Ribs with strawberry jalapeno barbecue sauce

By ruhroh

Ingredients

• For the ribs:
• 2 (3-4 pound) slabs baby back ribs, silver skin removed from concave side of ribs
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 2-3 pieces Mesquite wood chunks or 4 cups chips, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes
• For the sauce:
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups finely chopped Vidalia or sweet onion
• 4 jalapenos, chopped (keep the seeds!)
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 6 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated on a rasp
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes
• 1 pound strawberries, hulled and chopped
• 1 cup dark brown sugar, tightly packed
• 4 tablespoons grained with wine Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Details

Adapted from today.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preparation
Rub and rest the ribs. Place the ribs on a tray and season all sides with salt and pepper. Rub the ribs a few minutes then let them rest at room temperature for 2 hours.

Make the sauce:
In a medium pot on medium heat add the olive oil, onions and jalapeno. Season with salt and pepper and cook until fragrant and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and tomatoes then cook while stirring until the tomato skins begin to blister and their flesh breaks down, about 10 minutes. Use a potato masher to break down the tomatoes then add the strawberries and cook until tender, about 6 minutes. Use the potato masher to break the strawberries down as well then add the brown sugar, mustard, and vinegar. Lower to a simmer and cook uncovered for 15 minutes to reduce slightly, stirring every few minutes or so to make sure the sauce isn't sticking to the bottom of the pot. Cool slightly and use an immersion blender or standard blender to puree until smooth. Refrigerate until needed.

Barbecue the ribs:
Prepare the grill or smoker. If using a charcoal grill (details below), push the grey charcoal into two piles on each side of the grill. Place the soaked wood directly on the charcoals, in the center recess without charcoals, place an aluminum pan filled with water. Place the ribs directly on the grill in the indirect heat over the aluminum pan (center of the grill). Close the grill, open the vents and allow to cook 2-3 hours or until a pork from a fork reveals them to be tender. If you're into internal temperature checks it should be around 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush generously with sauce and continue to cook another 30 minutes. Remove and cover loosely with aluminum foil for 10 minutes before cutting into 1 or 2 rib servings.

Use wood chips for gas grills and larger wood planks or chunks for charcoal. If using a smoker, use a smoke box and wood chips. If using an oven, set the temperature to 250 degrees Fahrenheit and place wood chips in a roasting pan filled with water on the bottom rack, then place the ribs in a roasting pan on the middle rack.