Recipe Baby Back Ribs with Dark Chocolate Rub and Dark Chocolate BBQ Sauce

caseydog

caseydog

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Baby Back Ribs with Dark Chocolate Rub and Dark Chocolate BBQ Sauce

Chocolate Chipotle BBQ Rub

4 TBSP 100% Cocoa Powder
6 TBSP Dark Brown Sugar
4 TBSP Kosher Salt
3 TBSP Smoked Paprika
3 TBSP Course Ground Black Pepper
2 TBSP Finely Ground Chipotle (Dried and Smoked Jalapeño) Pepper
2 TBSP Granulated Garlic

Combine in a food processor and pulse until homogenous.

Chocolate Chili BBQ Sauce

3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
3/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 Cup water
1/3 Cup Tomato Paste
6 TBSP 100% Cocoa Powder
1 TBSP Worcestershire Sauce
1 TSP Vanilla Extract
1 TSP Kosher Salt
1/2 TSP Finely Ground Chipotle Pepper
One Finely Diced Sweet Onion
4 Cloves Finely Diced Garlic

Sweat the onions and garlic in a sauce pan over medium-high heat. Then add the liquids. Then add the rest of the ingredients. The cocoa powder will be stubborn, but it will eventually incorporate. Just keep stirring. Bring to a light boil, and reduce heat to simmer for about 30 minutes.


CocoaRibs001.jpg


Ribs with rub before smoking...

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CD
 
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BTW, I put the rub on the ribs the night before, wrapped them in foil, and parked them in the fridge. There is debate among BBQ people as to whether it is any better than rubbing the meat right before smoking. I don't think it makes a noticeable difference. I did it for convenience -- to have everything ready to go when I was ready to light the coals. You do you.

CD
 
I love this...it wasn't clear to me from your initial post that you actually have 2 recipes here. I was trying to come up with a steak rub, but I think I will use yours, since it looks great. But, how potent is the chipotle powder in the rub? I found out that mixing too much into the mole I made created a sauce that was a bit over the heat threshold I wanted. Still delicious, but very spicy. The amount in the sauce looks just right for a mild-medium level of heat.
 
The Late Night Gourmet said:
I love this...it wasn't clear to me from your initial post that you actually have 2 recipes here. I was trying to come up with a steak rub, but I think I will use yours, since it looks great. But, how potent is the chipotle powder in the rub? I found out that mixing too much into the mole I made created a sauce that was a bit over the heat threshold I wanted. Still delicious, but very spicy. The amount in the sauce looks just right for a mild-medium level of heat.
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The chipotle I used was made from my home grown peppers. It was really potent. The amount I used made the rub pretty spicy, but it mellowed some during the long smoking time (four hours). It turned out just right for my taste -- hot, but not crazy hot.

The nice thing about rubs is that you can taste and add as you make it, so you can start with less chipotle, and add more if you want it hotter. That's how I made the rub for this recipe. I played with it until I got it where I wanted it, taking notes as I played. Afterwards, I used my notes to write up the recipe.

The ribs turned out on the spicier side, with good smoke flavor (hickory). The sauce was on the sweeter side, with mild heat and more cocoa flavor. The acid in the vinegar balances the fat in the ribs. The sauce complemented the ribs, which is what a sauce should do, IMO.

BTW, if anyone can't get chipotle peppers, any dried hot chilis should work.

CD
 
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Thanks for re-igniting this recipe JamesStrange. I'd forgot how wonderful it looks. And I just noticed the inclusion of vanilla extract in the ingredients for the sauce. I don't know if that is unusual in a BBQ sauce but its new to me.
 
Morning Glory said:
Thanks for re-igniting this recipe JamesStrange. I'd forgot how wonderful it looks. And I just noticed the inclusion of vanilla extract in the ingredients for the sauce. I don't know if that is unusual in a BBQ sauce but its new to me.
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It was new to me, too. That sauce recipe is a combination of what I've done in the past, and some ideas I got from other people's recipes. The vanilla extract was in one of those recipes, and sounded interesting. Since I make my own vanilla extract, and don't use much of it, I figured I would give it a try.

CD
 
Morning Glory said:
You do? How interesting. How do you do that?
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It is super easy, but it takes a long time. You just slice some vanilla beans lengthwise, put them in a mason jar (about six whole beans per quart of liquid), and fill the jar with vodka (the more neutral in flavor, the better). It takes about at least three months for the vanilla beans to flavor the vodka. I let mine go about six months. Keep it in a cool, dark place, like a pantry. Shake the jar gently every few days to agitate the contents-- I do it every day, when I can.

I usually start a few jars during the summer, and I have vanilla to give to my friends who bake by Christmas.

CD
 
caseydog said:
It is super easy, but it takes a long time. You just slice some vanilla beans lengthwise, put them in a mason jar (about six whole beans per quart of liquid), and fill the jar with vodka (the more neutral in flavor, the better). It takes about at least three months for the vanilla beans to flavor the vodka. I let mine go about six months. Keep it in a cool, dark place, like a pantry. Shake the jar gently every few days to agitate the contents-- I do it every day, when I can.

I usually start a few jars during the summer, and I have vanilla to give to my friends who bake by Christmas.

CD
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What a cool idea. Now, I want to make an extra large batch, with part of it labeled "Vanilla Extract" and part of it labeled "Vanilla-infused Vodka". I have a feeling the intensity of the vanilla flavor is much greater than in commercially-available vodkas.
 
The Late Night Gourmet said:
What a cool idea. Now, I want to make an extra large batch, with part of it labeled "Vanilla Extract" and part of it labeled "Vanilla-infused Vodka". I have a feeling the intensity of the vanilla flavor is much greater than in commercially-available vodkas.
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Oh, you don't want to drink this stuff. The flavor is VERY strong, and not pleasant on its own. It is for cooking and baking only. I suppose you could put a small amount in a cocktail.

CD
 
caseydog said:
Oh, you don't want to drink this stuff. The flavor is VERY strong, and not pleasant on its own. It is for cooking and baking only. I suppose you could put a small amount in a cocktail.

CD
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Thank you for the warning...I suppose if I wanted to make "vanilla infused vodka", I'd take the vanilla beans out after a few days.

I have vanilla beans that I forgot about in the back of my pantry. They're bone dry, but it seems that this would be a perfect use for them.
 
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