Make your grill and your belly happy with these Cherry Cola Chipotle Ribs. Go beyond barbecue sauce with a recipe that gives you tender ribs imbued with a rich, complex flavor.
What Makes These Cherry Cola Chipotle Ribs Irresistible?
I’ve loved cooking with soda ever since a Southern friend told me to “dump a can of root beer” into the ribs I was planning to make. I’ve been sold ever since.
This recipe takes that secret up a notch. The bright sweetness of cherry matches with sharp spices to create a tangy, sweet-and-sour flavor bomb in every bite.
Tips for Making Cherry Cola Chipotle Ribs
Use real soda. You won’t get the same tenderness or flavor with diet soda. The ribs need a combination of sugar and carbonation to get tender.
You can make these in a slow cooker. Put the ribs and the cola in the slow cooker and cook on low for five to six hours. During the last hour, mix the remaining sauce ingredients and pour the mixture over the ribs.
Use brown sugar. Brown sugar gives real depth to the flavor of these ribs. Does your brown sugar get hard? Learn how to keep it soft here.
What to Serve With Cherry Cola Chipotle Ribs
Mashed potatoes are the classic accompaniment for ribs. Try these easy mashed potatoes.
Since you already have the grill going, use it to roast some vegetables or make grilled corn.
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Thai Chicken Dinner – tender, moist and sticky chicken thighs packed with delicious flavor
- Sheet Pan Jambalaya – chock-full of bold, zesty, Creole flavors that everyone will love
- Carne Asada Street Tacos – the marinade is what gives them the authentic “street” taco flavor
- Margarita Baby Back Ribs – amazing flavor and take way less work than your typical rib recipe
Cherry Cola Chipotle Ribs
Cherry Cola Chipotle Ribs combine the bright sweetness of cherry with sharp spices to create a tangy, sweet-and-sour flavor bomb in every bite.
Ingredients
- 1 can Cherry Coke
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce chopped and seeded
- 2 tsp garlic minced
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup dried cherries
- 3 racks babyback ribs
- chipotle bbq dry rub
Instructions
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Tear off a long sheet of foil for each rack of rib.
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Sprinkle the dry rub onto the rib and rub until every inch is coated in the rub.
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Fold the foil over the rib and let sit for 30 minutes to an hour to absorb the flavor of the rub.
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Using a medium pot, add the coke and bring to a boil.
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Reduce heat and stir so that it doesn't burn.
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Add in the remaining ingredients except the ribs.
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Stir and bring to a boil.
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Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 8 minutes or until thick.
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Remove from heat and pour into a blender.
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Blend until smooth.
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Pour into a mason jar.
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Preheat grill.
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Once grill is heated, turn to low temp.
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Place rack of ribs onto the grill still wrapped in foil.
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Let ribs cook for 1 hour.
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Peel back the foil and brush on some Cherry Cola BBQ Sauce.
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Continue to cook the ribs for another hour before adding more BBQ sauce.
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After 2 hours of cooking time, peel the ribs off the foil and place directly onto the racks of the grill.
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Coat ribs in more BBQ sauce and let cook for 30-45 minutes.
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Once ribs are done, ENJOY!
