Baked Spare Ribs With Red Wine Lees
⏲ ~21 min total · prep 17 · cook 4 · 4 servings
Lunch⏱ 175 min total🔥 1.7g net carbs
By the KFI Test Kitchen · Tested & approved by Jason Lieu, KFI recipe editor
Published Sep 15, 2026 · Updated Sep 15, 2026
Ingredients
- 3 lb pork spare ribs, cut into 3-rib sections
- 1 cup dry red wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon, divided
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp allulose
- 1 tbsp cold butter
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
Instructions
- Slide a paring knife under the silvery membrane on the bony side of each section, grip it with a paper towel, and peel it off in one pull.
- Rub the sections with the avocado oil, then coat with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and thyme; let them sit 20 minutes at room temperature while the oven heats to 275°F.
- Lay each section meaty-side up on a double sheet of heavy foil and pour half the red wine around the meat with the smashed garlic and bay leaf; seal into loose packets.
- Bake 2 to 2 1/4 hours, until the meat pulls back from the bones by half an inch and a knife slides into the thickest part with no resistance.
- Meanwhile simmer the remaining half cup of wine with the allulose in a small saucepan until reduced to about 3 tablespoons and syrupy — the wine's lees and sediment concentrate into the glaze — then swirl in the cold butter and the vinegar off the heat.
- Open the packets, brush the glaze over the meaty sides, and broil 3-4 minutes until it lacquers and the bone tips char slightly.
- Rest 10 minutes, cut between the bones, and pour the pooled packet juices over the top.
Why this recipe works
- Foil packets, 275°F Sealed with red wine, the ribs steam for 2 to 2 1/4 hours until the meat pulls back from the bone half an inch. Low heat plus a sealed packet gets you there without a smoker.
- Peel the membrane A paper towel grips the silvery skin on the bony side, and it comes off in one pull. Left on, it shrinks into a chewy sheet no amount of cooking softens.
- Lees in the glaze Simmering the second half cup of wine down to about 3 tablespoons concentrates the sediment and lees into a syrupy glaze. Butter and vinegar off the heat finish it glossy and sharp.
Tips for making this recipe well
Wine around, not over
Pour the wine into the foil packet beside the meat so the rub stays on the surface. Pouring over the top rinses your seasoning into the braise.
The knife test
A paring knife should slide into the thickest section with no resistance at all. If it drags, reseal the packet and give the ribs another 20 minutes.
Reduce the glaze hard
Three tablespoons, syrupy, is the target before the butter goes in. A loose glaze runs off the ribs under the broiler and burns on the pan.
Broil close and watch
Three or 4 minutes under a high broiler lacquers the glaze and chars the bone tips slightly. Even a sugar-free glaze scorches if you wander off.
Pour the packet juices back
After the 10-minute rest, cut between the bones and spoon the pooled juices from the foil over the top. That liquid is concentrated pork and wine; it does not belong in the trash.
Serving suggestions
Rest the ribs 10 minutes after the broiler, then cut between the bones and pour the pooled packet juices over the top. The glaze reads tart and winey rather than sweet, which suits a vinegary green on the side. Each serving lands at 1.7 g net carbs, so this plate fits the strictest day of the week. It is a knife-and-fork dish, and napkins on the table are not a courtesy, they are equipment.
Storage and meal prep
Refrigerate leftover ribs in a covered container for 3 to 4 days with any extra glaze and juices. Reheat covered at 300°F with a splash of water for 15 to 20 minutes, then finish under the broiler for a minute to re-lacquer the surface. The freezer holds them for 2 to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge and bring the glaze back under the broiler after reheating, since it goes dull in storage.
Variations worth trying
- Baby back ribs Smaller and leaner, baby backs cook faster in the packets, so start checking well before the 2-hour mark.
- Skip the sweetener Leave out the allulose and the glaze reduces to a sharp wine syrup instead of a lacquer. It still tastes right, thinner and less glossy.
- Merlot instead A softer red like Merlot or Pinot Noir swaps for the Cabernet. The glaze turns fruitier and a shade lighter.
- Extra garlic Double the smashed cloves in the packets. The slow braise mellows them into something sweet at the bottom of the foil.
Frequently asked questions
What are wine lees?
Lees are the sediment and spent solids left in wine. Reducing the wine hard concentrates that sediment into the glaze, which is where the deep, winey flavor comes from.
Do I really have to peel the membrane?
Yes. It shrinks as it cooks and leaves the bony side tough and chewy no matter how long the ribs braise.
Can I make these ahead?
Braise the packets a day early and refrigerate the ribs in their juices. Bring them back to temperature covered, then glaze and broil right before serving.
What replaces allulose?
Another granulated keto sweetener such as erythritol works in the same teaspoon. Without any sweetener the glaze still reduces fine; it stays sharper and less glossy.
How many net carbs?
A serving comes to 1.7 g net carbs. The dry rub, wine, and pork carry almost nothing, and the single teaspoon of allulose adds a fraction.
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