Blog - Cooking On The Ranch

Oven Ribs With Beer Mustard Sauce

February 20, 2017 By Lea Ann Brown 30 Comments

You don’t need to be a pit master to make great ribs. These tender oven ribs With Beer Mustard Sauce are roasted low and slow to create a fall off the bone experience. A simple rub of fajita seasoning and brown sugar and you’ve got a mouthwatering oven rib recipe.

Serve oven ribs with this incredibly delicious Tortelline Pasta Salad, or Pea Salad with Eggs, or even a simple fresh tossed salad dressed with Sweet Red Wine Vinegar Dressing.

Beef spare ribs cooked in the oven on a sheet pan.

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

If you’re intimidated by cooking a large rack of ribs, this recipe will be of interest to you. After all, ribs have the reputation of being a product of expert, smoker savvy, trophy winning Southeastern barbecue gurus with secret rubs and trademarked mops.

That’s how I felt until this recipe from Yoder Meats, a specialty meat purveyor near my hometown in Kansas, included this recipe for oven ribs in their weekly newsletter.

I’ve used this recipe many times and haven’t looked back. This Classic American Comfort food, gets a kick of flare with Southwestern Fajita Seasoning.

Aside from wrestling sheets of foil the size of bed sheets, this is a no-fuss recipe.

You’ll find a flavorful rub of fajita seasoning and brown sugar which is applied the day before cooking. Refrigerating overnight enhances the overall end flavor.

The result should be everything you’d expect out of a rib. Fall off the bone tender, a crispy crunchy edge here and there, and a flavor that you’d e proud to serve to any expert rib grilling friends.

Oven ribs are cooked low and slow in the oven to insure a the meat becomes tender. And most of the recipe is hands-off.

The ribs are cooked sealed in foil which will leave the meat tender, but a bit flabby. To finish the recipe, you’ll use the oven broiler to crisp things up.

Let’s take a look.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Pork Ribs: I’ve used baby back, or spare ribs for this recipe and both work fine, with no time adjustments needed.
For The Oven Ribs Rub: Fajita seasoning gives these oven ribs a wonderfully unique flavor, combined with paprika and brown sugar.
For The Beer Mustard Sauce: We’ve always called these beer ribs, because of the cup of beer included in the sauce. You’ll need beer (any brand), honey, brown mustard, Worcestershire Sauce and garlic.

How To Cook Ribs In The Oven … It’s Easy.

Two racks of ribs on a sheet pan with fajita brown sugar rub.

Step 1: Mix the brown sugar, fajita seasoning, and paprika in a bowl.
Step 2: Remove the thin membrane covering the back of the ribs. Rub both sides of the spare ribs with the brown sugar mixture and place the ribs on an 11 x 14 sheet pan. Cover the sheet pan tightly with heavy duty foil and refrigerate overnight and until ready to cook the next day.

Step 3: Whisk together the beer, garlic, honey, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard in a bowl.
Step 4: Lay one rib rack on a sheet of heavy duty large foil. Pour half of the beer mustard sauce over each packet of ribs.

A rack of ribs wrapped in foil ready to bake in the oven.

Two racks of ribs wrapped in foil and on a sheet pan ready to bake.

Step 5: Fold the foil over the ribs and seal. Tear off 2 more sheets of foil and place them on top of the ribs, shiny-side up.
Step 6: Begin tightly folding the edges of the foil together to create a sealed packet. Bake low and slow in a 250 degree oven for 3 ½ – 4 hours, or until ribs are tender.

Step 7: Empty the drippings from one of the packets into a saucepan. Simmer the drippings over medium-high heat until the sauce begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Brush the thickened sauce over the ribs. Preheat the oven’s broiler and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source.Place the ribs back into the oven, meaty side up, and broil until the sauce is lightly caramelized, 5 to 7 minutes. Watch them close so they don’t burn.

Questions You May Have

Spare Ribs vs. Baby Back Ribs, What’s the Difference?

