Fall-off-the-bone ribs with sweet, crumbly cornbread. This Sunday high calorie dinner takes time, but when you pull those ribs out, everyone understands why.
Preheat oven to 275°F. Remove membrane from the back of ribs, pat dry, and generously coat both sides with kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, and brown sugar.
Place seasoned ribs meat-side up on a foil-lined baking sheet. Cover tightly with foil, creating a steamy environment, and slow-roast for 2.5 hours until tender.
While ribs bake, prepare cornbread: combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, egg, and melted butter, then fold into dry ingredients just until incorporated.
Pour cornbread batter into a buttered 9-inch baking dish. Bake at 375°F for 25–30 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Remove ribs from oven, brush both sides with barbecue sauce, and increase oven temp to 450°F. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes until sauce caramelizes and edges sizzle. Rest ribs 10 minutes before slicing. Serve hot with warm, crumbly cornbread.