DIY Pineapple Chipotle BBQ Sauce on Smoked St. Louis Spare Ribs
James Nicholas
Who doesn’t adore those tender, juicy, smoked St. Louis Style spare ribs? They’re a real crowd-pleaser! For this recipe, we’re taking it easy and letting our Primo Ceramic Kamado grill work its magic at a low and slow pace.
Discover the fun of prepping pork ribs, seasoning them with a tasty homemade rib rub, and setting up your Kamado grill for that perfect indirect low and slow cooking experience.
As the ribs are smoking away, why not whip up your own pineapple chili BBQ sauce? It adds just the right kick of sweetness and spice to those delicious smoked ribs!
The Components
Three racks of St. Louis style pork ribs!
Rib Rub Ingredients
2 tablespoons of paprika
1/4 cup of light brown sugar
3 tablespoons of chili powder
1/4 cup of black pepper
3 tablespoons of kosher salt
2 tablespoons of garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons of rubbed sage
2 tablespoons of ground coriander (make sure to measure it before grinding).
2 tablespoons of ground cumin (make sure to measure before you grind it!)
2 tablespoons of ground dried orange rind (make sure to measure before you grind it!)
2 teaspoons of corn starch
BBQ Sauce Ingredients
2 tablespoons of olive oil
3 pieces of fresh ginger, all diced up!
1 yellow onion, chopped up!
3 cloves of garlic, all mashed up into a paste!
2 cups of pineapple chunks
3 whole chipotles in Adobo
1 can of diced tomatoes, 15 ounces.
3 cups of pineapple juice
One tablespoon Worcestershire, huh? Such an interesting place! What do you think about it?
⅓ cup of cane syrup
⅓ cup of brandy
¼ cup of apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons of fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon of ground clove
1/2 teaspoon of ground allspice
1 tablespoon of coarse salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
Things You’ll Require
Some other Kamado Grills, like the Primo Ceramic Kamado Grill
Starter for charcoal
Plates that deflect heat
Tongs for grilling
Instructions for Cooking Pineapple Chipotle BBQ Sauce
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, gently brown the chopped onion and diced ginger in a splash of oil. Just sprinkle on some salt and pepper to taste!
After getting that nice brown color, toss in the garlic paste and let it sizzle for about 30 to 45 seconds. Then, go ahead and add the pineapple chunks along with the chilies in adobo, giving it a few more minutes to cook together.
Throw in the diced tomatoes and pineapple juice, then let it simmer until the liquid has reduced by about a quarter of its original amount.
After you’ve reduced it, just mix in the Worcestershire sauce, cane syrup, brandy, apple cider vinegar, cilantro, ground cinnamon, allspice, and ground clove. Easy peasy!
Just let it simmer, giving it a stir now and then for about 30 minutes, so it can reduce and thicken up nicely.
Pop that cooked sauce into a blender and give it a whirl until it’s nice and smooth!
Split it into two containers—one for basting those delicious ribs and the other to have at the table when you’re ready to dig in!
Detailed instructions for making ribs
Start by cutting off any extra fat and the lip from your rib racks, and then peel away the membrane from the bone side.
First, give each rack a nice drizzle of olive oil, then sprinkle on the seasoning blend and rub it in evenly. Easy peasy!
Get your smoker or kamado/grill ready by preheating it for some indirect low-temperature smoking, aiming for that sweet spot of 225 to 250°F.Don’t forget to toss in 3 to 5 chunks of your favorite hardwood for that extra flavor kick!
Want to make your ribs extra tender and juicy? Just pop a water pan right under the cooking grid! Why not spice things up a bit? You can fill the water pan with a delightful mix of half apple cider and half apple cider vinegar for that extra zing!
Pop the ribs into the cooker, shut the lid, and let’s get started on that BBQ sauce! Hey, just a friendly reminder to peek at the water pan every 45 minutes or so, so it doesn’t dry out on you!
After letting those ribs smoke for about 3 to 4 hours, it’s time to start checking their internal temperature to see if they’re done! Just slide the temperature probe into the meat between the rib bones, and it should go in easily if everything is as tender as it ought to be.
Once the ribs hit that perfect internal temperature of 185°F, go ahead and slather them with sauce—don’t be shy! Keep cooking for another 15 to 20 minutes until they’re beautifully caramelized.
Take out the ribs, let them chill for about 10 to 15 minutes, then serve them up and dig in!
