Merrick’s Candy Apple Baby Back Ribs

Ingredients:

• 2 packages of Swift Pork Backribs
• 1 C of your favorite BBQ sauce
• 1/4 C apple preserves
• 1/4 C raspberry preserves
• 1/4 C brown sugar
• 1/4 C grenadine
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 can of cherry cola (for spritzing)
• Yellow mustard (for binder)
• BBQ rub

Directions:

1. Remove ribs from packaging and pat dry with paper towels. Don’t waste your time looking for the membrane to remove, because Swift Pork Backribs come packaged with the membrane removed.
2. Use a thin layer of yellow mustard as a binder and season the ribs with your favorite BBQ rub,or keep it simple with salt and pepper.
3. Set your smoker to 225°F. Once preheated, place your ribs in the smoker. Let the ribs smoke for 2.5 hours, then begin to spritz them every 30-45 minutes with cherry cola for the rest of the cook.
4. At the 5-hour mark, Merrick’s baby backs were sitting around 200°F internal temperature. The meat around the bones was pulled back about 1/4 inch, another indicator that these ribs were done.
5. When you feel your ribs are getting close to being done, begin to prepare your Candy Apple Glaze. In a saucepan, mix 1 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce, 1/4 C of apple preserves, 1/4 C of raspberry preserves, 1/4 C of brown sugar, 1 Tbsp of honey, and 1/4 C of grenadine.
6. Stir on low heat until all ingredients are blended together and you are left with your delicious candy apple red rib glaze!
7. Baste your ribs with the candy apple glaze and let the glaze set for approximately 20 minutes.
8. After 20 more minutes on the smoker at 225°F, the ribs were 203°F internal temperature and the sticky red glaze was perfectly set!
9. Remove your candy apple ribs from the smoker and enjoy!