These Smoky Apricot BBQ Sticky Ribs Will Be a Guest Favourite

The popularity and excellent PR of an August peach has cast a shadow on the poor apricot, which makes me believe that apricots are the most underrated fruit of Ontario. Not only wonderful eaten fresh from the market but in a sticky barbecue sauce, an apricot will bring out the best of these grilled rib’s smoky flavours (which may have gone barely noticed otherwise). Always, always, always pick a good-quality meat; your ribs will be as good as the farm the animals were raised on. I like to serve my ribs with a side of potatoes made however my guests like them. If you have time, marinate these ribs 1 day ahead of grilling—that 24 hours will make them even better.

Apricot BBQ Sticky Ribs

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 4 pounds (1.8 kilograms) beef back ribs
• Kosher salt, to season

Sticky Apricot BBQ Sauce

• 4 ripe apricots, stoned and roughly chopped
• ½ cup (125 mL) extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup (60 mL) canola oil 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup (60 mL) honey
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper, to season

Directions

Season the ribs with salt and place evenly across a shallow baking dish.

Place the apricots, olive and canola oils, garlic, honey, mustard, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper into a blender and blend on high until a smooth sauce has formed. Pour the sauce over the ribs in the baking dish. Cover the dish and marinate the ribs for 6 to 24 hours in the refrigerator.

Preheat a well-oiled grill to 250ºF (120ºC). Wipe excess marinade off the ribs. Close the grill and cook the ribs for 1 hour and 20 minutes, flipping every 20 minutes (and with an internal temperature of 160ºF/71ºC; see Note). Transfer the ribs to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Note: The only accurate way to check when your ribs are done is checking their internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer. Ribs are safe to eat at any point after 160ºF (71ºC) but will be fall-off-the-bone at 190ºF (88ºC).

Excerpted from Peak Season by Deirdre Buryk. Copyright © 2022 Deirdre Buryk. Photography © 2021 Janette Downie. Published by Appetite by Random House, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.

Next: A Kebab Recipe Worth Adding to Your BBQ Menu