Strawberry Jalapeño Smoked Ribs

These strawberry jalapeño smoked ribs are marinated in a sauce of sweet strawberries and spicy jalapeño peppers, offering a refreshing and exciting new taste.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 4 hr 10 mins
• Total Time: 4 hr 25 mins
• Calories: 554 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons barbeque sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, or more to taste
• 1 teaspoon celery seed, or more to taste
• 1 rack spareribs
• 2 slabs baby back pork ribs
• 1 cup apple juice, or more to taste
• 2 jalapeno peppers, cut in half lengthwise and seeded
• 0.5 onion, chopped
• 0.5 cup beer, or more to taste
• 0.25 cup sugar-free strawberry preserves, or more to taste

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Make rub: Blend together kosher salt, cumin, oregano, minced garlic, chili powder, black pepper, celery seed, and thyme in a food processor until well mixed.

Step 2

Lay spareribs and baby back pork ribs on sheets of aluminum foil. Rub spice mixture all over ribs and fold the foil up around each. Divide apple juice between each foil packet and fold the edges together to form a seal. Marinate ribs in the refrigerator, 8 hours to overnight.

Step 3

Make sauce: Set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Step 4

Place jalapeño peppers, cut-side down, onto the prepared baking sheet and cook under the preheated broiler until skins are blackened and blistered, 5 to 8 minutes. Place blackened peppers into a small bowl and tightly seal with plastic wrap. Allow peppers to steam as they cool, about 20 minutes. Remove and discard skins.

Step 5

Blend together peeled jalapeño peppers, beer, onion, strawberry preserves, barbecue sauce, olive oil, garlic cloves, sea salt, and a pinch ground black pepper in a blender until smooth. Transfer sauce to a container, cover with a lid, and refrigerate for 8 hours to overnight.

Step 6

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C). Place foil-wrapped ribs in a single layer on baking sheets.

Step 7

Cook ribs in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Increase the oven temperature to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C) and continue cooking ribs until almost tender, 2 to 3 more hours.

Step 8

Preheat the smoker to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).

Step 9

Unwrap baked ribs, discard apple juice, and place ribs directly on the preheated smoker. Cook until meat surface is slightly dry, 5 to 10 minutes. Continue cooking, brushing sauce on ribs every 15 minutes and turning every 30 minutes, until tender, about 1 hour.