Baby Back Ribs with Spiced Rum Pineapple BBQ Sauce
These baby back ribs are my secret to the best cookout meal. Guaranteed to be fall-apart tender with the best pineapple rum BBQ sauce! Watch the video below to see how easy this comes together.
Servings: 6 servings
Equipment
Ingredients
For the ribs
- 2 racks of baby back pork ribs
For the spiced rum pineapple sauce
- 1 cup ketchup
- ¾ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup blackstrap molasses
- 1 cup crushed pineapple with juice
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons spiced rum
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Simmer the sauce. In a medium pot over medium heat, stir together the ketchup, maple syrup and molasses. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Blend and add to sauce. Meanwhile, add the pineapple, garlic, spiced rum, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, ginger, and cayenne pepper to a high-powered blender and blend until smooth. Transfer the blended ingredients to the simmering sauce and stir for 3 to 4 minutes more. Then turn off the heat.
- Prep the sheet pan. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil with enough overhang to wrap the ribs. Pro tip: I like to double layer the aluminum foil, to prevent any leaks.
- Prep the ribs. Preheat the oven to 275°F (135°C). Remove the thin membrane on the underside of the ribs. Pro tip: You can also ask the butcher to do this when you buy your ribs. Then place the ribs on the foil-lined baking sheet.
- Bake the ribs in the oven. Take 1 cup of the sauce and mix it with an equal amount of water. Pour this on top of and around the ribs, then lightly wrap the foil around them. Bake the ribs for 3 hours. This process steams the meat, making it incredibly tender while infusing it with flavor.
- Option 1: Finish the ribs on the grill (my preferred method). Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat. After the ribs have finished cooking, use tongs to transfer them to a large platter to carry them to your grill. Note that the ribs will be VERY tender (i.e. fall apart tender) so I recommend using two tongs for stability. Use the remaining sauce to generously brush both sides of the ribs. Place the ribs on the grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Brush additional sauce as desired while grilling, then slice and serve immediately.
- Option 2: Finish the ribs in the oven. After the ribs have finished cooking, remove them from the oven and carefully discard the aluminum foil with watered-down sauce. Place the ribs back on the baking sheet and use the remaining sauce to generously brush both sides of the ribs. Broil the ribs (meat side up) for 3 to 4 minutes, until the sauce begins to caramelize. Brush additional sauce as desired while broiling, then slice and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- This recipe serves 6. Each rack has about 12 ribs, so you're looking at roughly 4 ribs per person.
- Make these ahead of time by baking the ribs a day ahead and storing them (still wrapped in foil) in the refrigerator. When you're ready to serve, let them come closer to room temperature, then finish them on the grill or under the broiler with fresh sauce.
- If you prefer to skip the alcohol, a splash of apple cider vinegar and an extra pinch of ground ginger get you reasonably close.
- Double the sauce. The leftover sauce keeps in the fridge for 3 to 5 days and is phenomenal on my grilled chicken or brushed over pork tenderloin!
Nutrition
Calories: 415kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 904mg | Potassium: 619mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 42g | Vitamin A: 276IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 107mg | Iron: 2mg