Lamb Ribs with Sticky BBQ Glaze

Allow about 20 minutes to measure the ingredients, grate the garlic, inspect the ribs and prepare the tray. Heat the oven to 160°C conventional (140°C fan). Use a deep roasting tin about 30 x 20cm and at least 5cm deep, with a low oven-safe rack and a close-fitting lid or foil. Check that the actual ribs fit in one layer without overlapping and that the cover can seal. If not, use a suitably larger deep tin or two covered tins and divide the listed water between them, adding extra hot water only as needed to maintain a shallow layer. Do not try to cut through bones at home. Start with fully thawed chilled ribs and follow the pack instructions and use-by date; do not leave them out to warm to room temperature. Mix the salt, pepper, smoked paprika and cumin. Trim only loose excess surface fat, leaving the pieces intact. Pat the ribs dry with kitchen paper, coat with all the oil, then rub on all the spice mixture. Keep raw meat away from the glaze ingredients, wash hands and clean utensils and surfaces. Preparation and initial oven heating overlap; wait longer if the oven is not ready.

With clean utensils, put all the ketchup, brown sugar, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and grated garlic into a small saucepan. Warm over low heat for about 4 minutes, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened; do not boil it hard or let it catch. Make the glaze before starting the covered oven cook. Divide the glaze equally between two clean bowls for the two oven coats. Keep both bowls and a clean brush away from raw-meat utensils. There is no reserved table sauce.

Put the ribs on the low rack in a single layer, meatier side up where possible. Pour the 200ml water beneath them and cover tightly. Roast for 120 minutes. Briefly check the shallow liquid layer every 30 minutes during this stage and any extended cooking, carefully lifting the cover away from your face; add extra hot water only if needed and reseal promptly. The checks occur within the covered cooking, not as extra waiting stages. Test several of the meatier pieces with a clean fork: the meat should yield readily and begin to loosen from the bones. If firm, continue covered; allow up to 30 additional minutes as a planning allowance, and longer if needed. Do not start glazing firm ribs: more time at the gentle covered heat, not fierce finishing heat, is what tenderises them. The rack keeps the ribs above much of the rendered fat; discard the tray liquid and fat safely rather than adding them to the glaze.

Once the ribs are tender, lift them with clean tongs onto a clean oven-safe rack in a clean roasting tin; do not reuse raw-meat plates. Increase the oven to 220°C conventional (200°C fan). Allow about 10 minutes for transferring the ribs and for the oven to reach temperature; allow longer if it is not ready. Brush the ribs with the first bowl of glaze, including exposed sides. Roast uncovered for 7 minutes, then brush with the second bowl and roast for a further 8 minutes, about 15 minutes in total, until glossy, sticky and browned at the edges. Watch closely and remove sooner if the sugar starts to scorch, provided the cooking safety endpoint is met. During this final cooking, use a clean food thermometer to check the thickest meat on several pieces, avoiding bone: maintain at least 70°C for 2 minutes. Clean the probe after each use, including between pieces, according to its instructions. Count that hold within the finishing stage only if actually maintained; otherwise extend cooking to achieve it, covering loosely if necessary to protect the glaze. Tenderness is a texture cue, not a food-safety measurement. Discard any glaze remaining in the brushing bowls; do not brush it on after cooking.

Transfer the cooked ribs to a clean serving plate and rest for 10 minutes, loosely covered, before serving. Divide into three portions, judging by the actual amount of meat rather than a fixed rib count. Serve with substantial baked potatoes and vinegar-dressed cabbage and carrot slaw. Accompaniment ingredients and preparation are separate from this recipe and its timings. Set aside any portions intended for storage as soon as cooking finishes; do not wait until the meal ends to start cooling them.

Keep raw ribs sealed on the bottom shelf of a fridge at 0–5°C, or at any stricter temperature specified on the pack, and follow its use-by and opening instructions. Keep preparation time out of the fridge short. If frozen, defrost fully in the fridge in a container to catch drips and use within 24 hours of fully thawing, or sooner if the label requires. Wash hands and clean utensils and surfaces after raw meat; never use raw-contact sauce as a finishing sauce. As soon as cooking finishes, place any portions reserved for storage in small shallow containers, cool quickly and refrigerate within 1–2 hours of finishing cooking. This window does not start after the meal. Keep cooked leftovers at 0–5°C and eat within 48 hours or freeze. Defrost cooked ribs in the fridge and use within 24 hours of fully thawing. Reheat only once until steaming hot throughout; turning portions helps them heat evenly. Protect the sugary coating from scorching while the centre reheats; do not treat a browned glaze as proof of a hot centre. Worcestershire sauce commonly contains fish; check its current label and the ketchup, spices and accompaniments for all allergens. No gluten-free or allergen-free claim is made.