BABY BACKS w/CHERRY BOMB BAR-B-QUE SAUCE
By
Sandi Sheppard
@SandiShep
1
What's better than smoked baby back ribs cooked low and slow? That would be baby back ribs accompanied by Cherry Bomb Bar-B-Que Sauce! Talk about a flavor explosion - this sauce will light up your life with a sweet, spicy & savory complexity of flavors featuring bing cherries and honey in a Pinot Noir based sauce. I've combined an unusual array of spices and flavorings to make this truly a one-of-a-kind sauce that pairs perfectly with the ribs. So, light the fuse now… because it's "The Bomb"!
Ingredients
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THE SLAB & RUB:
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2 1/2 lbslab baby back ribs
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3 Tbsphoney mustard
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1 tspgarlic powder
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1 tspchinese five spice powder
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1 tspcumin
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2 tspszechuan seasoning
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1 Tbspchipotle chili powder
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1 Tbspsmoked paprika
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2 tspkosher salt
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1/4 cbrown sugar
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THE CHERRY BOMB BAR-B-QUE SAUCE:
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2 cpinot noir
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1shallot, minced
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1serrano chile
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1/3 ccherry preserves
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3 Tbsphoney
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3 Tbspbrown sugar
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1 cbing cherries, pitted and chopped
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6 ozorganic tomato paste
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2 Tbspginger flavored soy sauce
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1 Tbspapple liquid smoke
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1 Tbspbalsamic vinegar
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1 Tbspsambal oelek
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1 Tbspszechuan seasoning
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1 tspgarlic powder
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1 tspdried basil
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1/2 tspchinese five spice powder
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1/2 tspcardamom, ground
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1/2 tspkosher salt
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THE SPRITZ:
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1/3 ccherry juice
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1/3 cwhite vinegar
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1/2 cwater
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ALSO:
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1/2bag cherry wood chunks, soaked in water 40 minutes
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5sprigs mint
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1 bunchgreen onions
How to Make BABY BACKS w/CHERRY BOMB BAR-B-QUE SAUCE
- To prepare the slab and the rub, rinse and dry and remove the thin membrane on the bone side. Brush the honey mustard on both sides. Mix together remaining rub ingredients and pat on both sides of the slab. Tent with foil and let rest while preparing the grill.
- Soak cherry wood chunks in water while preparing charcoal in a starter chimney. Prepare your grill using an indirect grilling method. Place a drip pan under the center rack and hot coals to one side of the pan. Pour some of the cherry wood chunk soaking water into the drip pan along with the mint and green onions. Once the temperature is up to 225º F., add some of the wood chunks to the coals. Place slab over drip pan, bone side down and close grill cover. Maintain a temperature of 225-230º F. at all times, dampers open, adding more charcoal when necessary and add remaining wood chunks when the others have burned out.
- Mix the Cherry Bomb Sauce ingredients into a grill proof saucepan and simmer until reduced and thickened, about 30 minutes, then cover and keep warm.
- Pour the cherry juice, vinegar and water into a spray bottle and spritz the top meat side of ribs each hour. After 2-1/2 hours of indirect cooking, place the slab onto heavy foil and spritz, then brush both sides generously with some of the sauce. Tightly seal the foil and cook another hour over indirect heat. Remove slab from foil, brush again with sauce and cook for another 30 minutes, grill cover down. Let the ribs rest for a 10 minutes before cutting and serving with remaining Cherry Bomb Bar-B-Que Sauce on the side.
