Strawberry Ancho BBQ Ribs

Nothing screams spring and summertime like barbecue! Especially these strawberry ancho barbecue ribs - by far the easiest, most delicious, fall-off-the-bone recipe I've ever made. The strawberries combined with the ancho chiles and smooth molasses create the perfect combination of sweet and smokey. As for the texture, the meat falls right off the bone. My husband asked me multiple times throughout dinner when I could make them again, they're that good!

Not only do these ribs taste phenominal, but the prep time is relatively short and the recipe is foolproof - perfect for parties! Keep in mind that the barbecue sauce takes about an hour to make, but you can eaily make it ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in your refrigerator. 

I'd love to hear what you think of these ribs! Feel free to let me know in the comment section below!

Ingredients:

For the ribs:

2 lb Pork spare ribs

2 quarts vegetable stock

¼ cup worcestershire

For the BBQ sauce:

16 oz strawberries, quartered

2 dried ancho chiles, stem and seeds removed, quartered

2 T canola oil

½ cup red wine vinegar

¼ cup molasses

1 tsp kosher kosher salt

Juice of 1 lemon

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Cut ribs into 4 pieces and generously season both sides with salt and pepper.

In a large pot with a lid, add the ribs, vegetable stock, and worcestershire sauce. Cover and bring to a simmer. Once brought to a simmer, place pot (still with the lid on) in oven and braise for 3 hours.

While the ribs are braising, heat a large saute pan over medium/high heat. Add 2 T canola oil and the dried ancho chiles, stir for 1 minute to soften chiles. Add quartered strawberries and stir to combine, cook for 3 minutes while stirring every 30 seconds.

Add the red wine vinegar and molasses, stir to combine, then simmer for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

Remove from pan into a blender, add 1 tsp kosher salt, the juice of one lemon, and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh strainer (gives a smooth consistency, but not a must if you don’t have). 

After 3 hours, remove pot from oven and let the ribs rest in the liquid at room temperature for 30 minutes. Carefully remove the ribs from the liquid and pat dry.

Grill until charred on both sides, then brush on bbq sauce and serve hot!