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Flavorful Beer-Marinated Baby Back Ribs Recipe for Easy Smoky Chipotle BBQ

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This recipe features tender baby back ribs marinated in beer overnight and slathered with a smoky chipotle BBQ sauce, delivering bold flavor and juicy texture with an easy, approachable method.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 racks baby back ribs (about 2–3 pounds / 1–1.4 kg each), trimmed of excess fat
  • 12 oz (355 ml) lager or pale ale beer
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Prepare the marinade by whisking together beer, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cumin, brown sugar, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl.
  2. Place the baby back ribs in a large resealable plastic bag or shallow dish and pour the marinade over them. Seal or cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
  3. Make the chipotle BBQ sauce by combining chopped chipotle peppers, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer gently for 10-15 minutes until slightly thickened.
  4. Preheat grill to medium heat (300-350°F / 150-175°C). If using an oven, preheat to 300°F (150°C) and prepare a broiler pan.
  5. Remove ribs from marinade, letting excess drip off, and pat dry lightly with paper towels.
  6. Cook ribs bone-side down on the grill away from direct flames for 1.5 to 2 hours, turning every 20-30 minutes. During the last 30 minutes, baste ribs with chipotle BBQ sauce every 10 minutes.
  7. Check ribs for tenderness and meat pulling back from bones. Optionally wrap ribs in foil during the last hour to retain moisture.
  8. Let ribs rest for 10 minutes off heat before slicing and serving.

Notes

Marinate ribs overnight for best tenderness and flavor. Cook ribs low and slow at medium heat to keep them juicy. Baste with BBQ sauce only during the last 30 minutes to prevent burning. Use indirect heat on the grill to avoid flare-ups. Let ribs rest before slicing to retain juices. For oven cooking, bake wrapped in foil at 300°F for 2-2.5 hours, then broil with sauce for 5-10 minutes.

Nutrition

Keywords: beer-marinated ribs, baby back ribs, chipotle BBQ sauce, smoky ribs, easy BBQ recipe, grilled ribs, backyard BBQ

Find it online: https://sweetstirring.com/flavorful-beer-marinated-baby-back-ribs-recipe-for-easy-smoky-chipotle-bbq/