Sticky BBQ Ribs with Loaded Potato Wedges and Crispy Buffalo Onion Straws

This dish brings together all your favorite flavors in one epic spread. Sticky, saucy baby back ribs are seasoned with a Southwest spice blend and baked until tender. Served alongside crispy loaded potato wedges topped with melted pepper jack cheese and a tangy blue cheese sauce, these ribs are a crowd-pleaser.

But the real showstopper is the crispy buffalo onion straws. Thinly sliced onions are coated in a spicy tempura batter and fried until golden. They’re paired with a hot-sauce-spiked blue cheese dipping sauce that adds a cool, creamy finish. Perfect for sharing, this meal is all about big flavors and good times.

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Ingredients

12 ounce PotatoesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Pepper Jack CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1.5 ounce Blue Cheese DressingView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Ancho Chili PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit JalapeñoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce Frank's Seasoning BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

82 g Tempura Batter MixView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Southwest Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit BBQ Baby Back RibsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Hot SauceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
2. Cut the potatoes into wedges. Toss with 2 tablespoons cooking oil, salt and pepper. Spread on the baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and tender.
3. While potatoes bake, prepare the ribs. Season the baby back ribs with Southwest spice blend, salt and pepper. Place on another foil-lined baking sheet and bake alongside the potatoes for about 20 minutes or until heated through and sticky.
4. Make the onion straws: Slice the onion into thin rings. In a bowl, whisk tempura batter mix with cold water (about 1/2 cup) until smooth. Stir in Frank’s seasoning blend and ancho chili powder.
5. Heat about 1 inch of oil in a deep skillet to 350°F. Dip onion rings into batter, letting excess drip off. Fry in batches for 2-3 minutes until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
6. Prepare the blue cheese sauce: In a small bowl, combine blue cheese dressing, sour cream and hot sauce. Stir until smooth.
7. When potatoes are done, top with shredded pepper jack cheese and return to oven for 2-3 minutes until melted. Dice the tomato and jalapeño (remove seeds for less heat) and sprinkle over the potatoes.
8. Serve the ribs with loaded potato wedges, crispy onion straws and blue cheese sauce on the side. Squeeze lime juice over everything before serving.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different cut of ribs?

Yes, you can substitute baby back ribs with spare ribs or even boneless pork ribs. Adjust cooking time as needed.

How do I make the onion straws without a deep fryer?

Use a deep skillet with about 1 inch of oil and a thermometer to maintain 350°F. Fry in small batches to avoid overcrowding.

Can I make this meal ahead of time?

The ribs and potato wedges can be reheated in the oven. Onion straws are best fresh, but you can re-crisp them in a 400°F oven for a few minutes.