Think tangy, sweet, and finger lickin’ good. Tell me that doesn’t sound good?!! That’s exactly what these Grilled Ribs with Tamarind Chipotle BBQ Sauce are all about. Warning: You will need lots of napkins to eat them. Maybe also add a sunny day and good friends. No grilling your friends though!! .. unless that’s the type of relationship you have. LOL!
For us in Mexico, tamarind is a big deal. We make Agua de Tamarindo, candies, and all sorts of desserts. Our candy in Mexico is nothing like the overly sugary stuff you find at American grocery checkout lines. There is a balance between sweet and spicy in Mexican desserts. That combo is exactly why this BBQ sauce goes great on ribs.
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The flavor combination in this Tamarind Chipotle BBQ sauce is out of this world! Tangy from the tamarind. Sweet from the brown sugar
Let me give you the 411 on how to make falling-off-the-bone ribs. I start them in the oven and finish them off on the grill. Makes life a lot easier than sitting by the grill all day.
How To Cook Grilled Ribs with Tamarind Chipotle BBQ Sauce:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Wrap room-temperature ribs in aluminum foil.
- Cook for 2 hours for baby back ribs, or 3 hours for spare ribs.
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
- Grill ribs for 7-10 minutes on each side, basting
with BBQ sauce.
- Remove and serve.
with BBQ sauce.
Grilled Ribs with Tamarind Chipotle BBQ Sauce are so yummy! Full of bold, robust flavors with just the right amount of sweetness and some spice at the end of each bite. They make the perfect summer grilling foods. Hope you enjoy!
- 1 pound tamarind pods
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 chipotle chile (or, 2 if you want it spicier)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1½ cups ketchup
- ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp. Molasses
- 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- Pinch ground cloves
- 2 slabs of ribs
- For the sauce:
- Crack open the tamarind pods.
- Peel the shells and fibers.
- Put fruit in 2 cups of water in a large stock pot.
- Cover and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let cool. (about 20 minutes)
- Push the pulp through the strainer with the back of a spoon.
- Strain, discarding the seeds and any fibers.
- Set mixture aside.
- In a large saucepan, sauté onion.
- Add tamarind pulp and the rest of the ingredients.
- Bring to a gentle simmer then reduce the heat to low.
- Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add mixture to a blender.
- Blend until smooth.
- Set aside until ready to use, or store for 2 weeks in the fridge.
- For the Ribs:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Wrap room-temperature ribs in aluminum foil.
- Cook for 2 hours for baby back ribs, or 3 hours for spare ribs.
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
- Grill ribs for 7-10 minutes on each side, basting with BBQ sauce.
- Remove and serve.
Crystal Green says
These ribs look like they would be delicious. I love mixing sweet with spicy flavors. I’ve never heard of tamarind until now, but it sounds like a staple worth adding to food.
Maggie Unzueta says
It is. Love tamarind. Thank you for your comment. 🙂
Mike says
Wow this look so yummy