Cherry Chipotle Ribs

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Summer has officially started on both the calendar and with the close of the school year. That is reason enough to fire up the grill and enjoy these amazing ribs featuring seasonal black cherries. This Cherry Chipotle Ribs recipe will be a clear star at your next BBQ.

Right now our orchards are filled with ripe and juicy cherries. Cherries just happen to be my favorite fruit and I am always looking for new ways to enjoy them. I have passed on this love of cherries to my kids as well and they were more than happy to help me pick enough to serve with dinner.

Well, have you ever tried them in a BBQ sauce? It is a treat you will not soon forget.

I love to pair pork with fruit... either apples or in this case, fresh seasonal cherries. And the sweet, dark flavor of the cherries works really well with just a little gentle chipotle heat.

I grabbed these Farmland® St. Louis Style Pork Spareribs at my local Walmart, where you can also grab cherries and everything else you will need to create this finger-licking recipe. If you have rib fans in your family, this is a recipe you will want to share with them.

This recipe starts with a simple dry rub. Now, you can buy pre-made rubs, but it is so easy to create your own. You probably have everything already in your spice drawer or pantry. Start with this basic recipe and change up the flavors to fit your tastes.

It just takes a few basic spices and seasonings.

I like to whisk together a double batch and save some for the next time the grilling mood hits me. Or maybe next time I will just make a double batch of ribs instead...

Rub both sides generously and then put the ribs on the smoker. We love smoking  low and slow for tender and flavorful meat.

The BBQ sauce is also super easy to make. Our fresh cherries went into the cherry jam I used in this recipe and some were juiced to provide added moisture while the ribs smoked. Just a little dish or pan in the back of the smoker will add to the humidity while the ribs cook. You want the smokey flavor but not for the meat to dry out.

In the end, you will achieve slow-cooked, saucy ribs. I suggest keeping a large supply of napkins handy to tackle these bad boys! Good ribs should be messy, don't you think?

I let the ribs sit for at least 10 minutes before cutting and serving. It can be so hard not to sample the meat. It smells so good, but I don't want to loose any of the juices in the meat.

Don't these look amazing? This is a rib recipe we will be coming back to again and again. Ready to try it out for yourself?

Cherry Chipotle Ribs

You Will Need:

Farmland® St. Louis Style Pork Spareribs

Dry Rub

• 3 Tbsp. smoked paprika
• 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp. kosher salt
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. black pepper
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. onion powder
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp. ground cardamom

Whisk together all the rub ingredients. Rub liberally onto both sides of the ribs. Set aside while setting up your smoker. Place a small pan with cherry juice to keep the humidity up as the ribs smoke.

Turn your smoker onto smoke and leave the door open until smoke is visible. Put the ribs on the grill, bone side down, and close the door. Smoke for 2 hours and prepare the Cherry Chipotle BBQ Sauce in the meantime.

Cherry Chipotle BBQ Sauce

• 1 c. ketchup
• 1 c. cherry jam
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp. molasses
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp. finely grated lemon peel
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo, minced
• 1 tsp. espresso powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• salt and pepper to taste

Add all the ingredients to a blender or food processor, blend till smooth. Place in a small saucepan and bring up to a simmer for 10 minutes. Stir constantly. Remove from the heat and season to taste. Reserve half the BBQ sauce for serving and set the other half aside for basting the ribs as they cook.

Turn the smoker to 325 degrees and grill the ribs for about an hour. Then brush the ribs with the Cherry Chipotle BBQ Sauce and continue grilling till the ribs reach 160 degrees and the meat starts to pull away from the bones.

Let the meat rest for 10 minutes then cut between the bones and brush with additional BBQ sauce before serving.

Enjoy!

Be sure to visit and enter the Get Fired Up Grilling website/sweepstakes www.getfiredupgrilling.com for additional recipes and tips from BBQ Pitmasters Moe Cason and Tuffy Stone. Also enter to win a trip to the American Royal BBQ contest and other great grilling prizes!

So, how do you like your ribs?

Cherry Pie Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies

One of my favorite parts of the holiday season was always the vast assortment of cookies available. Monster oatmeal and chocolate chip were the everyday cookies, but the really fancy and exotic treats only were brought out of the family recipe collection for the holidays.

There were a few years I remember my Mom went wild in the kitchen and we had so many exciting cookies and caramel corn treats. Now I try to pace myself and am always looking for a great cookie recipe to use for either a holiday cookie exchange, a homemade gift or that freezes well till needed. These Cherry Pie Shortbread Thumbprints fit into all of those categories, though I am most excited about freezing a bunch to make closer to Christmas.

These are super easy to make, take just a few ingredients, but are a truly "Wow" cookie. Flaky and buttery with just a hint of cherry pie.

My husband is very vocal about not liking Cherry pie. That did not stop him from inhaling his fair share of these tender little cookies. He claimed they were the perfect ratio of filling (about one cherry each) to buttery cookie "crust".

Now, don't be alarmed if the cookie dough seems a little "craggy" or dry. Just press it into a ball, press in a little indent and then smooth out the edges the best you can. I used a small cookie scoop to keep my balls as uniform as possible.

If needed, a couple drops of water can help to hold the dough together. But trust me, dry is just fine.

Now, if you happen to have a little homemade cherry pie filling on hand, I would use that. Sadly, I never had a chance to can or freeze pie cherries this year. Let's say it is at the top of my list for next year.

But, if you happen to be all out of homemade, go grab a can of pie filling. It works just fine!

My little thumbprints held one cherry and a little filling. Again, my husband swore this was perfection.

Bake these little beauties for about 15 minutes, then let them cool and set up for another 15 minutes. Then they can be iced and are ready to enjoy.

And if you want to stock up on cookies for the holidays, just roll and indent the cookies, then freeze. When ready thaw and bake as usual.

Cherry Pie Shortbread Thumbprints

You Will Need:

• 1 c. unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 can cherry pie filling
• 4 Tbsp. powdered sugar + more if needed
• 1 Tbsp. milk

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Add in the vanilla bean paste and salt. Slowly add in the flour, making sure to scrape down the sides. Dough may seem dry, but will hold together when pressed firmly.

Use a small cookie scoop to form balls. Indent the top to hold filling. Spoon a little into each cookie well. 

Bake for 15 minutes. The cookie edges should be starting to turn light brown. Remove from the oven and let them set for another 15 minutes. 

In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk. It should be thick. Add additional sugar as necessary. Put into a zip-top bag and cut the corner to pipe over the cookies. Allow the sugar to set up for another few minutes before serving.

Enjoy!