Spare ribs and baby back ribs are really just two pieces of the same slab of meat. Baby back ribs are cut from the top of the rib cage, near the backbone. Spareribs are cut from the bottom of the rib cage, and sometimes include the brisket, which is a bony piece of meat that hangs from the bottom. The farther down the rib cage you go, the meatier the ribs get. That is essentially why spareribs take longer to cook. Either cut will work for this oven ribs recipe.

Can I Half This Recipe?

This oven rib recipe is scaled to cook two racks of ribs. It’s very easy to half the ingredients to cook only one rack of ribs with no adjustments to the cooking time or method.

Tips For Success

Remove the membrane: Turn the ribs meat side down on a large cutting board. Locate the membrane that covers the back side of the meat. Use a knife to gently slide under the membrane, either at the long end or in the middle. Then pull the membrane away from the rack with your fingers. If you find the membrane impossibly slippery, use a paper towel or clean kitchen towel to help those fingers. If you purchase ribs from a reputable meat counter, this may have already been trimmed. If you purchase ribs packaged like pictured above, you’ll need to remove it yourself. I like this article from Weber Grills for step by step instructions.
Don’t over-cook the ribs. You an over-cook them and they’ll be too tender, and will fall apart to easily to serve properly.
Purchase Quality Meat: Not always, but many times I’ve found those packets of ribs at the grocery store to be greasy. If your budget allows, purchase good quality ribs from a reputable butcher.

Storing Baked Ribs

Baked ribs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days. Just wrap them in foil. To re-heat the ribs, heat oven to 250 degrees. Place the ribs, wrapped in foil, and reheat for 20 – 30 minutes. You can double the ribs in foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Just let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

Recipe for Oven Ribs

More Classic American Comfort Food Rib Recipes

In a rib tickling mood? Take a look at this easy recipe where ribs are boiled then grilled Campfire Ribs, Country Style Ribs

If you’re looking to cook ribs in the crockpot, take a look at my recipe for Slow Cooker Country Style Ribs. With potatoes and sauerkraut this is a popular comfort food recipe.

And for a more Mexican Southwestern recipe, take a look at this one for Oven Tender Braised Mexican Short Ribs.

And if you’re looking for more pork entree recipes, don’t miss my Main Dishes Pork category. You’ll find lots of delicious ideas. Including one of the most popular pork recipes on my site, Best Grilled Pork Tenderloin. Give it a try.

Pork tenderloin is one of America’s favorite choice for an easy and delicious pork dinner. Take a look at my recipe for Oven Baked Pork Tenderloin. It’s a “how to” and a tasty recipe all in one post.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Sheet Pan Oven Spare Ribs with mustard beer sauce.

Print Recipe

5 from 7 votes

Oven Ribs with Beer Mustard Sauce

An overnight soak in a flavorful rub, a slow cook in the oven and you've got oven ribs to be proud of.

Prep Time30

Cook Time4

Total Time4 30

Course: Main Course Pork

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 1024kcal

Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

2 racks Pork spare ribs
1 cup Brown sugar
½ cup Fajita seasoning
2 Tablespoons Hungarian sweet paprika
1 cup Beer
3-8 cloves Garlic minced (measure garlic with your heart)
2 Tablespoon Honey
3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 Tablespoon Brown mustard

