There are so many reasons to love spareribs, and we’re sharing our recipe for Grilled Jalapeno Pineapple Spareribs, which may just be the best grilling recipe you need this summer.
Grilled Jalapeno Pineapple Spareribs
It’s nearly summertime, and that means one thing: lots of backyard grilling! Households all across the country are getting ready to fire up grills, stoke fires, and cook their favorite meats over an open flame.
Like so many, I grew up on ribs cooked using charcoal and wood smoke, and in my opinion, there’s no other way to grill.
And that’s not me being a snob or a purist; it’s just that food in general, and meat in particular, tastes better when cooked using charcoal and wood smoke.
But as picky as I am about charcoal and wood, I am just as critical about the cuts of meat I prepare for my family.
One of the things I look for in ribs is consistency of quality and flavor, and I find both in Smithfield® Extra Tender Fresh Pork Spareribs.
Everything I look for in ribs, like tenderness, fat distribution, and lots of meat, is front and center, which is why I select Smithfield Extra Tender Pork Spareribs for my family.
Most of us are staying at home a lot more these days, and eating at home has become more important than ever.
So, when I cook Smithfield products, I know it’s a name I can trust to deliver the best flavor.
Want to learn the best tips and techniques for cooking delicious and juicy barbecue?
Pro-tip: Top Secrets to Grilling Better Ribs
What You Will Need To Cook Our Grilled Jalapeno Pineapple Spareribs:
Spareribs. For feeding a crowd, there’s no other choice regarding ribs. Spareribs are big and juicy, and when cooked correctly, they fall off the bone perfectly. Naturally, my ribs of choice are Smithfield® Extra Tender Fresh Pork Spareribs.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil. You can use any cooking oil you prefer, but I like EVOO because it imparts flavor and isn’t just a medium for the rest of the herbs and spices you use to flavor the meat.
Coarse Sea Salt and Black Peppercorns. Well-seasoned meat often starts with the basics. I season the spareribs with coarse sea salt and freshly cracked black peppercorns.
Rib Rub. For this recipe, I used a brown sugar rib rub, but you can use whatever kind you want. I enjoy the sweetness of a brown sugar-based rib rub because the brown sugar complements the sweetness of the pineapple.
Fresh Jalapenos. I used seven (7) large jalapeno peppers and cut them using a mandoline. I like the taste of jalapeno peppers because they pair well with the sweetness of the pineapple and the au jus from the cooked spareribs.
Pineapple. You can’t make our Grilled Jalapeno Pineapple Spareribs with one of the namesake ingredients, right? I recommend using canned pineapple rings in syrup because they’re the sweetest, but you can use fresh or canned pineapple, whatever you have on hand.
Grilled Jalapeno Pineapple Spareribs
13 Servings
Ingredients:
- 1 slab of Smithfield® Extra Tender Fresh Pork Spareribs
- 2 tablespoons of EVOO
- 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
- 1/2 tablespoon of freshly cracked black peppercorns
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar rib rub (below)
- 2 cans of sliced pineapple
- 7 large fresh jalapenos
Directions:
- Get your grill started and heated to 350-400°F.
- Rinse the spareribs with cold water and pat dry with several paper towels.
- Allow the ribs to sit on the counter for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Brush the ribs on both sides with EVOO and season with coarse sea salt and freshly cracked black peppercorns.
- Generously coat both sides of the ribs with the light brown sugar rub mixture.
- Use a mandoline or a sharp chef’s knife to thinly slice the jalapenos and drain the juice from the sliced pineapple. Reserve the pineapple juice for later.
- Tear off two lengths of aluminum foil, allowing four to six inches on both ends.
- Brush a tablespoon of olive oil onto a single sheet of foil. Place a can of pineapple rings onto the foil in a straight overlapping line. Scatter three sliced jalapenos over the pineapple slices. Then, place the ribs directly over the pineapple and jalapeno peppers.
- Fold the ends and sides of the foil over the ribs; this will create a kind of elongated bowl in which the ribs, pineapple, and jalapenos will cook.
- Place the spareribs on the preheated grill about 6-8 inches away from the hot coals and cook for 2 1/2 hours, turning them about every half hour to ensure that they cook evenly.
- Then transfer the ribs to the center rack at 250°F and cook for an additional 2 hours.
- Remove the ribs and place them on top of a cutting board.
- Let the ribs rest for 15 minutes, then slice them.
- Combine 1/2 cup pineapple juice, 1/2 cup pan drippings, and two tablespoons light brown sugar with 1 1/2 cups of your favorite barbecue sauce and mix well. Use this as a dipping sauce for the spareribs.
- Serve.
