Mexican Ribs
These ribs use a Southwestern style rub, feature a sauce with a lot of prominent Mexican flavors, and are cooked over mesquite instead of hickory, which isn't very easy to find in the South, however mesquite is.
1 slab St. Louis pork ribs
¼ cup light brown sugar
1 tbsp habanero chile powder
¼ cup ancho chile powder
1 tbsp dried Mexican oregano
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp freshly-ground black pepper
1 tbsp chipotle powder
1 habanero chile, seeded and minced
1 ½ cups barbecue sauce
¼ cup tequila (recommended: José Cuervo Especial)
Large mesquite chunks
Combine sugar, chile powders, oregano, salt, and pepper. Remove membrane from ribs and rub both sides with mixture. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to marinate.
1 hour
Combine tequila, habanero, and sauce. Bring to a boil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Set aside.
Place enough mesquite chunks in a smoker to keep the temperature at 200°F. Place ribs in smoker and cook 7 hours, basting every hour with sauce mixture.
7 hours
Brush meat side liberally with sauce mixture. Place sauce side-down on a high grill and cook until well-browned. Brush other side with sauce and repeat 1 more time.
Slice ribs into 1-rib portions and serve warm with remaining sauce.