Instructions

Mix the brown sugar, fajita seasoning, and paprika in a bowl.
Rub both sides of the spare ribs with the brown sugar mixture.
Place the spareribs on an 11 x 14 sheet pan. Cover the sheet pan tightly with heavy duty foil and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat an oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
Whisk together the beer, garlic, honey, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard in a bowl. Set aside.
Tear off 2 large sheets of heavy duty aluminum foil. Lay one sheet shiny-side down on a large sheet pan. Place one rack of spare ribs on a heet, meaty-side up.
Curl up the edges of the foil to create a bowl. Then repeat for the 2nd rack of ribs.
Divide the beer mixture evenly into each packet. Fold foil over the ribs to cover.
Tear off 2 more sheets of foil and place them on top of the ribs, shiny-side up.
Begin tightly folding the edges of the foil together to create a sealed packet. The two packets of ribs will fit nicely one one 11 x 14 sheet pan.
Bake until the ribs are tender, 3.5 to 4 hours. Don't cook them longer, as they will literally fall apart. I check them at the 3 hour mark. The meat is ready to come out of the oven when pierced with a fork you feel no resistance. Set ribs aside, removing and discarding the aluminum foil.
Carefully open one packet, and drain the drippings into a saucepan. Skim as much fat off the top as you can. Simmer the drippings over medium-high heat until the sauce begins to thicken, about 5 minutes.
place the ribs back onto the sheet pan. You can add a new sheet of aluminum foil or parchment paper for easy cleanup. Brush the thickened sauce over the ribs.
If you don't want to use the sauce from the cooked meat, and want a stickier rib, you can slather the ribs with your favorite bbq sauce.
Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source.
Broil until the sauce is lightly caramelized, 5 to 7 minutes. Watch them close so they don't burn.

Notes

Tips For Success

Remove the membrane: Turn the ribs meat side down on a large cutting board. Locate the membrane that covers the back side of the meat. Use a knife to gently slide under the membrane, either at the long end or in the middle. Then pull the membrane away from the rack with your fingers. If you find the membrane impossibly slippery, use a paper towel or clean kitchen towel to help those fingers. If you purchase ribs from a reputable meat counter, this may have already been trimmed. If you purchase ribs packaged like pictured above, you’ll need to remove it yourself. I like this article from Weber Grills for step by step instructions.

Don’t over-cook the ribs. You an over-cook them and they’ll be too tender, and will fall apart to easily to serve properly.

Purchase Quality Meat: Not always, but many times I’ve found those packets of ribs at the grocery store to be greasy. If your budget allows, purchase good quality ribs from a reputable butcher.

Nutrition

Oven Ribs … It’s What’s For Dinner

Mexican Pot Roast with Guajillo Chile Sauce (Carne Guisada)

February 11, 2017 By Lea Ann Brown 16 Comments

Deep, rich, and smoky-Mexican Pot Roast with Guajillo Chile Sauce (Carne Guisada) is comfort food with bold attitude. This Southwestern style Mexican dish is simple where pot roast is simmered slowly in a rich blend of guajillo chiles, garlic, and warm New Mexico red chile powder. It's a dish that brings the soul of Mexican home cooking straight to your table.

Mexican pot roast on corn tortillas garnished with radishes and limes.

What Is Carne Guisada?

Carne guisada is a traditional Mexican or Southwestern dish that translates to "stewed meat." It typically features chunks of pot roast beef simmered slowly in a richly seasoned gravy or sauce until tender. The flavors vary by region, but the base often includes ingredients like onions, garlic, tomatoes, chile peppers, and warm spices such as cumin, garlic and Mexican oregano.

In this Southwestern Mexican-style carne guisada, the sauce is deepened with dried red chiles like guajillo or ancho for a smoky, earthy flavor. In Tex-Mex versions, it might lean toward a brown gravy with milder spices. It's usually served with rice, beans, or warm tortillas.

Why Guajillo Chile’s Elevate This Recipe

A Mexican cuisine staple, the guajillo pepper has gained popularity in my kitchen over the years. This sweet and smoky pepper, the "Holy Trinity" of Mexican chilies can be used for a variety of sauces in Mexican cuisine such as moles, marinades, soups and stews. And commonly used in Mexican Red Sauces, They are dried Mirasol Chile Peppers and are easily found on the Mexican Aisle at the supermarket sold in clear plastic bags.

