Coca-Cola BBQ Ribs

Coca-Cola BBQ Ribs are the perfect dish for anyone who loves that balance of sweet and savoury flavours. There’s nothing quite like the delicious combination of tender ribs and a mouthwatering, sticky sauce. These ribs are cooked slowly to achieve the perfect tenderness, then coated in a tangy, sweet sauce that will have you licking your fingers with every bite. And the best part? The recipe only uses five ingredients, making it incredibly simple to whip up at home.

Table of Contents

• Ingredient Breakdown
• The Secret to Tender Coca-Cola BBQ Ribs
• Achieving the Perfect BBQ Sauce Blend
• Roasting the Ribs: The Final Touch
• The Best Sides to Serve with Coca-Cola BBQ Ribs
• More Rib-tastic Recipes

Ingredient Breakdown

• Pork loin ribs (baby back ribs): These are the star of the show, providing a juicy and tender base for the flavours to soak in.
• Coca-Cola: This fizzy drink works wonders in tenderising the meat, adding a slight sweetness that makes the ribs so moreish.
• Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper: These simple seasonings are essential for enhancing the natural flavour of the meat.
• BBQ sauce: The backbone of the sticky glaze, adding rich, smoky flavours to the ribs.
• Sweet chilli sauce: A little kick of sweetness with a mild heat to balance the BBQ sauce and create a unique, finger-licking glaze.

The Secret to Tender Coca-Cola BBQ Ribs

The key to creating perfect Coca-Cola BBQ Ribs lies in the slow cooking process. By cooking the ribs low and slow in Coca-Cola, you allow the meat to absorb the flavours while becoming incredibly tender. The Coca-Cola acts as a marinade, breaking down the muscle fibres while ensuring the ribs fall off the bone effortlessly. With this technique, you don’t need any fancy equipment or hard-to-find ingredients. The simplicity of this dish is what makes it stand out.

Start by seasoning the ribs with a generous sprinkle of sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper. This basic seasoning is all you need to highlight the natural taste of the meat before you introduce the rich flavours of the sauce. Once seasoned, the ribs are ready for their long, slow bath in Coca-Cola.

Place the ribs in a large roasting tin, ensuring they’re laid out in a single layer. Pour the Coca-Cola over the ribs, covering them entirely. The sweet fizz will help tenderise the meat. Over the course of 2 to 3 hours in the oven, the ribs will become incredibly soft, juicy, and packed with flavour. The key here is to cook the ribs at a low temperature, around 150°C (fan 130°C). By doing so the flavours can develop without drying out the meat.

Achieving the Perfect BBQ Sauce Blend

The true magic of Coca-Cola BBQ Ribs lies in the sticky, tangy sauce that coats the meat. The combination of BBQ sauce and sweet chilli sauce is both simple and highly effective. It offers layers of flavour that enhance the richness of the ribs. But why this particular combination? The BBQ sauce provides a classic smoky flavour that pairs perfectly with grilled or roasted meats. Meanwhile the sweet chilli sauce introduces a subtle heat and a touch of sweetness, which complements the tangy undertones of the BBQ sauce.

The beauty of this sauce blend is in its balance. Too much heat from the sweet chilli sauce could overpower the ribs, but in the right proportions, it creates a tantalising contrast with the sweetness of the Coca-Cola marinade and the smokiness of the BBQ sauce. The sauce also serves as a glaze that caramelises during the final roasting, adding a beautiful, glossy finish to the ribs. The result is a sauce that coats the ribs perfectly, providing that coveted sticky texture without being overly heavy or too sweet.

Roasting the Ribs: The Final Touch

Once the ribs have finished roasting, we need to give them their signature sticky finish. After transferring the ribs to the baking sheet, it’s time to coat them with half of the sticky sauce. Make sure to spread it generously over both sides of the ribs. Place them back in the oven and roast uncovered for around 10 minutes. Flip the ribs halfway through so both sides get that delicious glaze.

Once the ribs have had their first round in the oven, baste them with the remaining sticky sauce. Return them to the oven for another 6 to 8 minutes. This final roasting phase allows the sauce to thicken and caramelise. It will give the ribs a crispy exterior while keeping the inside juicy and tender. The result is a perfect balance of flavours and textures that will make this dish a firm favourite in your kitchen.

The Best Sides to Serve with Coca-Cola BBQ Ribs

When it comes to serving Coca-Cola BBQ Ribs, the key is to balance the richness of the ribs with lighter, refreshing sides. A classic choice is coleslaw, which offers a creamy, tangy contrast to the smoky sweetness of the ribs. The crunchiness of the cabbage and carrots provides a satisfying texture that complements the tender meat. For an extra twist, you can opt for a spiced-up coleslaw with a hint of mustard or apple cider vinegar, which can cut through the richness of the sauce.

Corn on the cob is another popular side, and for good reason. The natural sweetness of the corn pairs beautifully with the savoury and sticky ribs. You can grill the corn alongside the ribs for added flavour, or simply boil it and brush it with butter. If you’re after something lighter, a fresh green salad with a tangy vinaigrette can provide a refreshing break from the heaviness of the ribs. For something heartier, baked potatoes or a fluffy serving of mashed potatoes would make a satisfying pairing, soaking up any leftover sauce from the ribs.

More Rib-tastic Recipes

If you’ve got a craving for more ribs after making these Coca-Cola BBQ Ribs, here are some more flavour-packed recipes for you to try:

• Teriyaki Ribs: Sweet, sticky and delicious! These melt-in-your mouth baby back ribs are incredibly easy to make. They’re slow-cooked until super tender then coated in a tasty homemade teriyaki sauce. 
• BBQ Ribs: Super tender baby back ribs smothered in barbecue sauce. These juicy, melt-in-your-mouth ribs are so easy to make!
• Chimichurri Ribs: Super tender baby back ribs slathered with a delicious, zingy chimichurri, packed with parsley, oregano, mint, chilli, garlic and lots more. An absolute flavour bomb!
• Spicy BBQ Ribs: These tasty, melt-in-your-mouth ribs are so easy to make! After being sprinkled with a flavourful dry-rub, they’re wrapped up tight and baked in the oven until fall-off-the-bone tender.

See how I make all these recipes and more over on my Instagram!