Baby Back Pork Ribs with Peach Barbecue Sauce

babybackribspeachbarbecuesauce Ribs with Peach Barbecue Sauce are super tender and full of bold, sweet and savoury flavours. They cook low and slow, but the hands-on part is minimal. These scrumptious ribs are baked first, then finished on the grill or under the broiler. Don’t be afraid to use the shortcuts below if you’re feeling a bit lazy or short on time. The ribs will still be delicious.

1 (2 lb) rack baby back pork ribs (900 g)

Dry Rub:
1 Tbsp. ground smoked paprika
½ Tbsp. chili powder
½ Tbsp. garlic powder
½ Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. sea salt

Bourbon Peach Barbecue Sauce:
⅓ cup Bourbon, optional (79 mL)
¾ cup ketchup (200 g)
2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar, light sugar or maple syrup
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
¾ Tbsp. onion powder
¾ tsp. garlic powder, or 1 minced clove garlic
¾ Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 cup fresh peaches, diced (~ 4 small peaches)

Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C/130°C fan, Gas Mark 2). Line a pan with tin foil.

Make the Rub:
Combine all rub ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk to blend well.

Prepare the Ribs:
Pat the ribs dry. Remove the silver skin (membrane) on the back of the ribs. Cut the rack in half. Generously sprinkle rub on both sides of ribs. Wrap each half separately in foil then place on pan. Cover entire pan with another piece of foil. To enhance flavour, season ribs, wrap them and leave them in the fridge over night.

Bake the Ribs:
Place pan in the preheated oven and bake for 2 hours or until the tip of a knife slides easily into meat. If your ribs are meatier, you might need 2.5 hrs. (Ribs can be cooled, then refrigerated for up to 2 days at this point in sealed bags or container.)

Make the Sauce:
While ribs are baking: Bring bourbon to boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in rest of ingredients with a wooden spoon. Bring to boil, then lower to medium heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes until thickened. If not thick enough, uncover and simmer another 5 minutes. If you don't like any chunks in the sauce, you can blend the peach mixture until smooth with an immersion blender. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Glaze and Finish on the Grill:
Spray oil on a clean gas grill (or charcoal) and heat to medium-high heat. If ribs were cooked earlier and are now cold, bring them to room temperature first or add more grill time. Brush sauce onto ribs. Place ribs on grill and grill for 4-6 minutes until char marks form, flipping once. Brush on additional sauce, cut into serving pieces and serve.

Cook's Notes:

To Broil (instead of grill): Place warm or room temperature ribs meat side down in a single layer on foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Sauce the side facing up and broil about 6" from heat for 3 minutes . Flip over. Sauce the meaty side and broil another 3-4 minutes or until heated through and beginning to brown.

Substitutes:

Ribs: use St Louis-style ribs instead of back ribs. They may need to bake longer.
Dry Rub: Use any rub you like for chicken or ribs, including a store-bought rub.
Brown Sugar: Use honey or maple syrup instead.
Apple Cider Vinegar: Use white vinegar or lemon juice instead.
Fresh Peaches: Use ½ cup of peach jam/preserves and cut the brown sugar in half.
Peach Barbecue Sauce: Use a cup of your favourite store-bought or homemade sauce, then add the bourbon and peaches as per the recipe.

Variations:

Omit the bourbon if you prefer.
Try chicken instead of ribs, adding the sauce in the last 10 minutes on the grill.
Looking for spicy peach BBQ sauce? Add a pinch or two of red chili flakes while it’s cooking.
Prefer a smooth or chunky peach BBQ sauce? I like it with pieces of peach, but if you prefer it smooth, blend the sauce with an immersion blender.

Shortcuts:

Instead of pre-baking the ribs for 2 hours, use the boil or instant pot method found in our pork loin back ribs recipe.
What kind of ribs to buy? I stick to two types of ribs:
Baby Back Ribs: these are tender and less fatty that other types. I buy these most often. Each rack is 1.5-2 lbs (680-900g) and will serve 2 people.
St Louis-Style Ribs (or spare ribs): these are meatier, very flavourful (due to more fat) and tender. Each rack is closer to 3-3.5 lbs (1.36-1.59kg) and will serve 3-4 people.

Make-Ahead:

Prep Ahead: The rub can be made ahead then sprinkled on the ribs a day before to enhance flavour. Refrigerate, covered.
The Peach Barbecue Sauce can also be made several days ahead. Store it separately in the fridge. Feel free to make a double batch of the sauce and keep the leftovers for chicken another time.
Cook Ribs Ahead: Cook ribs, cool them after baking, then refrigerate in a sealed bag or container. To finish the ribs, bring them to room temperature if you have time, then grill or broil them as per the recipe.