For this Carne Guisada recipe, we’ll toast the guajillo peppers to add a sweet, smoky, fruity and spicy flavored sauce for this Mexican pot roast. Let’s take a look.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Chuck Roast: You’ll be choosing a boneless shoulder roast, which is commonly labeled as a chuck roast.
Dried Chile Peppers, such as Guajillo.
Poblano Peppers: I like poblano peppers for a Mexican Pot Roast. They’re mildly spicy and earthy, rich, mildly sweet flavor. And when roasted they take on a smoky flavor to compliment.
Canned tomatoes: If you can find them, choose Cento San Marzano. They are packed in a rich tomato sauce which will enhance the flavor of this recipe.
Tomato Paste: see below.
Cinnamon and Mexican Oregano: Cinnamon is commonly used in Mexican cuisine. It’s used in sweet and savory dishes, adding depth and complexity. Mexican Oregano is robust in flavor and brings a more earthy flavor than Mediterranean oregano.

Chef’s Secret: Tomato paste is an MVP in the kitchen. The long cooking time used to make tomato paste gives it a concentrated sweet rich flavor. Just a dollop can add a subtle burst of robust flavor and body into just about any soup or tomato based pasta sauce. Add tomato paste at the beginning of the cooking process to add another layer of flavor. It’s a brilliant little trick.

Step by Step Instructions, How To Make Mexican Pot Roast

Mexican Pot Roast Step 1: toasting dried chile peppers.

Roasted Poblano Peppers for Mexican Pot Roast, Step 2.

Step 1: Prepare The Dried Chile Peppers: Important: Proper way to toast and soak chile peppers: We’ll start by toasting the dried chile peppers. Use a dry non-stick skillet and toast them for about 3-4 minutes per side over medium high heat. Once toasted, add 1 ½ cups water to the pan and sit a salad plate on top to help immerse the peppers in water. Let soak for 20 minutes.

Step 2: Prepare The Poblano Peppers. You’ll need to roast the poblano peppers. I prefer the open flame method over a gas stove, as you have more control in blistering the nooks and crannies. One darkened and blistered, place them in an unclosed zip log bag until nice and steamed. About 10 minutes. Take a look at my recipe for Mexican Baked Eggs for a video of roasting poblano peppers stovetop.

Chopped roasted poblano peppers, Mexican pot roast step 3.

Step 4: Browning chuck roast to make Mexican Pot Roast.

Step 3: Once the poblano peppers have steamed, chop off the top stem and using your hands slide off most of the skin. Rough chop and set aside.

Step 4: Prepare the chuck roast: Cut the chuck roast into large chunks. Heat neutral oil in a large skillet and brown about 5 – 6 minutes per side.

Pro Tip: Don't skip searing the meat. This is a crucial step in getting the most flavor out of this meal. Searing creates what is technically called Maillard reaction. Maillard reaction is the process where a crust is created. Simply stated, it's responsible for the complex flavors and aroma that makes bread taste toasty, and a grilled or seared burger taste charred. It's a technique that brings science to your cooking skills.

Placing pot roast into a Dutch oven to make Mexican Pot Roast - Step 5.

Chile peppers in a food processor to make sauce for Mexican Pot Roast, Step 6.

Step 5: Remove beef and place in the bottom of a Dutch oven. Use ½ cup or chicken broth or white white to deglaze the skillet. Add that liquid to the Dutch Oven. It’s full of wonderful flavor.

Step 6: Make the sauce: When the chiles are soaked, cut the tops off the chiles and remove seeds. I just knock them against the sink so the seeds spill out. Place the soaking water and the chiles in a food processor.

Grinding chile peppers in a food processor to make sauce for Mexican Pot Roast, Step 7.

Finishing the sauce to make Mexican Pot Roast step 8.

Step 7: Grind the peppers until chunky blended.

Step 8: Finish the Guajillo Chile Sauce: Add garlic cloves, oregano, cinnamon, cumin and tomato paste and and blend. You should have a thick red sauce that resembles the thickness of catsup. If the mixture is too thick, add a little water.

Chuck roast covered with Sauce to make Mexican Pot Roast.

Adding poblano peppers and tomatoes to pot roast to make Mexican Pot Roast.

Step 9: Spoon the Guajillo Chile Sauce over the chuck roast in the Dutch oven.

Step 10: Add the undrained tomatoes and the chopped poblanos on top. Cover and cook for 3 hours or until beef is fall apart tender.

