This is another one of those recipes that takes very little time to prepare and tastes like you have been slaving in the kitchen all day. (My favorite kind of recipe.) When in reality, combined with a baked russet or sweet potato and a simple steamed veggie, you are in and out of the kitchen before you can remember why you didn’t feel like cooking in the first place! (This is happening to me more and more as I grow older.)

Don’t get me wrong, I still love to cook. But sometimes a quick and easy dinner is the solution to making life a little easier for me. And as it turns out, possibly easier for you as well.

First thing you should know. This is not a weeknight meal for working people. This dish takes time to bake in a slow oven. But as a weekend dish, it would be perfect. Put it in the oven while you tend to all the other chores you have to accomplish before Monday morning rolls around. (Believe me, I remember those days only too well!) And why does it go together so easily? Well first of all, there are no veggies to cut for the sauce. (I must admit that I was a little skeptical when I first read this recipe from Jenn Segal’s Once Upon a Chef site. (I did mess a bit with her recipe, but basically it’s another wonderful recipe from this gifted chef.) But then I considered the source, and went for it! And I’m so glad I did.

The meat was perfectly seasoned. The sauce was great. And I spent less time on this dish than I usually do just preparing salad dressing!

So if you too want to serve a quick and easy dish that your entire family will love, this is the recipe for you. I served it last evening with a baked sweet potato and steamed green beans. If I had been serving the ribs to children, I would have whipped up some mashed potatoes, because I never met a kid that didn’t like mashed potatoes. And for the veggie, I would probably have steamed some broccoli to crisp tender, then served it with “Secret Sauce” (recipe below). My kids would eat just about anything if it could be dolloped with a bit of this sauce. Works for Mr. C. too!

So next time you are too tired to cook, give this simple recipe a try. Put the ribs in to bake, prep whatever else you plan to serve, then sit down with a good book while your oven does its magic. Permission to relax and take it easy has just been granted.   

2 lbs. boneless beef country style short ribs

1 tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

¾ c. ketchup

½ c. dark brown sugar

1 T. apple cider vinegar

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

1 T. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. chili powder

½ tsp. granulated garlic

½ tsp. onion powder

pinch cayenne pepper

Season the ribs all over with salt and pepper, then arrange closely together in an 8-inch baking dish.

Combine all of the ingredients for the BBQ sauce in a small sauce pan and stir until smooth.

Pour 1/3 of the sauce over the ribs. Using tongs, flip the ribs over and spoon another 1/3 of the sauce over top. Reserve the remaining BBQ sauce to spoon over the cooked ribs. Heat the remaining sauce just before serving.

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in a pre-heated 300 degree oven for 2½ hours. Remove the foil and remove about 2/3rds of the cooking liquid. Discard the liquid. Bake the ribs uncovered for 30 minutes more, or until the meat is tender and browned. Serve the ribs with remaining warm sauce.

Secret Sauce

3 parts low fat mayonnaise

1 part low sodium soy sauce, or more to taste

Stir together and serve with any veggie that your kids (or spouse) won’t eat all by itself.