The original recipe for this came from Harrison’s Restaurant, in Grandview (Columbus), Ohio.
Good barbecued spareribs are made in two basic steps: Cooking the ribs and then applying the barbecue sauce.
First, cook the ribs in a large pot with plenty of water. Much of the water will evaporate during the cooking process. Add to the water salt and pepper to taste along with a bay leaf. Ribs should be cooked until tender but do not overcook, or they will fall apart. Test them after about 30 minutes, and keep simmering if they are not tender. When the ribs are done, remove from the pot and place them on a rimmed baking sheet.
When you drain the ribs, save the stock! It’s excellent for making Hot and Sour Soup, or as stock for many other uses.
The second step is to coat the ribs with barbecue sauce. After they have cooled so that they can be handled, either dip each rib in barbecue sauce or brush them with the sauce. Bake them in a 350 F oven for about 30 minutes. When they start to look dry, brush with more sauce. Do not let them dry out.
The following recipe makes enough sauce for 3 pounds of ribs:
2 T butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 C celery, finely chopped
3/4 C water
1 C catsup
2 T vinegar
2 T lemon juice
2 T Worcestershire sauce
2 T brown sugar
1 t dry mustard
1 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 bay leaf
1 t chili powder
Sprig parsley
In a heavy kettle, gently brown the onion, garlic, and celery in the butter. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes.