Ingredients

For ribs:

8 large garlic cloves

2 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary

2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon cayenne

8 pounds baby back pork ribs (8 racks; see cooks’ note, below)

1 cup water

Preparation

Equipment: 2 large roasting pans print a shopping list for this recipe

Marinate and roast ribs:

Mince and mash garlic to a paste with 1 teaspoon salt. Stir together with rosemary, brown sugar, vinegar, cayenne, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Rub evenly all over ribs and transfer to roasting pans. Marinate, chilled, 8 to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 425°F with racks in upper and lower thirds.

Pour 1/2 cup water into each roasting pan and tightly cover pans with foil. Roast ribs, switching position of pans halfway through, until meat is very tender, about 1 3/4 hours. Remove pans from oven and transfer ribs to a platter.