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Baby back ribs, carved into individual ribs and seasoned and smoked. We glaze the ribs with a hot honey sauce. The ribs yield the most epic bark compared to traditional ribs. The saucy glaze is caramelized with a blow torch to complete these Hot Honey Party Ribs
Party Ribs are sweeping the country. What’s not to love? Better bark and shorter cooking times than traditional ribs. We smoked these party ribs and served them over a bed of pork rinds (highly recommended). Or these double party ribs with a stout beer and molasses BBQ sauce.
These Hot Honey Party Ribs transform a slab of baby back ribs into a zesty finger food delight that would be welcome at any festive event. Party Ribs have become a “thing” recently so a marriage with the sweet heat of Hot Honey, which has also become a “thing”, seemed perfect to me.
Furthermore, we’ll create a flavor profile that will take this sliced slab of ribs into porcine perfections
Here’s a meaty slab of baby back ribs perfect for this effort.
To create Party Ribs slice the slab into individual bones.
Note: Following advice from other folks in the barbecue realm I decided to leave the membrane on. More on that later.
Let us know if you prefer the membrane off or on in the comments below.
How meaty is that?
Ready to add some layers of flavor.
Prior to applying seasoning/rubs slather with a binder to help the seasoning/rubs adhere to the meat.
I selected Duke’s Mayo (this is a Southern thing isn’t it?) and Cholula Hot Sauce.
Ingredients for the Party Ribs Binder:
- 1 slab of baby back ribs
- 1/4 cup Mayonnaise–whatever you have on hand but I like Duke’s
- 1 or 2 tablespoons of hot sauce–use your favorite
- Your favorite BBQ seasoning
Mix well and then pour over the meaty rib bones.
Get in there and coat the ribs thoroughly.
Note: Doing this step in a large resealable bag is another (easier?) method.
I selected these from the rub cabinets (yes I have more than one!).
The White Lightning is the “Spicy” version and the other is one of my favorite barbecue rubs for pork. Although use what you have but suggest keeping it zesty.
Dust the bones with the sweeter bbq rub first.
Coat it good, then coat it real good with the spicy rub!
Ready to hit the grill/smoker.
Shooting for a cook in the 275F-300F range inside the grill.
**Editor’s Note ~ Somebody tell that guy to clean that thermometer up so it can be read easily**
A chunk of oak and a chunk of hickory provided the smoke.
Some recipes for Party Ribs suggest not opening the grill/smoker during the cook.
Spritz, Spritz, Spritz
I decided to take a different route and began spritzing the ribs after the first half hour in the smoke. Baby backs, particularly the extra meaty ones, are leaner than spare ribs, thus subject more readily to drying out plus moisture attracts smoke. I’ve also learned that using small bottles of apple juice is more economical in my household. The ratio was 2:1 apple juice to apple cider vinegar:
Spritz Ingredients
- 8 ounces apple juice (or apple cider)
- 4 ounces apple cider vinegar
After the first hour, spritz every 15-20 minutes.
The pork party ribs are beginning to take on some great color after an hour.
The meaty rib bones are looking golden at the one hour 45 minute mark.
Now they’re in the 170F+ range:
It’s time to break out another layer of flavor, Andria’s Barbecue Sauce.
It’s a ‘zesty’ sauce from some of our favorite people. We are HUGE fans of the sauce and the makers of the sauce:
The smoked ribs (guess I can’t call them Party Ribs just yet) go into a disposable aluminum pan:
Drizzle the pan o’ bones with the barbecue sauce then cover with foil before heading back to the cooker:
After approximately 30 minutes or so the individual ribs are temping at 195F up to 204F (anything between 190F-205F range should be good).
How do they look?
While the baby backs were cooking on the grill/smoker the Hot Honey ‘Sawce’ was cooked up inside.
I borrowed this ‘Sawce’ recipe from a Nashville Hot Honey Wings collab of @themoneymichelle and @tfti.bbq. They applied this ‘sawce’ to chicken party wings so I thought it should work in Pork Party Ribs as well, right?!?
Hot Honey Sauce Ingredients:
- 3 tbsp salted butter melted (we used Kerry Gold)
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar (not shown)
- 1/4 cup hot honey-choose a brand
All ‘Sawce’ ingredients into a pot on the burner.
The Party Ribs removed from the grill and looking beautiful:
Transfer the ribs into a large bowl.
Next pour the Hot Honey ‘Sawce’ over the ribs.
I planned on performing this great pic and video of tossing the Party Ribs in the air as is frequently done with chicken wings but I ‘chickened out’. I coated the ribs with tongs instead:
Now, how do the Hot Honey Party Ribs look?
Transfer the wings to a platter to serve:
This one has the cook’s name on it!
“Goin’ in for that bite baby!” (channeling my best @bamagrillmaster voice).
Perfect bite! But, how hot was it??
Not as spicy as I expected. More well balanced/nuanced than anything.
Almost forgot a step.
Time for that blowtorch to caramelize the glaze:
Then another dusting with the BBQ Rub.
Scallions added for garnish.
A closeup of the bite:
Hot Honey Party Ribs Recap:
How was this Hot Honey Party Ribs recipe? The wife and I performed the obligatory taste test and found the heat level was not all that high. Indeed, the multiple layers of flavor came through above expectations and we polished off the entire slab for dinner. We thought the ‘Sawce’ flavors melded wonderfully. Would I cook this recipe again? Definitely. The ribs were perfectly cooked in 2 1/2 hours and I could see that being shortened to 2 hours.
Would I do anything differently? Yes. Next time I would remove the membrane for better bite through. I’d kick up the heat just a tad (what the hell is a tad anyway?) but, that being said. not everyone wants to breathe fire at a party.
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Recipe Card:
Hot Honey Party Ribs
Equipment
- 1 Large mixing bowl
- 1 Plumbers torch
- 1 Large mixing bowl Optional (you could just use the foil pans)
Ingredients
Party Ribs Binder
- 1 slab Pork ribs
- ¼ cup Mayonnaise
- 1-2 tablespoons Hot sauce
- Your favorite BBQ seasoning
- ½ cup Your favorite BBQ sauce
Spritz
- 8 ounces Apple juice Or cider
- 4 ounces Apple cider vinegar
Hot Honey Sauce
- 3 tablespoons Melted butter
- 1 tablespoon Brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon Smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup Hot honey
Instructions
- Slice the ribs into individual bones and place in a large mixing bowl
- Mix the mayo and the hot sauce and pour over the top of the individual sliced ribs. Work the ribs around the binder until coated completely. Season liberally with your favorite BBQ seasoning and work that around to coat completely
- Prepare the grill for two zine grilling with coals and smoke wood on one side and the ribs on the other. Target temperature inside the grill is 250F-300F
- Place the ribs on the side of the grill with no direct heat, making sure the ribs are not touching each other.
- Combine the spritz ingredients in a squirt bottle and start spritzing after the ribs have been on the grill for an hour and the rub has set. Keep spritzing every 15 minutes or so until the ribs are done.
- When the ribs hit 175F or so internal, transfer them to a disposable aluminum pan and drizzle with the BBQ sauce. Foil the top of the pan and place back on the grill for 30-40 minutes.
- While the ribs are steaming in the sauce, combine the ingredients for the hot honey sauce. Remove the ribs from the grill, pour over the hot honey sauce and place back on the grill for 20 minutes to tack up the sauce.
- Remove the ribs from the grill, blast with a blow torch, dust with a little more BBQ seasoning, garnish with green onions (optional), and serve.
Video
We garnished with some fresh corn that was simply shucked and quickly grilled.
Grilled corn is the best:
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