Pomegranate Hatch Chile Smoked Ribs
Combine the unique flavor of pomegranate with the heat and sweetness of hatch chiles, and you’ve got a batch of ribs your guests will never forget.
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Ingredients
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2 shallots
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2 cloves garlic
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1 tbsp avocado oil
Ribs:
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2 racks pork spareribs
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4 tbsp yellow mustard
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1½ tbsp sea salt
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1 tbsp black pepper
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2 cups apple cider
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6 tbsp Irish butter
Pomegranate Hatch Chile BBQ Sauce:
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2 tbsp tomato paste
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2 cups pomegranate juice
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1 cup chicken stock
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3 tbsp honey
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2 tsp hatch chiles
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4 tsp smoked paprika
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2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
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4 oz. (½ cup) apple cider
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1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
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1 tsp granulated garlic
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1 tsp granulated onion
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¼ tsp cumin
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1 tsp sea salt
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1 tsp black pepper
1 Food Prep
First, add the yellow mustard to the ribs and rub all over the surface. Season both sides of the mustard-coated ribs with salt and pepper. Let the ribs sit for 30 minutes before putting them on the grill. This wait helps the rub adhere to the protein, which results in better tasting ribs.
Next, combine the first ingredients for the pomegranate hatch chile BBQ sauce in a small bowl and whisk together. Then get the remaining ingredients for the BBQ sauce (shallots, garlic cloves and avocado oil) ready to sauté on the grill.
Select a rib with the fresh date being as far in the future as possible. Choose ribs that are a reddish/pink color as opposed to pale pink, they will have more moisture retention after cooking. Also, look for a rib with plenty of internal marbling to ensure juiciness and flavor.
Although there is nothing wrong with frozen ribs, a fresh rib will provide a bit more of a vibrant meat flavor so go with fresh ribs whenever possible. Supermarket pork ribs are commonly sealed in packaging to extend their freshness from a few days to a few weeks. But because of this packaging, the closer you get to the fresh date, the more susceptible the meat is to being past its prime.
Credit: World Champion Pitmaster Chris Lilly of Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q.
2 Grill Prep
Fuel: We recommend Kingsford® Original Charcoal Briquets.
Or get more from your grill with Kingsford® Low & Slow Briquets, and unlock smoky richness in your slow-cooked cuts.
Method: Two-Zone Method
Temp: 200°F & 225°F Ribs (Low Heat)n350°F BBQ Sauce (Medium Heat)
Carefully hold your hand about 5” to 6” above the grate, and refer to the temperature settings below:
• High Heat (450° to 550°F):
2 to 4 seconds
• Medium Heat (350° to 450°F):
5 to 6 seconds
• Low Heat (250° to 350°F):
8 to 10 seconds
Make sure your clothing doesn’t touch the grate, and always move your hand away from the heat before you feel discomfort.
When you’re at temp, put cooking oil on a folded paper towel. Grab the oiled paper towel with long-handled tongs and oil the grate thoroughly.
3 The Cook
When you’re at temp, put cooking oil on a folded paper towel. Grab the oiled paper towel with long-handled tongs and oil the grate thoroughly.
On your grill, in a medium-size saucepan, add the avocado oil and sauté the shallots and garlic over medium heat.
Once the shallots are translucent (about 4 to 7 minutes) add the rest of the ingredients to the pan for the pomegranate hatch chile BBQ sauce.
Bring to a low simmer and cook until the sauce coats to the back of the spoon.
- Pour the sauce into a blender, and blend until smooth and set aside.
Now lower the grill heat to 200°F.
Smoke the ribs on indirect heat for 3 hours.
- Remove the ribs from the grill.
- Raise the grill temperature to 225°F.
- On a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, place the ribs bone-side up.
- Add 3 tbsp. of butter and 1 cup of apple cider to the ribs.
- Wrap and smoke the ribs for an additional 2 hours.
- After the ribs have smoked further, open the foil, carefully remove the ribs, and place them on the grill, bone-side down.
- Brush the ribs with the pomegranate hatch chile BBQ sauce.
Cook the ribs until the desired tenderness, about 1 hour, and until they reach an internal temperature of 190°F on a digital meat thermometer.
Recipe created by Chef Ronaldo Linares, on behalf of Kingsford® Charcoal.
For safe meat preparation, reference the USDA website.
Frequently Asked Questions
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