It’s National Have a Coke Day

Today is National Have a Coke Day. You know me, I like to bend the rules just a little. It’s hard to “have a coke” when you don’t drink soda. Once in a blue moon, I might have a Pepsi, or a root beer with a slice of pizza, but this isn’t National Drink a Soft Drink Day, it’s Have a Coke. Did you know that a man by the name John Pemberton invented Coca-Cola at Pemberton’s Eagle Drug and Chemical House in Columbus, Georgia? It was intended to be a patented medicine of some sort. However; a businessman named Asa Griggs Candler dominated the world of soft-drinks by marketing Coca-Cola as a soft drink rather than a medicine. Makes you wonder how many other medications out there might serve us better with a shot of bourbon and a twist of lime.

Can you tell, I think Coke is great as a cocktail mixer or in barbecue sauce! Speaking of sauce, here’s one of my favorite recipes for tender, flavorful ribs straight from the oven.

Baby Back Ribs with Coca-Cola Barbecue Sauce
3 lbs Baby Back Ribs
2 cup Coca-Cola
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke
3 tablespoon A-1 Steak Sauce
Sriracha to taste
1 teaspoon Onion Flakes
1 teaspoon Garlic Flakes
Freshly ground Black Pepper

Trim ribs and make sure the silver membrane on the back has been removed. Cut ribs into serving size sections, about 3 or 4 ribs per section. Place ribs in a large casserole dish. Pour 1 cup of Coke over the ribs. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

In a heavy non-reactive saucepan, combine remaining 1 cup of coca-cola, ketchup, Worcestershire Sauce, Liquid Smoke, A-1 Steak Sauce, Sriracha Sauce, onion flakes, garlic flakes and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Gradually bring sauce to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat slightly to obtain a gentle simmer. Simmer the sauce until reduced by 1/4, about 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside

Remove ribs from coke, pat dry. Lay ribs on a broiler pan with a little water below. Brush with sauce. Cover with foil.

Set oven to 300 degrees. Place ribs in the oven and slow cook for about 2 or 3 hours.

Remove ribs from oven, uncover and brush with more sauce.

Turn on broiler of oven. Broil ribs until the sauce begins to caramelize on the meat.  Serve ribs with remaining sauce.