The Ultimate Guide to Making Banana Pepper Barbecue Ribs

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Move over traditional BBQ sauce, banana pepper barbecue ribs are taking over the grill this summer.  They’re the perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and spicy.

I signed up for a recipe competition and received and case of different flavors of banana pepper sauces.  Of course, my immediate thought was a barbecue sauce for ribs.  I planned on smoking them, but since I smoked leg of lamb already this week, I thought I’d pressure cook the ribs.  Because I want everyone to be able to make ribs to baste with this delicious barbecue sauce.

My immediate impression of the sauce is that it reminds me of my hot pepper jelly.  Like, I wanted to drizzle the sauce over some cream cheese and serve it with Ritz crackers.  That’s how much it reminded me of that southern classic dish.  Next, I thought I’d make a version of chicken dip.  That’s still in the works.  But I’m glad I decided to make barbecue sauce for ribs because it is oh so delicious with a kick.

What are Banana Peppers?

Banana peppers are a type of chili pepper that are mild and tangy.  This makes them perfect for adding a bit of zing to your barbecue sauce. They are typically yellow when ripe, and their name comes from their banana-like shape. Whether you use them fresh, pickled, or as a component in your barbecue sauce, banana peppers are sure to enhance the flavor profile of anything you make with them.

Making Your Own Barbecue Sauce

I love making my own barbecue sauce, but I haven’t in a while.  I’ve made a slew of different kinds of mop sauce like blueberry bourbon using my favorite local spirit.  I’ve made apple butter barbecue sauce to simmer some chicken in.  I have cherry chipotle, honey mustard, mango, and date ketchup sauce.  If you can find a company that makes different kinds of fruit and vegetable ketchup, you’re golden! 

For me, the basis of a barbecue sauce has a range of seasonings and spices depending on the type of sauce you wan to make.  But the base of all my sauces is brown sugar, ketchup, and vinegar.  You alter the flavor of your barbecue sauce recipe by changing up the herbs and spices.  Similar to changing the taste of your BBQ rub, you can change the flavor profile of your sauce by doing the same thing.

For a sweeter sauce, increase the amount of brown sugar or honey. If you like it spicy, add more cayenne pepper or hot sauce. A splash of apple cider vinegar can enhance the tanginess. Or try a flavored balsamic vinegar for an interesting twist.  Don’t forget to taste as you go and adjust the seasoning accordingly.  And make sure to let the sauce simmer so the flavors blend and meld together.

Using a Dry Rub to Flavor the Ribs

I talked about using a dry rub in my post about spicy bbq dry rub.  I used that rub on these banana pepper barbecue ribs.  Making sure to sprinkle it all over the ribs, I wrapped them in plastic and let them sit in the fridge until I was ready to cook them.  I didn’t even take them out early to warm up before cooking.  They went straight from fridge to the cooker.

When I took the plastic off, they were a deep red color and had the most incredible aroma.  I knew that these ribs were going to taste amazing  With the combination of the dry rub and the barbecue sauce, these ribs did taste amazing.

Cooking the ribs

Smoking is a traditional method for cooking ribs.  It imparts a rich, smoky flavor to the ribs. Set your smoker to a low temperature, around 225°F, and use wood chips like hickory or apple for a distinctive flavor. I use to 2-2-1 method.  I smoke the ribs for 2 hours then I wrap the ribs in foil and continue to cook them for 2 hours, then remove the foil and slather them with sauce and baste them for an hour.  Then I wrap them in the foil again and let them rest for at least 15 to 20 minutes.  They are tender, delicious, and full of so much smokey flavor using this method.

Pressure Cooking the Ribs

If you don’t want to smoke the ribs or don’t have the time to smoke the ribs, but still want finger licking good ribs, then try cooking them in the pressure cooker or InstantPot.  Cover the ribs with a dry rub and wrap in plastic to chill in the fridge until you’re ready to cook them.

Take them out of the fridge, remove the plastic, and put them in the pressure cooker.  You want to put them on their side in the cooker.  I have a steamer basket that I put upside down in my cooker.  This provides a nice ring around of the outside for the ribs to sit in.  Then I pour liquid in the middle.  This is anything from apple juice to orange juice and even beer or broth.  Just make sure there’s some flavor to the liquid you add to steam the ribs with.  Set the timer for 35 to 40 minutes and allow for a natural release. 

You have will the most tender and delicious ribs.  But they don’t have that lacquer of sauce on them!  No problem.  Turn your broiler on, put the ribs on a sheet pan, slather them with sauce, and put them under the broiler.  Keep an eye on them and watch the barbecue sauce start to brown and bubble.  It makes that lovely barbecue sauce crust on your tibs.

Sides to Serve with Barbecue Ribs

Sometimes I struggle with this.  Sometimes I made some mac and cheese and sometimes I do corn.  I mean, typical is baked bean and slaw.  And we had a version of that with these ribs.  I heated up a can of beans and added a little of the barbecue sauce to bring the meal together.  Since I had some kale in the fridge, I thought I’d try a kale slaw.  I purchased some broccoli slaw mix to go with the kale and used mayo with some poppy seed dressing.  Simple yet oh so delicious.

I’ve made some cornbread doughnuts to have with barbecue.  Those were delicious.  All spicy with jalapneo and sprinkled with cheese.  I’ve made a Mexican street corn salad with some southern fried corn.  And the there’s fried green tomatoes.  Those are so good with barbecue.  But, they’re your ribs, so make whatever sides you want.  If that’s a baked potato, then roll with it!  Sweet potato fries or tots, so be it!

What do these banana pepper barbecue ribs taste like?

They have a kick from the banana pepper sauce.  If you don’t want them to have some heat, then use a milder base for your barbecue sauce.  Not all banana peppers are spicy, but you can’t really tell from looking at them which are spicier than others.  They had great sweet and tart flavor and packed with herbs from the rub. 

I took the leftovers for lunch the next day.  And turned them and the leftover slaw into delicious tacos.  So, there’s an idea for ya!  They were sweet and spice and the kale slaw was also sweet and added nice coolness and crunch.  It was a delicious dinner and a delicious lunch!

Welcome to #BBQWeek where we celebrate all things barbecue related! From slow cooked pulled pork to grilled chicken, salsa and sides, and delicious pies there’s a recipe that’s perfect for your summer cookout parties.

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• Grilled Chicken with Balsamic Peach Glaze from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Italian Pasta Salad from Our Crafty Mom
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