Jalapeño Jerk Baby Back Ribs: Sweet, Hot Ribs With Pineapple

Jalapeño Jerk Baby Back Ribs are for anyone who wants both sweetness and a real sting. The combination of pineapple, jalapeño, cilantro, ginger, and the spicy rub tastes completely different from classic Memphis or Kansas City ribs.

Here I use baby back ribs. If you want more variations, we have a collection of rib recipes.

Marinate the Ribs

Remove the membrane from the bone side. Put the ribs in a large dish, slice the jalapeños, and chop the cilantro.

First, set aside ¾ cup + 1½ tbsp of clean pineapple juice for the BBQ sauce. Then pour the rest of the pineapple juice over the ribs together with the jalapeño and cilantro.

Let them marinate in the fridge for about 2 h–3 h. I don’t reuse the marinade that has touched raw pork for the sauce.

Make the BBQ Sauce

Combine the reserved clean pineapple juice with jalapeño, cilantro, and ginger in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce until the flavor has concentrated.

Add ketchup, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and soy sauce. Simmer until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper and let it cool.

Set Up the Grill

Cook indirect at about 230–255°F. On a kettle grill, the snake method works well.

This recipe works fine without extra smoking wood, since so much of the flavor already comes from the marinade, rub, and sauce. If you want to add smoke, I’d keep it mild and sparing.

How to Cook Jalapeño Jerk Baby Back Ribs

1. Take the ribs out of the marinade and pat the surface thoroughly dry.
2. Mix the rub and coat the ribs evenly.
3. Place them over indirect heat, meat side up.
4. Let them go until the bark has set before you start brushing.
5. Then brush on thin layers of the BBQ sauce toward the end of the cook.
6. Take them off when the ribs bend nicely and the surface cracks slightly between the bones.
7. Brush on one last thin layer before serving.

How Long Does It Take?

Baby back ribs are often done faster than big spare ribs. Count on roughly 4 h–5 h at 230–257°F, but let tenderness be your guide.

Adjust the Heat

If you want milder ribs, remove the seeds and membranes from some of the jalapeño and cut back on the chili powder. If you want more punch, leave everything in.

It should still taste like ribs, not just chili. When the pineapple, jalapeño, and jerk spices are in balance, it turns out really good.