Father’s Day is coming up, which means another reason to bring out the grill and have a good old-fashioned cookout. It is said that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach and that couldn’t be more true on such a day. Give Dad a break from the grill-master duties and instead, treat him to these amazing Mango Habanero Pork Ribs. All dads can appreciate a family BBQ, especially when presented with a big slab of St. Louis-style spareribs that’s been rubbed with plenty of spices and slathered with homemade BBQ sauce. When it comes to today’s special Father’s Day recipe, the secret is really in the sauce. Fresh mangoes add a sweet, luscious flavor while habanero chiles bring on the fiery heat, giving these ribs a bold tropical, summer twist. Serve classic summer BBQ dishes on the side such as Dutch Yellow® Potato Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette, Summer Slaw and Cornbread. Now that sounds like a proper Father’s Day dinner!
Though not quite as potent as Bhut Jolokias or ghost chiles, Habanero chiles still pack on the heat. Chile-heads may consider Habaneros the gateway chile into the realm of the hottest peppers. Residing on the Scoville scale at around 200,000 units, these chiles are considered among some of the hottest chiles in the world. Some people can handle the heat but there’s no denying that they must have handled with much caution. Habaneros have a unique lantern shape and can range in color from dark green to orange or orange-red to red when ripe. They also boast a distinct fruity, citrus-like flavor and pungent aroma. Combined with its fierce, intense heat, these chiles make an incredibly popular ingredient in many cuisines. Used sparingly, they add a rich, piquancy to sauces, salsas and chutneys and work especially well with sweet fruits such as tomatoes and of course, mangoes!
Mango Habanero Pork Ribs
Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 rack of spare ribs
- 2 tablespoons of salt
- 1 tablespoon of black pepper
- 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons of paprika
- 1 teaspoon of onion powder
- 1 teaspoon of dry ground mustard
- Cilantro, for garnish
For the mango habanero sauce
- 2 cups of mangoes, cut into chunks
- 2 habanero chiles, seeded and diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2/3 cup of brown sugar
- 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup of lime juice
- 1/2 cup of water
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of ketchup
- 1 tablespoon of molasses
- 2 teaspoons of ginger, grated
- Salt and pepper to taste
1. Begin by mixing together the dry rub. In a bowl, combine the salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder and dry ground mustard. Rub the mixture onto the ribs on both sides, making sure to coat the meat evenly.
2. Place the ribs on top of a baking sheet or large plate and cover with aluminum foil. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight for 12 hours for the best results.
3. To make the BBQ sauce, heat up the olive oil in a large pot and add the garlic, onion and ginger. Sauté for a few minutes, then add the rest of the ingredients to the mixture.
4. Bring the pot to a boil and simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes until it has thickened. Then, remove from the heat and allow for the sauce to cool.
5. Place the sauce into a blender and puree until smooth. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
6. Preheat your grill to medium high heat. While the grill is heating up, brush the ribs on both sides with the BBQ sauce.
7. Place the ribs meat-side down onto the grill and cover. Cook for 5 minutes and then flip the ribs over, brushing it with more BBQ sauce. Repeat this step every 5 minutes until the ribs have been cooking for about 20 minutes.
8. Remove the ribs from the heat and brush the top of the meat with the BBQ sauce one final time. Place them on top of a cutting board and divide up the pieces by cutting the racks. Serve any extra BBQ sauce on the side.
What do you plan to serve Dad on Father’s Day? How will you be celebrating Father’s Day this year?