Tequila Lime Bbq Ribs

Baby back ribs glazed with a delicious Tequila-Lime BBQ sauce.

Sweet heat, sticky, tender, melt-in-your mouth deliciousness. Ribs so good your guests will think you ordered them from the best BBQ joint in town. Yet, they are made on your gas grill, in the comfort of your backyard.

The ribs are generously seasoned with a creole spice rub, then cooked low and slow. Wrapped with butter, brown sugar, and a splash of beer from a local craft beer spot. Then cooked until tender and juicy.

Before serving, the ribs are lightly charred on the grill, then slathered with a delicious Tequila-Lime BBQ sauce. Grilled a few minutes more for the sauce to get nice and tacky. Served with a pot of warm sauce for drizzling. These are finger-lickin’ good and super simple to make on a gas grill.

1. Preheat your grill to approximately 300°F, with a section for indirect cooking large enough to accommodate a half sheet pan.
2. If you have a smoker box, fill it with apple or cherry wood (soak the chips in water for at least 30 minutes before) and place it over the direct heat.
3. Prepare the Ribs. Place the ribs, meat side down, and using a paper towel to grip the membrane, remove it from the back of the rack.
4. Season both sides of the ribs with the creole seasoning.
5. Place the two racks of ribs, meat side up, on a half sheet pan with a rack. Let the ribs sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
6. Place the sheet pan onto the preheated grill over the indirect heat section of the grill. Close the lid and cook for two hours, rotating the racks or the sheet pan every 30 minutes.
7. Make the Tequila-Lime BBQ Sauce. Combine ketchup, brown sugar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, pepper, garlic, mustard, and paprika in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, add tequila, lime juice and simmer for 10 minutes. Store in the refrigerator up to one week.
8. Wrap the Ribs. After the two hours have elapsed, wrap the ribs in aluminum foil to finish the cook. Lay out 2 long pieces of aluminum foil (double thickness highly recommended). Then spread out 5 pats of butter down the centre of the foil the length of a rack of ribs. Add a sprinkle of brown sugar (3 tablespoons/rack) over the butter and then drizzle the flavoured beer, hard cider or apple juice (3 tablespoons/rack). Lay the ribs meat side down on the butter mixture. Close the foil tightly to avoid leaks.
9. Place the wrap ribs directly on the grill grates over very low heat the ribs to continue to cook until meat has started to pull back from the bone.
10. Cook for 60 to 70 minutes more until the ribs are tender and have reached an internal temp of 200°F.
11. Finish the Ribs. Remove the ribs from the grill and place them on a sheet pan. Carefully open the foil packages as they are full of steaming hot liquid.
12. Return the ribs to the grill and cook over medium-low heat until a light char begins to form. 3 to 4 minutes per side.
13. Apply the Tequila-Lime BBQ sauce with a brush.
14. Let the ribs cook over low heat just long enough for the sauce to get tacky. Careful not to leave them on too long as the sugar in the sauce will burn.
15. Slice and Serve. Remove the ribs to a cutting board. Rest for a few minutes before slicing. Serve with more BBQ and enjoy!