Because this is my favorite barbecue sauce, the recipe makes much more than you will need for the three or four ribs from one roast. Simply divide the remaining sauce into 3/4 cup measurements and freeze until needed again. And because the ribs are already cooked, the time on the grill is very short. Serve with coleslaw and oven-baked french fries.
Ingredients
For the Chipotle BBQ Sauce:
• 3 dried chipotle chiles (or more, to taste)
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped fine
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 red bell peppers, quartered, seeds removed
• 2 onions, sliced thickly
• 3 tomatoes, cut in half
• 2 cups ketchup
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
For the Ribs:
• 3 or 4 smoked prime ribs, cut from the roast and separated
Instructions
For the Chipotle BBQ Sauce:
To make the sauce, in a bowl, combine the chipotle chiles with boiling water and soak for 30 minutes or more to soften. Chop the chipotles finely. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil and sauce the onion. After the onion is translucent, add the garlic and continue to sauce for 2 minutes.
To roast the bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes, place them on the grill over a medium fire and grill until they are soft and slightly blackened. Remove, peel, and chop the vegetables.
In a large sauce pan, combine all the ingredients and bring the mixture to a low boil over a medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Let the mixture cool and puree in a blender or food processor until smooth. You can thin the mixture with water if you so desire. (The yield is about 4 cups and the heat scale is medium.)
For the Ribs:
To grill the ribs, heat the grill to medium-hot. Place the ribs on the grill and cook for about 5 minutes, turning frequently to avoid flare-ups from the fat in the ribs. Brush the BBQ sauce over the ribs and cook for another 2 minutes, taking care that the sauce does not burn. Transfer to a platter and serve additional sauce on the side.