Here’s my brown sugar rib rub recipe:
1/2 cup light brown sugar, 1/4 cup smoked paprika, one tablespoon freshly cracked black peppercorns, one tablespoon coarse sea salt, one tablespoon granulated garlic, one tablespoon Old Bay seasoning, one tablespoon onion powder, two tablespoons ground chili powder or smoked ground red chipotle, two tablespoons chili lime seasoning, and two teaspoons cayenne pepper.
Where do spareribs come from?
Where do spareribs come from?Spareribs are sourced from pork or beef, and they are the cut of meat taken from the lower portion of the pig, which includes the belly and breastbone area, behind the shoulder, and includes up to a baker’s dozen (13) worth of long bones.
How do you prepare spareribs for grilling?
I always rinse off ribs and pat them dry using a couple of paper towels.
I then rub both sides of the ribs with extra virgin olive oil, add liberal amounts of sea salt, and freshly cracked black peppercorns.
I add a rib rub; I am partial to brown sugar rubs when it comes to ribs.
How long do I cook spareribs?
Typically, I cook my spareribs on a charcoal grill with chunks of hickory wood for 2-3 hours between 350-400°F degrees.
For this recipe, I cooked the spareribs on the grill for 2 1/2 hours and finished them in the oven at 250°F for two additional hours.
When the spareribs are cooking on the grill, they are cooked using indirect heat, which means the meat isn’t placed directly over the hot coals.
Instead, they are cooked away from the hot coals. Make sure to turn, not flip, the ribs a few times to ensure they are cooked evenly through.
Ribs are done when they reach an internal temperature of 145°F.
What do I serve with spareribs?
You can serve whatever you want to serve.
Still, some traditional sides include but are not limited to potato salad, coleslaw, roasted potatoes, cheesy mac and cheese, collard coleslaw, turnip, or mustard greens, a nice garden salad, or buttery sweet corn on the cob.
The best spareribs are cooked over hot charcoal and big chunks of water-soaked hickory wood.
The water-soaked hickory wood creates more smoke, which means perfectly cooked spareribs with a deep smoky flavor.
Now that you have the recipe, it’s time to make our Grilled Jalapeno Pineapple Spareribs for your next family backyard cookout.
To make things easy, visit your local Walmart to pick up everything you need for backyard grilling.
Find more grilling recipes below:
Sticky Strawberry Baby Back Ribs
Grilled Jalapeno Pineapple Spareribs
Ingredients
- 1 slab of Smithfield® Extra Tender Fresh Pork Spareribs
- 2 tablespoons of EVOO
- 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
- 1/2 tablespoon of freshly cracked black peppercorns
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar rib rub below
- 2 cans of sliced pineapple
- 7 large fresh jalapenos
Instructions
- Get your grill started and heated to 350-400°F.
- Rinse the spareribs with cold water and pat dry with several paper towels.
- Allow the ribs to sit on the counter for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Brush the ribs on both sides with EVOO and season with coarse sea salt and freshly cracked black peppercorns.
- Generously coat both sides of the ribs with the light brown sugar rub mixture.
- Use a mandoline or a sharp chef's knife to thinly slice the jalapenos and drain the juice from the sliced pineapple. Reserve the pineapple juice for later.
- Tear off two lengths of aluminum foil, allowing four to six inches on both ends.
- Brush a tablespoon of olive oil onto a single sheet of foil. Place a can of pineapple rings onto the foil in a straight overlapping line. Scatter three sliced jalapenos over the pineapple slices. Then, place the ribs directly over the pineapple and jalapeno peppers.
- Fold the ends and sides of the foil over the ribs; this will create a kind of elongated bowl in which the ribs, pineapple, and jalapenos will cook.
- Place the spareribs on the preheated grill about 6-8 inches away from the hot coals and cook for 2 1/2 hours, turning them about every half hour to ensure that they cook evenly.
- Then transfer the ribs to the center rack at 250°F and cook for an additional 2 hours.
- Remove the ribs and place them on top of a cutting board.
- Let the ribs rest for 15 minutes, then slice them.
- Make the BBQ sauce- Combine 1/2 cup pineapple juice, 1/2 cup pan drippings, and two tablespoons light brown sugar with 1 1/2 cups of your favorite barbecue sauce and mix well. Use this as a dipping sauce for the spareribs.
- Serve.
Notes
This is a previously sponsored post. | Updated 6/2022
Burgh the Ribman says
This is a wonderful thing, you made my day! Ribs are thawing right now
Bruce Johnson says
Looks awesome. Unless I overlooked it; A print recipe button would helpful.
T Worthey says
Hi Bruce! Thanks for stopping by! I don’t think the recipe card was showing up, so it’s there now. Thank you!