For this recipe, I decided to crowd source some ideas on Instagram, and the overwhelming response was “ribs.” But I really wanted to fall-ify them (is that a word?), and that’s how these Apple Maple Cinnamon Ribs were born.
Let’s talk meat for a moment. I get virtually all of my meat products from Crowd Cow. They work exclusively with small, independent farms to source the very best pasture-raised meat. (Shameless plug, but if you use code JAYMEE, you should get 5% off all recurring subscription boxes.) I tested this recipe with both baby back ribs and St. Louis style spareribs, and am happy to report it works great with both!
I’m usually not a huge proponent of wet brines. (I wrote all about it here for Thanksgiving a couple years back.) For turkeys, I usually recommend a dry salt brine for 3 days. The reasoning is because the salt solution is generally just pulling water into your meat. However, when the solution is made of fresh apple cider, I am all for it! By combining the salt with a little cinnamon and apple cider, it imparts a subtle apple flavor to the ribs, while ensuring they are tender and juicy.
I also decided to make a fall-inspired BBQ sauce. Since we had recently returned home from apple picking at Fishkill Farms, I used an apple from there. (Same place I purchased the cider also!) On a recommendation from my friend Kim, I also used the last bit of frozen huckleberries I purchased several months ago. (If you can’t find huckleberries, you can try subbing with blueberries.) I got some heat from a canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, as well as a pepper we got from the farm. There’s also some familiar BBQ flavors like molasses, maple and bourbon. I made it in the slow cooker since we were planning to be out of the house most of the day. However, you could also make this on the stovetop in much less time.
**Do not skip the straining step. This will remove any fruit or vegetable skins and any solids from the apple. Otherwise, it will have sort of an apple sauce consistency.
For the rub, I added two non-traditional ingredients to further the fall theme. I had some Maple Sugar from Spice House, so I used that in place of brown sugar. (However, if you can’t find maple sugar, brown sugar would still taste great!) I also added just a hint of cinnamon. (Like, just 1/4 teaspoon.) The first time I made these I used 1/2 teaspoon and it was just a tad strong. Also keep in mind that freshly ground or grated cinnamon is much more potent than the jarred variety, so you might need to adjust accordingly. The rest of the rub contains your usual suspects like ground mustard, chile powder, cayenne, onion, garlic, etc.
Since we do not have access to the grill in our building currently, I cooked these low and slow in the oven. Simply wrap in foil with meaty side down and cook at 225 for 3-4 hours. Unwrap, flip and brush with your Apple Huckleberry BBQ sauce. Put them back in the oven uncovered at 350 for another 30 minutes.
Brush with more BBQ sauce and serve! These were definitely heavy on the fall vibes, but I kind loved it. If you are a BBQ traditionalist, these probably aren’t for you, but if you are open to a new variation, give them a shot! And if you do, please let me know how they come out!
These ribs are Fall AF! Try them for a seasonal switch-up from your regular ribs. FOR THE APPLE CIDER BRINE: Combine apple cider, salt and cinnamon stick in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and stir until salt dissolves. Cool completely and discard cinnamon stick. Place ribs meat side down in a large baking dish. Pour cider mixture over the top, making sure ribs are completely submerged. (Can add a little more cider or filtered water if necessary.) Cover and place in the refrigerator for 24 hours. FOR THE APPLE HUCKLEBERRY BBQ SAUCE: Combine all sauce ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 3-4 hours. Cool slightly and carefully transfer to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Strain into a small saucepan (or back into the slow cooker if it has a "reduce" or "sauté" function) using a fine mesh sieve to remove any solids. Reduce sauce over medium heat until thickened to your liking. Test for seasoning and add more salt or brown sugar if necessary to achieve a good balance of sweet, savory and spicy. Can be stored up to two weeks in the refrigerator. FOR THE MAPLE CINNAMON RUB: Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. FOR THE RIBS: Pre-heat oven to 225 degrees. Remove ribs from brine and season liberally with the rub, using your fingers to work it into the meat. (You may have leftover rub that can be stored in an airtight container for future use.) Allow ribs to come to room temperature. Wrap each rack of ribs with foil and place meat-side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Cook 3 to 3.5 hours for baby back and 3.5 to 4 hours for spare ribs. Remove from oven and carefully flip so the meaty side is facing up. Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees. Brush with the BBQ sauce and cook meat side up and uncovered for another 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven, brush with more sauce (if desired) and serve! *If you cannot find maple sugar, you can substitute with brown sugar. If you cannot source huckleberries, try subbing with blueberries. Apple Maple Cinnamon Ribs with a Huckleberry Chipotle BBQ sauce
(4 votes, average: 3.75 out of 5)
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