Sticky Pineapple Glazed Ribs with Spicy Cucumber Salad

Give your next barbecue a bold tropical flavour with these sticky pineapple-glazed pork ribs.

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 5 hours
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Pork Ribs

2 racks of baby back pork ribs

2 tsp Dijon mustard

¼ cup rib seasoning

120ml pineapple juice

Pineapple BBQ Glaze

¾ cup BBQ sauce

¼ cup pineapple juice

Spicy Cucumber Salad

3 Lebanese cucumbers, cut into irregular chunks

2 Tbsp chilli crisp oil

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp rice wine vinegar

1 tsp caster sugar

1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Method:

Pork Ribs

  1. Set up the the Matador Radiant II Kettle BBQ for indirect, low and slow cooking. Use heat beads in one basket to the side or use the Snake method - Lay briquettes 2x2 in a long curve around the edge of the kettle bowl and light from one end. Aim for a temperature of 107–135°C. Add 1L of hot water to an aluminium foil drip tray and place under the grill plates.
  2. Remove the tough membrane from the bone side of each rack of ribs. Trim away any excess fat. Spread 1 tablespoon of mustard over each rack and generously coat the ribs with the dry rub. Gently press the seasoning into the meat. Leave the seasoned ribs to sit for 30 minutes before cooking.
  3. Place the ribs bone-side down on the cooking grates above the foil drip tray. Cook the ribs for approximately 3 hours.
  4. After 2 hours, check whether the bark has set by gently rubbing a finger across the surface of the ribs. If the seasoning comes away on your finger as a wet paste, continue cooking until the bark feels dry and remains firmly attached to the meat.
  5. Once the bark has set, place each rack bone-side up on a double layer of aluminium foil. Pour 60ml pineapple juice over each rack. Fold the foil around the ribs to create a sealed parcel, taking care not to wrap or crimp the foil too tightly against the meat. Return the wrapped ribs to the barbecue bone-side up. Cook for a further 1.5 hours.
  6. Carefully open the foil and test the ribs using a wooden skewer. The ribs are ready when the skewer slides into the meat between the bones with very little resistance. Continue cooking in the foil if the meat still feels firm.
  7. To make the Pineapple BBQ Glaze, mix the BBQ sauce and pineapple juice together.
  8. Remove the ribs from the foil and return them to the barbecue bone-side down. Cook uncovered for approximately 15 minutes, or until the surface has dried slightly. Brush the meat side of each rack generously with the pineapple glaze. Continue cooking for another 15–20 minutes, or until the sauce is glossy, sticky and firmly adhered to the ribs. Rest the ribs.
  9. Place all the ingredients for the Cucumber Salad into a large bowl and mix to combine.
  10. Serve the ribs cut into individual ribs alongside the Cucumber Salad.