Cinnamon Simmered BBQ Ribs
Fall-apart tender ribs simmered in cinnamon-infused water, then broiled with a BBQ sauce until perfectly caramelized. A cozy, family-friendly recipe with baby back ribs, sticky, sweet, and made for little hands.
Today we travel through taste in North America with a recipe that turns a regular family dinner into an event. The trick my sister passed down to me is simmering the ribs low and slow in cinnamon-scented water first. It sounds unexpected, but that warm, subtle spice works quietly in the background, tenderizing the meat before its real moment: a good broil, slathered in our homemade smoky maple BBQ sauce, until caramelized, sticky, and impossible to resist. Use baby back ribs for a leaner, kid-friendly bite, or St. Louis style for a little more richness. Either way, it’s finger-licking, mess-making, happy kid-approved.
The Cinnamon Water Trick (And Why It Works)
This trick comes from an old Southern tradition of simmering ribs in fragrant water before finishing them on heat. A cinnamon stick or two infuses the meat with warm, subtle spice while it gently tenderizes, and you can play with other aromatics too: star anise, a few pieces of apple, a bay leaf or two. It also fills the house with a lovely, subtle aroma while it simmers. Since the ribs simmer low and slow in water this way, they stay moist from the start, unlike methods like cooking them low in the oven first, which would likely dry them out.
Baby Back Ribs or St. Louis Ribs, Which Should You Choose?
Either cut works beautifully here, with the method staying the same and only small differences to consider.
- Baby back and St. Louis spare ribs cook almost the same way, with only a slightly different simmer time: baby back is leaner and a touch faster, while St. Louis is meatier and needs a bit more.
- Myth to bust: you don’t need to remove the membrane on baby back ribs; it stays tender once cooked and helps hold the rack together instead of falling apart.
- Either cut takes to the cinnamon water and the smoky maple glaze just as well, so pick whichever your family prefers.
Tips for Perfectly Caramelized Ribs Under the Broiler
The secret to that sticky, caramelized finish is layering the sauce in stages rather than dumping it all on at once. Brush your ribs generously with my homemade smoky maple BBQ sauce right at the start of broiling, then flip them halfway through and brush again on the other side so both sides get that same deep caramelization. Right at the end, once the ribs are browned and bubbling, add one more generous brushing of sauce for that glossy, just-off-the-grill look. If you don’t have my smoky maple version on hand, any good BBQ sauce will work here; just look for one with a bit of sweetness so it caramelizes nicely under the broiler.
What to Serve Ribs With
Cinnamon Simmered BBQ Ribs
Ingredients
- 4 racks baby back ribs or St.Louis Spare Ribs
- 750 ml BBQ sauce
- 1 cinnamon stick
- salt
Instructions
- Removing the membrane is optional for baby back ribs, since it holds the rack together while cooking, and you won't notice it once it's done. For St. Louis spare ribs, I'd recommend removing it. If you'd like to remove it, flip the rack bone side up, slide a knife under the membrane at one end to loosen a corner, then grip it with a paper towel (since it's slippery) and peel it off in one piece.
- In your largest pot, or split across two pots, add the ribs and cinnamon stick, then stir in the salt. Pour in the water, or enough to fully submerge the ribs.
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce to low. Let baby back ribs simmer gently for 60 minutes, or spare ribs for 75 minutes, until tender.
- Carefully remove the ribs from the water and pat dry. Preheat your oven's broiler on high, or preheat your BBQ to medium-high heat.
- Brush the ribs generously with the BBQ sauce on both sides.
- Broil for 5 to 8 minutes per side, or grill over medium-high heat until caramelized and sticky, brushing with more sauce halfway through and again at the end for extra shine.
Video
Notes
- You’ll likely need to simmer the ribs in batches or use your largest stockpot to fit all 4 racks with enough water to cover them, splitting into 2 pots works well if you don’t have one large enough.
- Baste generously with the BBQ sauce right before and during the final cook; this is where all the sticky, caramelized flavour comes from.
- Works equally well finished in the oven or on the BBQ, so pick whichever suits your setup, though you may need to work in batches on a smaller BBQ or oven.
Nutrition
Sharing of this recipe is encouraged and appreciated. Copying a full recipe to any social media is prohibited.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Share your thoughts on it! Leave a comment or share a picture and tag me @littlenomadsrecipes on Instagram.
