 2:50 pmIt’s erythritol, which technically has carbs but they never enter the blood stream and thus don’t engage an insulin response. They are excreted into the urine whole. As someone who tests her blood sugar regularly, I have seen it with my own eyes. http://www.swervesweetener.com/about-swerve/
Stephanie says
August 26, 2015 at 8:42 pmI made this for dinner last night and it was IINCREDIBLE! After being on Keto for nearly a year, it was great to finally enjoy a great, low carb rib option. The sauce tasted very sweet to me, but a little went a long way and complimented the ribs nicely. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Carolyn says
August 26, 2015 at 9:02 pmSo glad you liked it!
Pam Vienneau says
April 26, 2016 at 2:19 pmMade the sauce to use in pulled pork. I have some leftover and plan on using it on a fathead pizza crust to make a barbeque chicken pizza. Yum!
Carolyn says
April 26, 2016 at 2:42 pmGreat idea!
Lynn says
July 3, 2016 at 9:19 pmYum and Delish!!! Made this tonight and I tripled the recipe for 3 racks of ribs (along with the BBQ sauce). Once again–always with your recipes–another awesome keeper! Happy 4th of July!
Carolyn says
July 4, 2016 at 4:41 pmSo glad you like it!
Shell says
July 11, 2016 at 7:13 pmI’ve made this sauce twice since I saw it last week. I have to say it’s probably the best I’ve ever had. The ribs (your recipe) and the grilled chicken thighs were wonderful! My husband said I should make double next time and see if it freezes and I think I’ll give it a shot. Thanks so much for the yummyness!
Carolyn says
July 11, 2016 at 9:44 pmYay, so glad to hear it!
Ranee Stollenwerk says
July 25, 2016 at 7:24 pmMy husband REALLY wanted some BBQ ribs but knew I wouldn’t be able to eat our usual recipe. I told him about your recipe and he thought about it for 3 days but decided today to actually make them. He is a low carb eye roller! He is sure I’m a nut job where all my low carbing is concerned. The ribs turned out AMAZING! Even my doubting husband and picky kids loved them! The only change was we used a crock pot instead if the oven – it was 96 degrees today. I also was out of Swerve so we subbed surkin gold brown sugar. Perfect! We will make these again!! Thank you!
Carolyn says
July 26, 2016 at 7:29 amGlad we won over the eye-rolling husband!
Janice says
July 31, 2016 at 10:11 pmWould this be as good with beef ribs?
Carolyn says
July 31, 2016 at 11:04 pmI haven’t tried beef ribs at home, but they do tend to be tougher than pork ribs. So they can stand to use some braising like this…I think it’s worth a try!
Laura says
September 24, 2016 at 9:55 pmHas anyone ever made extra of the barbecue sauce? How long does it keep in the refrigerator? Has anyone tried canning it or does it need to stay in the fridge?
Sherrie Lee says
September 24, 2016 at 10:14 pmI made a double batch of the sauce and used it on lots of things including dipping hot dogs minus the bun. Tasted great and lasted several months. I didn’t keep track of the time but I ran out long before it could have gone bad in the fridge. Loved it and can’t wait to make more! I might even triple or quadruple the recipe this time and give some to my father -in – law and brother in law, who also loved it!
Andy says
March 16, 2017 at 5:40 pmI’ll be making the sauce and using it highly watered down and cooking the ribs in my mega pressure cooker. If this works out,
i’ll be able to eat ribs twice a week. More if I don’t overdose each feeding.
Thank you so much for the recipe!
todd says
March 31, 2017 at 7:43 pmJust want to confirm that 425 for 1 1/2 hours is correct.
Carolyn says
April 1, 2017 at 8:16 amYup! Just make sure to have plenty of water in the bottom of the pan to braise them.
Reni says
April 7, 2017 at 7:54 pmCan’t wait to make these, bbq ribs are one of my faves! I am practically slobbering. Don’t have any ribs in freezer, but I do have hotdogs…
Reni says
April 7, 2017 at 8:21 pmJust fixed this with HOT DOGS. Not my husband’s fave, but they are quick and I have had a hectic day…I didn’t have any of it as I am on a sort of diet (lost 10 lbs going for 20 more). When I get down to what I feel is right for me, I will be mostly on a low carb diet. I dipped a finger in the sauce, it tasted great – HE hasn’t complained, that’s as good as it gets with hot dogs and HIM. But – I am favoring him with the Raspberry Frozen Yogurt after he is through, can’t wait to see how he likes it. Wish I could have some, but all in good time 🙂
Claudine de Vogel says
April 11, 2017 at 9:35 amHi Carolyn,
I just made this recipe with the sauce and I must say, these are the best ribs ever! We finished them off on our charcoal grill and added some soaked hickory wood chips for added smokiness…
Wonderful flavours and nothing too overpowering, just delicious ribs!
Thank you for all your wonderful work!
Carolyn says
April 11, 2017 at 3:57 pmYay! We love them too!
Carol McRee says
May 25, 2017 at 7:36 pmYUM! I have been looking for a low carb BBQ sauce. Should have guessed you would have a great own. Our recipes are always agnate source of inspiration. I plan on changing it a bit as we prefer Bourbon over Whiskey. Also, I found a slow cooker rib recipe. Hoping for the best!
Carol McRee says
May 25, 2017 at 7:38 pmAArgh. can’t type. I know you have great recipes which are a great source of inspiration. Heres to a great Memorial Day weekend.
Cathy says
July 25, 2017 at 9:18 amI can’t seem to access the BBQ sauce recipe. I tried clicking on both links, and it just takes me to the main page of the Swerve website. I even tried to do a search for the recipe on their site, but nothing came up with that name. Based on the comments above, people were accessing the receipe as recently as two months ago.
Just tried your snickerdoodle skillet cookie….it was wonderful!
Carolyn says
July 25, 2017 at 11:18 amYes, they switched over to https and now they will need to redirect all my links. Hang tight, I am having them fix it!
Ellen K Stehouwer says
September 4, 2017 at 6:17 pmMade these again today for Labor Day lunch. So delicious and so easy!
Jonathan says
June 25, 2018 at 9:07 amDoes confectioner’s vs granular matter for the Swerve in the sauce? I have no idea if it dissolves, but would rather avoid a gritty mouthfeel.
Carolyn says
June 25, 2018 at 10:05 amConfectioner’s works best.
Linda says
April 14, 2019 at 9:16 amI’ve been using swerve brown in the BBQ sauce and it is amazing. No issues with it dissolving. Another great recipe, Carolyn.
Jenny says
December 30, 2018 at 7:15 pmHi Carolyn,
The dry rub in this recipe is different than the one in your cookbook in that this recipe neglects the tablespoon of chili powder. Is that correct?
Thanks!!!—
Jenny