Smoky, saucy, and full of comfort, this Baby Back BBQ Spaghetti brings together tender rib pieces, a rich barbecue gravy, and spaghetti tossed with Parmesan. It is bold enough to stand out, but simple enough that somebody at home can really make it.

Ingredients

For the ribs

• 1 rack baby back ribs, cut into individual pieces
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
• 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons Uncle Dibbz Memphis Bussin BBQ Rub

For the sauce

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 3/4 cup apple juice, plus more as needed
• 19.4 ounces BBQ sauce total
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
• 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Uncle Dibbz Delta Dust

For the pasta

• 1/2 pound spaghetti
• Reserved pasta water, as needed
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for finishing

For finishing

• Chopped parsley, optional
• Extra Parmesan, optional

Instructions

1. Season the ribs: Place the rib pieces in a large bowl. Add the yellow mustard and Memphis Bussin BBQ Rub. Use your hands to massage the seasoning into the ribs until fully coated.
2. Sear the ribs: Heat a large Dutch oven over medium to medium high heat and add the oil. Sear the rib pieces until browned on the outside. You do not need a hard crust on every side. Just get good color. Remove the ribs and set aside.
3. Build the base: Lower the heat to medium and add the butter. Add the sliced onion and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until softened and lightly golden, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot as it cooks. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
4. Make the braising sauce: Add the chicken broth, 3/4 cup apple juice, Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, black pepper, and Delta Dust. Add part of the BBQ sauce and stir well. Return the ribs to the pot.
5. Braise: Cover and cook in a 325 degree oven for 2 hours, or until the ribs are tender.
6. Adjust the sauce: Remove the ribs from the pot. If the sauce has reduced too much, add more BBQ sauce and a little more apple juice until it loosens up and reaches the texture you want. Let it simmer on the stove until it becomes a rich, glossy barbecue gravy. In total, this version used about 19.4 ounces of BBQ sauce.
7. Cook the spaghetti: Boil the spaghetti in salted water until just past al dente. Before draining, save a little pasta water in case you need to loosen the sauce later.
8. Toss the pasta: Add the cooked spaghetti straight into the sauce. Add the Parmesan and toss everything together in the pot until the pasta is coated and glossy. Use a splash of pasta water only if needed.
9. Plate and finish: Transfer the spaghetti to your serving bowl. Top with the ribs. Finish with more Parmesan and chopped parsley if you want.

Recipe Notes

• Cutting the ribs into individual pieces makes them easier to season, sear, and eat.
• This recipe uses about 19.4 ounces of BBQ sauce total, along with a little extra apple juice to loosen the sauce after braising.
• Half a pound of spaghetti is the right amount for the finished sauce. A full pound would be too much.
• Adding Parmesan directly into the pot helps the sauce cling to the pasta and gives the dish more body.
• For an extra flavor move, you can return the ribs to the sauce for a moment after removing the pasta so they soak up even more of that barbecue gravy before plating.