Jalapeno Jerk Ribs with Pineapple Barbecue Sauce Recipe

My son-in-law, Ben Weller, smoked these delicious Jalapeno Jerk Ribs with Pineapple Barbecue Sauce for our family gathering.  For this recipe he used baby back pork ribs to cook on the smoker.

With ribs, the longer you cook them over low heat, the more tender the meat will get as the connective tissues break down. The challenge is to keep the ribs moist throughout the cooking process.  We loved the flavor of this rib recipe which gets the spiciness from the jalapeno peppers and the wonderful sweetness from the pineapple juice.  These ribs get so much flavor from the rub, glaze and barbecue sauce that we were gnawing on the bone once the meat was gone.  You know those were some good ribs!
Try making delicious Jalapeno Jerk Ribs with Pineapple Barbecue Sauce for your loved ones! Its sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

Jalapeno Jerk Ribs with Pineapple Barbecue Sauce on the grill

More great Pork Recipes and also Pork Ribs/Sparerib Tips.

Please check out my Smoked Pork Ribs – October Fest Family Birthday Dinner which includes this wonderful Smoked Pork Ribs.

Jalapeno Jerk Ribs with Pineapple Barbecue Sauce Recipe:
Prep Time
40 mins
Cook Time
4 hrs
Total Time
4 hrs 40 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Jalapeno Jerk Ribs with Pineapple Barbecue Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
Jerk Ribs:
  • 6 racks pork ribs (4 to 5 pound racks pork baby back ribs or 6 to 8 pounds pork spareribs)*
Pork Dry Rub:
  • 3 firmly-packed tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoon coarse salt
  • 2 tablespoon black pepper, coarsely-ground
  • 2 tablespoons coriander, ground
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons thyme, dried
  • 2 teaspoons allspice, ground
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons cayenne pepper or chile powder (or to taste)
Pineapple Glaze:
  • 2 cups pineapple juice
  • 1/2 cup rice vinegar or cider vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Jalapeno Pineapple Barbecue Sauce:
  • 2 cups pineapple juice
  • 1 to 2 jalapeno chile peppers, seeded and minced
  • 1 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
  • 3/4 cup ketchup
  • 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoons soy sauce
  • Salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste
Instructions
Jalapeno Jerk Ribs Instructions:
  1. Preheat your smoker to 200 to 225 degrees F.  Pork ribs can be smoked with about any kind of smoking wood, but hickory and oak are the most popular.

  2. Prepare Dry Rub or use your favorite recipe.

  3. Prepare Pineapple Glaze.

  4. Prepare Jalapeno Pineapple Barbecue Sauce.

  5. Rinse the ribs in cold water and pat dry.

  6. Remove the Membrane:  This is the thin, papery skin from the back of each rack of ribs.  The membrane blocks the uptake of smoke and creates a barrier to your seasonings.  To remove the membrane, lay the ribs on a flat surface meat side down.  Take a sharp knife and begin peeling the membrane from one corner near the bone.  NOTE: People have different opinions regarding removing the membrane or leaving it on.  Trim and discard any excess fat, but do not get too carried away with the trimming as the fat gives flavor.  Rinse the ribs again and pat dry.

  7. Rub ribs thoroughly on all sides with prepared the prepared Pork Dry Rub Seasoning.  NOTE: Be sure to get hands in there and actually rub those ribs.

  8. Wrap the ribs in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator overnight to let the dry rub soak into the meat.  This will give the rub plenty of time to work.  Remove the ribs from the refrigerator approximately 1 hour before cooking.

  9. Low and Slow Cooking:  Like traditional Barbecue, pork ribs should be cooked low and slow.  For maximum flavor you will need to maintain a temperature about 200 to 225 degrees F. at all time. Figure 1 hour of smoking per pound of ribs.  One (1) full rack of ribs can be smoked in approximately 4 hours or more.  Do not speed up the cooking time by raising the temperature - your pork will end up tough and chewy!

  10. The last 1/2 hour of cooking, start brushing the ribs with the Pineapple Glaze.  Brush 2 to 3 more times during cooking.

  11. Ribs are done when they are tender enough to easily pull the meat from the bones and the internal temperature registers 180 to 200 degrees F. on your instant-read meat thermometer. Some people like their ribs cooked longer.

  12. When done, remove from smoker and let the smoked ribs rest for approximately 10 to 15 minutes before cutting them.  If you would like to add some of the Jalapeno Pineapple Barbecue Sauce at this time, brush the sauce over the ribs shortly before you remove them from the smoker.  Cut down the middle of each strip of meat between each rib bone.

  13. Serve the smoked ribs with the Jalapeno Pineapple Barbecue Sauce.

  14. Ben Weller tending to his smoked ribs

  15. Smoked Pork Ribs on the Barbecue

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Pork Dry Rub Seasoning Instructions:
  1. There are many commercial dry jerk seasonings widely available to purchase.  Here is one you can make from scratch at home:

  2. In a small jar with tight-fitting lid, shake together all dry ingredients until well-blended.  Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.

Pineapple Glaze Instructions:
  1. In a heavy saucepan, add the pineapple juice, vinegar, brown sugar, butter, and pepper.  Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, approximately 10 to 15 minutes until syrupy and the mixture is reduced to approximately 1 cup.  Remove from heat and let cool.

Jalapeno Pineapple Barbecue Sauce Instructions:
  1. In a heavy saucepan, add the pineapple juice, chile peppers, ginger, and cilantro.  Bring to a boil and cook until the liquid is reduced by 1/2.  Add the ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and soy sauce.  Let simmer until slightly thickened, approximately 10 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Remove from heat and let cool.

Recipe Notes

* Baby back ribs are cut from the lower back rib section of a pig's loin.  They are meatier and leaner than spare ribs, which come from the belly section.  Each rack usually contains 10 to 13 ribs and weighs 1.75 to 2 pounds.

Thermapen Internal Temperature Cooking ChartI get many readers asking what cooking/meat thermometer that I prefer and use in my cooking and baking. I, personally, use the Thermapen Thermometer. Originally designed for professional use, the Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is used by chefs all over the world.  I only endorse a few products, on my web site, that I like and use regularly.

You can learn more or buy yours at: Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer.

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Source: This great recipe is originally by Steven Raichlen and his website, Barbecue U.  This recipe has been slightly adapted.

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