Bbq Chile-Marinated Pork Spareribs
Submitted by trixx
BBQ spareribs marinated overnight in a New Mexican dried chile and tequila sauce with cumin, allspice, and brown sugar. Boiled first, then grilled for smoky, spicy bark.
YIELD
2 racksPREP
50 minCOOK
12 minREADY
10 hrsThese pork ribs get a full Mexican treatment. Dried New Mexican chiles blended with tequila, cumin, allspice, garlic, and brown sugar create a deep red sauce that coats the ribs during an overnight marinade, building layers of smoky, earthy heat.
The method is a smart two-stage approach. Boiling the ribs first for about 50 minutes renders out excess fat and gets the meat tender before it ever hits the grill. Patting them dry after draining is important. Wet ribs won’t take the marinade properly and will steam instead of char on the grill.
The overnight marination is where the flavor really penetrates. That chile sauce soaks into the pre-cooked meat much more deeply than it would into raw ribs, so every bite tastes seasoned all the way through, not just on the surface.
Six minutes per side on a hot grill is all it takes to char the sauce into a caramelized, slightly crispy bark while the meat inside stays juicy and tender from the pre-cook. The reserved sauce gets simmered separately and served alongside for dipping.
Pro Tips
- Seed the dried chiles before blending. The seeds add bitter, sharp heat rather than the smooth, fruity warmth you want from the flesh.
- Let the marinated ribs come to room temperature for a full hour before grilling. Cold ribs straight from the fridge won’t char evenly.
- Oil the grill rack well. The sugar in the sauce makes these ribs sticky and prone to tearing if they grab the grates.
- Always simmer the reserved dipping sauce before serving. It’s been sitting raw and needs to be cooked through.
Variations
- Swap tequila for mezcal for a smokier, more complex agave flavor in the sauce.
- Add chipotle peppers to the blend for a deeper smoke element.
- Finish with a squeeze of lime and chopped cilantro over the grilled ribs for a fresh contrast.
Ingredients
Directions
In a large kettle combine the spareribs with water to cover, bring the water to a boil and simmer the ribs skimming the froth as necessary, for about 50 min.
Drain the ribs well and pat them dry.
While the ribs are simmering, in a blender purée the chiles, water, ketchup, garlic, vinegar, brown sugar, salt, tequila, oil, cumin and the allspice.
In a jelly roll pan or on a tray coat the ribs generously with some of the chili sauce, reserving the remaining sauce in a small bowl, covered with plastic wrap and chilled for a least 8 hours or overnight.
Let the ribs stand at room temp. for 1 hour and grill them on an oiled rack set over heat source for 6 min. on each side.
In a small saucepan simmer the reserved chile sauce for 3 min. and serve it with the ribs.
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