Serving Suggestions

Now that you got a pot full of this luscious Carne Guisada, here are some tips on how to serve it.

Place a couple of spoonfuls of the Mexican Pot Roast on warmed or toasted corn tortillas.
Garnish simply with some thin sliced radishes. Sliced radishes are commonly used as a garnish on Mexican food dishes such as enchiladas or posole. They are visually striking and offer a bright, fresh and slightly bitter contrast to the richness of any Mexican sauce.
Offer a wedge of fresh lime. A squeeze of fresh lime juice will brighten flavors of any Mexican entree.
Make it a meal by serving it with a bean side dish like these smoky Bolita Beans spiked with red wine and jalapeno peppers. Or try this Toasted Mexican Green Rice.
Shred the meat and use as a filling for tacos, burritos or even enchiladas.

Mexican Pot Roast Recipe. Easy beef roast dinner idea with a Mexican flair.

Storage and Reheating Tips

Refrigeration: Store in an air-tight container for up to 5 days.
Freeze: Freeze portions in a freezer safe container for up to three months. I like to use zip-lock style bags. Squeeze the air out, seal and you can store them flat to maximize freezer space. And don’t forget to label with name and date.
Reheating: When using the microwave, the 50% power feature is your best friend. Reheat individual servings in 30-second increments. The lower power will keep the beef nice and tender. You can also reheat on low stovetop in a shallow skillet or saucepan.

Variations

Protein Swaps: Use a boneless pork shoulder roast, or even boneless skinless chicken thighs. If using pork, cooking times will not need to be adjusted. If using chicken, cook on lower heat for 1.5 hours.
Spice Level Adjustments: Want to make it spicier? Use a spicier dried pepper such as a Puya or Chile de Arbol. You can also add some spicy ground chile powder, like Chimayo Chile Powder, or even Ground. Cayenne Pepper. Want to tone down the heat? Use dried Ancho Peppers or Dried Anaheim.

Tips For Success

Don’t over toast the dried chile peppers. Burning them will result in a bitter taste.
Don't skip searing the meat. This is a crucial step in getting the most flavor out of this meal.
Don’t skip adjusting seasoning. Taste and add salt if the sauce is too over powering. You’d be surprised how a little bit of salt can correct strong pungent flavors.
Try to find poblano peppers that are rounder and full. The wrinkled ones with their nooks and crannies will be more of a challenge to roast.

Make Ahead

What Can I Do The Day Before?

Roasting the poblano peppers is a time consuming task. If you roast them the day before, chop and store in the refrigerator, you can save about 20 minutes the day of cooking.
Prepare the sauce: Prepare the sauce a day ahead of time. Store in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, you can sear the meat and start cooking.

FAQ’s

Can I Make Mexican Pot Roast In A Slow Cooker?

Yes. After searing the meat and preparing the sauce, combine all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low 6 – 8 hours. Or until meat is fall apart tender.

How Can I Thicken The Sauce If It’s Too Runny?

Simmer uncovered to reduce the sauce, or add a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water).

What If I Can’t Find Dried Guajillo Chiles?

Dried guajillo chiles should be the most common dried chili you can find on the Mexican aisle at the supermarket. But if you can’t find them, substitute dried Ancho chiles. The heat level will decrease and the flavor profile will slightly change.

More Mexican Recipes Using Chuck Roast

And don’t miss my Mexican Food Category. You’ll find lots of ways to spice up your meal plans, including the most popular Mexican beef recipe for this Mexican Casserole with Ground Beef and Corn Tortillas.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Mexican pot roast served over corn tortillas and garnished with sliced radishes and a wedge of lime.

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Mexican Pot Roast with Guajillo Chile Sauce (Carne Guisada)

This Mexican Pot Roast Recipe is easy and full of earthy flavors. Your family will love this “just right spicy” version. Take that Sunday Pot Roast South of The Border.

Prep Time40

Cook Time3

Total Time3 40

Course: Main Course Beef

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings:

Calories: 455kcal

Author: Lea Ann Brown