There are so many reasons to love spareribs, and we’re sharing our recipe for Grilled Jalapeno Pineapple Spareribs, which may just be the best grilling recipe you need this summer.

Grilled Jalapeno Pineapple Spareribs

It’s nearly summertime, and that means one thing, lots of backyard grilling! Households all across the country are getting ready to fire up grills and stoke fires and cook their favorite meats over an open flame.

Like so many, I grew up on ribs cooked using charcoal and wood smoke, and in my opinion, there’s no other way to grill.

And that’s not me being a snob or a purist, it’s just food in general, and meat in particular, taste better when cooked using charcoal and wood smoke.

But as picky as I am about charcoal and wood, I am just as critical about the cuts of meat I prepare for my family.

One of the things I look for when it comes to ribs is a consistency of quality and flavor, and I find both in Smithfield® Extra Tender Fresh Pork Spareribs.

Because everything I look for in ribs like tenderness, fat distribution, and lots of meat are front and center and is the reason why I select Smithfield Extra Tender Pork Spareribs for my family.

Right now, most of us are staying at home a lot more these days, and eating at home has become more important than ever.

So, when I cook Smithfield products, I know it’s a name I can trust to deliver the best flavor.

Want to learn the best tips and techniques for cooking delicious and juicy barbecue?

Get all the tricks of the Smithfield Meat Your Match team by visiting MeatYourMatch.com.

There you will learn everything you need to know about grilling meat from their team of pitmasters.

I recently learned from 15-time Grand Champion Darren Warth that you shouldn’t cut your meat too thin because doing so will allow the juices to run out and result in dry servings.

No one wants that, right? There is so much information, no matter if you’re a beginner or a seasoned grilling vet.

Pro-tip: Top Secrets to Grilling Better Ribs

What You Will Need To Cook Our Grilled Jalapeno Pineapple Spareribs:

Spareribs. For feeding a crowd, there’s no other choice when it comes to ribs. Spareribs are big and juicy, and when cooked correctly are falling off the bone perfectly. Naturally, my ribs of choice are Smithfield® Extra Tender Fresh Pork Spareribs.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil. You can use any kind of cooking oil you prefer, but I like using EVOO because it imparts flavor and isn’t just a medium for the rest of the herbs and spices you use to flavor the meat.

Coarse Sea Salt & Black Peppercorns. Well-seasoned meat often starts with the basics. I start seasoning the spareribs with a bit of coarse sea salt and freshly cracked black peppercorns.

Rib Rub. For this recipe, I used a brown sugar rib rub but use whatever kind of rib rub you want. I enjoy the sweetness of a brown sugar-based rib rub for this recipe because the brown sugar compliments the sweetness of the pineapple.

Fresh Jalapenos. I used seven (7) large jalapeno peppers and cut them using a mandoline. I like the taste of jalapeno peppers because they pair well with the sweetness of the pineapple and the au jour from the cooked spareribs.

Pineapple. I mean, you can’t make our Grilled Jalapeno Pineapple Spareribs with one of the namesake ingredients, right? I recommend using canned pineapple rings in syrup because they’re the sweetest but use fresh or canned pineapple, whatever you have on hand.

Common Questions & Answers About Spareribs:

Where do spareribs come from?

Spareribs are sourced from pork or beef, and they are the cut of meat taken from the lower portion of the pig, which includes the belly and breastbone area, behind the shoulder, and include up to a baker’s dozen (13) worth of long bones.

How do you prepare spareribs for grilling?

I always rinse off ribs and pat them dry using a couple of paper towels. I then rub both sides of the ribs with extra virgin olive oil, and add liberal amounts of sea salt, and freshly cracked black peppercorns. I add a rib rub; when it comes to ribs, I am partial to brown sugar rubs.

Here’s my brown sugar rib rub recipe:

1/2 cup light brown sugar, 1/4 cup smoked paprika, one tablespoon freshly cracked black peppercorns, one tablespoon coarse sea salt, one tablespoon granulated garlic, one tablespoon Old Bay seasoning, one tablespoon onion powder, two tablespoons ground chili powder or smoked ground red chipotle, two tablespoons chili lime seasoning, and two teaspoons cayenne pepper.

How long do I cook spareribs?

Typically, I cook my spareribs on a charcoal grill with chunks of hickory wood for 2-3 hours between 350-400°F degrees.

For this recipe, I cooked the spareribs on the grill for 2 1/2 hours and finished them in the oven at 250°F degrees for two additional hours. When the spareribs are cooking on the grill, they are cooked using indirect heat, which means the meat isn’t placed directly over the hot coals.

Instead, they are cooked away from the hot coals, and make sure to turn, not flip, the ribs a few times to make sure they are cooked evenly through.

Ribs are done when they reach an internal temperature of 145°F.

What do I serve with spareribs?

You can serve whatever you want to serve.

Still, some traditional sides include but are not limited to potato salad, coleslaw, roasted potatoes, cheesy mac and cheese, collard, turnip, or mustard greens, a nice garden salad, or buttery sweet corn on the cob.

The best spareribs are cooked over hot charcoal and big chunks of water-soaked hickory wood.

The water-soaked hickory wood will create more smoke, and more smoke means perfectly cooked spareribs with a deep smoky flavor.